Ancient Egyptian Civilization
Assignments 7 and 8 focus on two early civilizations, those of Ancient Egypt and the Maya, each of which we examine in some detail. Assignment 7 discusses the origins of state organized societies and the theoretical controversies surrounding their origins. This theoretical background is essential for understanding some of the factors which contributed to the rise and fall of pre industrial civilizations. Then we analyze the rise, and workings of, one of the world's earliest civilizations, along the banks of the Nile River.