Siddhartha Gautama: The Buddha
by Lisa Zamosky
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Siddhartha Gautama was born to the king of a tribe in northern India. He became known as "The Buddha." Buddha traveled India for 45 years, teaching anyone who would listen.
Mansa Musa: Leader of Mali
by Lisa Zamosky
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Mansa Musa was the king of Mali. Located in western Africa, Mali became one of the largest empires during the time of Musa's rule. Musa helped his empire grow in size and culture by encouraging the arts, literature, and architecture.
Julius Caesar: Roman Leader
by Christine Dugan
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Julius Caesar was a major figure in the ancient Roman Republic. Born in 100 B.C., Caesar grew up to be a talented leader who had a very successful military career. Not long after his death, the republic ended and Rome became an empire.
Sub-Saharan Africa
by Lisa Zamosky
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Africa, the second largest continent on Earth, is home to the largest desert and the longest river in the world. Trade routes gave rise to the ancient kingdoms in Africa, providing a rich history in culture, trade, and tradition.
India
by Lisa Zamosky
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
India's history is closely tied to its location. Because it is between the East and the West, it has been invaded and overtaken multiple times. Each culture that came to India made a lasting contribution in some way.
Confucius: Chinese Philosopher
by Wendy Conklin
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Confucius was born in 551 B.C. There was great suffering and chaos during this time in China. He wanted to devote his life to relieving the suffering he saw and believed government reform was needed. He devoted his life to making this reform occur.
China
by Gisela Lee
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
China is the third largest country in the world. The Chinese culture has changed greatly over the years, but the Chinese people still celebrate the great changes in their culture and nation.
Egypt
by Shirley J. Jordan
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Ancient Egyptian civilization first began along the Nile River when nomads grew tired of the dangers of traveling and settled into villages for safety. They constructed the great pyramids and were strong mathematicians. Because of the location of Egypt, pharaohs had constant problems protecting the land from intruders, and Egypt was eventually conquered by the great Roman Empire.
Hatshepsut: First Female Pharaoh
by Shirley J. Jordan
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Hatshepsut was a young woman who became the first female pharaoh of Egypt. When her father, Thutmose I, died, Hatshepsut was the only heir. Since she was female, leaders were afraid to make her pharaoh. She finally declared herself the pharaoh in 1501 B.C. and ruled Egypt for about 20 years.
Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs
by Wendy Conklin
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
The Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs were three groups of people found living in the ancient Americas. Though they were clearly alike, they were also unique. All three civilizations ended when Spanish explorers moved into the Americas.
Mesopotamia
by Christine Mayfield
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Mesopotamia was located in the Middle East. It was made up of empires such as the Babylonian Empire, Assyrian Empire, Persian Empire, and Phoenician Empire. Each empire made contributions and influenced the world as it exists today.
Hammurabi: Babylonian Ruler
by Christine Mayfield
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Hammurabi was a king of Babylon, but he wanted to rule the entire area of Mesopotamia. After only five years of being king, Hammurabi reached his goal. Hammurabi changed Mesopotamia in many ways.
Rome
by Christine Dugan
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Ancient Rome was a city of rich history that influenced others in many ways, including politics, architecture, and language. Even though the Roman Empire ended in A.D. 476, its legacy still lives on today.
Greece
by Lisa Zamosky
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Greece is located on the southern tip of Europe, bordering the Aegean, Adriatic, and Mediterranean seas. Various civilizations, Greek gods, and Greek wars influenced Greek culture, which is rich in arts, philosophy, and government. Through these influences, a great nation and culture was developed.
Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler
by Wendy Conklin
read by Teacher Created Materials
Part of the World Cultures Through Time series
Moctezuma was the most famous ruler of the powerful Aztec empire. After leading the Aztecs for 17 years as a fair leader, Moctezuma's reign came to a dramatic close. The Spanish explorer Hernan Cortés conquered the Aztecs and Moctezuma died.