As mentioned at the very end of this page, Buddhism does seem like less of a religion. Maybe I'm wrong, but when I hear about Buddhism, Buddha doesn't seem to come across as some all knowing powerful God but more as an idol.

I've heard of Zoroastrianism before, but I has no idea that Zoroastrianism was the first monotheistic religion.

I've always found photos of this site to be incredible but also creepy. To know that people were tasked to build an entire army of statues and have them be so detailed is astonishing.

I remember in high school, my history teacher telling the class that saying "ancient Greece" isn't correct because it implies that Greece was united under a single government or ruler. When in fact it was divided into city-states.

I remember learning in my high school that most stories and epic poems have been lost because they were oral traditions and weren't written down.

As stated in an earlier section of this chapter, it's theorized that symbols like these were mainly used in the beginning as a way to keep track of goods and livestock.

I always find it strange that reading and writing in the past was reserved for the elite. Why wouldn't a nation want the majority of the population to have this skill?

I feel it would be a pain to have to burn your villages of 10,000 people in order to avoid other consequences.

That is insane they were able to move all of that with the technology they had. And getting it done in only 12 years is impressive.

I've never heard flooding be talked about in a positive light. However, I would imagine it takes a load off of people when you don't have to worry about irrigation.

I'm always so confused on how scientists are able to look at an ancient drawing and identify what it being depicted in the drawing. For example, the drawing on this pot is supposedly a cart. I would have never guessed that.

I was told in high school that the wheel was invented in Mesopotamia. I'm not sure if I'm missing something, or if the text is saying that it's difficult to determine where in Mesopotamia.

I love hearing about epics that were created long ago like Beowulf. I feel it gives insight to the creativeness, imagination, and entertainment that our ancestors loved.

It's impressive they were able to develop their own system for crops that would allow for food to be grown during all seasons.

People are very proud of who they are, where they come from, and who they descend from. Trying to prove or disapprove that will reshape the narrative and origins or a culture will always receive push back.

I always thought the bubonic plague was the scariest of any illnesses. Now I realize that the same bacterium was present in a plague from about 5,000 years that was more deadly.