Importance of Wheat and Barley in Civilizations

Study Notes

Importance of Wheat and Barley in Ancient River Civilizations

Wheat and barley were the primary staple crops in most ancient river civilizations.

The Indus River Valley

Archaeologist Dora Fulman researched the Indus River Valley (modern-day India).
Fulman noted the absence of wheat and barley deposits in the Indus River Valley before 1900 BCE.
Historians believe wheat and barley were imported into the Indus Valley before 1900 BCE.
Soil and weather conditions in the region were not conducive to preserving evidence of these grains.

Introduction

Historians suggest that wheat and barley were imported into the Indus River Valley before 1900 BCE.
The soil and weather conditions in the region were not conducive to preserving evidence of these grains.

Archeological Evidence

Archeologist Dora Fulman argues that the absence of wheat and barley deposits before 1900 BCE suggests importation, rather than local growth.
Historians acknowledge that the lack of preserved evidence doesn't definitively rule out local growth.

SAT English: Words and Context

SAT English questions frequently ask about word meaning in context.
Skim the entire passage, understanding tone and context.
Look for synonyms or restatements within the passage that might define a word's meaning.
Eliminate inappropriate answer choices regarding tone or clear incorrect meanings.

SAT English: Text Structure and Purpose

SAT English questions often ask about text structure or a specific section's purpose.
Review answer choices before reading the passage to shape your approach.
Summarize sentences with a few words to identify the structure.
Match your sentence summaries with answer choices to fit the best.

SAT English: Rhetorical Synthesis

Rhetorical Synthesis questions analyze how information supports a particular goal.
Read the question and answer choices first to identify the goal.
Cross out clearly wrong or irrelevant answers that don't address the question's aim.
Assess the remaining choices by skimming the passage for evidence.
Use evidence from the passage to choose the best answer that achieves the stated goal.

SAT English: Cross-Text Connections

Cross-Text Connection questions examine the relationship between two passages.
Read both passages to understand their main points and lines of reasoning.
Eliminate answer choices that contradict the authors' main ideas.
Choose the answer reflecting both authors' views while building on their arguments.

SAT English: Boundaries

Sentences include independent and dependent clauses.
Independent clauses stand alone; dependent clauses need an independent clause for completion.
Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS), subordinating conjunctions, or semicolons join clauses.
Essential elements are necessary; nonessential elements can be removed without changing meaning.
Non-essential elements are separated by commas, dashes, or parentheses.

SAT English: Form, Structure, and Sense

Subject modifiers are placed directly beside the subject.
Verbs and subjects must agree in tense and conjugation.
Pronouns agree in number with their antecedents.
Plurals do not need apostrophes; singular possessives use an apostrophe + "s"; plural possessives use an apostrophe unless the word already ends in "s."

Description

Explore the significance of wheat and barley in ancient river civilizations, particularly in the Indus River Valley. This quiz addresses archaeological findings and historical debates regarding the importation versus local growth of these staple crops before 1900 BCE.