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Unit 3: Early Agrarian Societies

6000 BCE to 100 CE

The Agricultural Revolution set the stage for the development of complex societies. Farming villages developed into the first cities, states, and empires. Local trade networks expanded, linking distant societies together. The world would never be the same.

Lesson 3.1

Cities, Societies, and Empires
How did complex societies change the way people lived? Trace the transformation from small communities to cities and empires—and explore how this transformation reshaped human life.

Villages, Cities, and States

Lesson 3.2

Foragers and Village Networks
Examine the networks that linked early farming communities to explore how villages interacted with one another and with other groups, such as foragers, pastoralists, and nomads.

Lesson 3.3

The First Cities, States, and Empires
The rise of cities, states, and empires marked a major turning point in history. Explore how these powerful societies emerged, and how these complex networks continue to shape our world today.

Agrarian Societies Expand

Lesson 3.4

Ancient Trade Networks
Long-distance trade reshaped communities by spreading people, goods, ideas, and diseases. Discover how these powerful trade networks emerged and expanded across the world.

Lesson 3.5

Early Agrarian Societies
What do early agricultural societies have in common—and how do they differ? Explore the formation of agrarian states and the importance of geography in their development.