Mediterranean Basin
The Mediterranean Basin consists of all the land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Many early civilizations grew along the Mediterranean Basin, including the Phoenicians, Greeks, and the Romans.
Fertile Crescent
The Fertile Crescent is named for the arc shape tract of fertile land extending from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea. This fertile land was perfect for early civilizations, especially those in Mesopotamia, to use for farming.
Mesopotamia
The world Mesopotamia means "land between the rivers," specifically the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Early inhabitants of Mesopotamia include the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians.
India
India saw the growth of Hinduism and Buddhism and was the center of the Mauryan and Gupta Empires.
China
Middle East / The Levant
The Levant is the land on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It saw the growth of the Phoenician and Hebrew civilizations and has been a central location for three big monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam).
Asia Minor / Anatolia
Anatolia has been an important link between Europe and Asia. While it housed the ancient city Catalhoyuk and the early Hittite civilization, Anatolia later became an important territory to hold for the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire after them.
Arabian Peninsula
The religion of Islam began on the Arabian Peninsula in the city of Mecca. It later became the springboard from which the religion would spread across northern Africa and southwest Asia.
Nile River Valley
The Nile River Valley was important for the development of Egypt and the kingdom of Kush. The area around the Nile River provided much needed fertile land for agriculture.
Western Africa
Western Africa saw the growth of Ghana, Mali, and then Songhai. They controlled much of the same territory one after another, but saw a growth of land with each new empire.
Greece and the Balkans
Italian Peninsula
Gaul
Germanic tribes and the Franks
British Isles
England
Iberian Peninsula
Spain
Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
Scandinavia
Vikings migrated from Scandinavia and settled in parts of England, France, and Russia
Central American Rainforest
Mayans
Modern Day Mexico
Aztecs
Andes Mountains of South America
Incans