LEARNING RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND

DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM (LRMDS)

Department of Education
Region VI - Western Visayas
Schools Division Office of Kabankalan City

A Compilation of

Napapahalagahan ang mga kontribusyon ng

mga sinaunang lipunan at komunidad sa Asya

BLAS P. TABAYAG, JR.

Education Program Supervisor
Araling Panlipunan
 Published by the
LEARNING RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM (LRMDS)
Department of Education
Region VI - Western Visayas
Schools Division Office of Kabankalan City

Copyright 2018

Section 9 of Presidential Decree No. 49 provides:

“No copyright shall subsist in any work of the Government of the Republic of the
Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency of office wherein the
work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit.”

This material has been developed to support the Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum
under the K to 12 Framework implemented by the Curriculum and Implementation
Division (CID) of the Department of Education, Division of Kabankalan City. It can be
reproduced for education purposes and the source must be clearly acknowledged. The
material may be modified for the purpose of translation into another language but the
original work must be acknowledged. Derivatives of the work including creating an
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from this material for commercial purposes and profit.

Compiled by:
BLAS P. TABAYAG, JR., EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPERVISOR – ARALING PANLIPUNAN
Lay-out:
JEWELYN Q. CADIGAL, PDO II – LR
Cover:
ALFRED R. OTEA, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT III
LR Production Team:
MARY HELEN M. BOCOL, EPS - LRMDS
JEWELYN Q. CADIGAL, PDO II - LR
EMEE ANN P. VALDEZ, LIBRARIAN - II

Recommending Approval:

PETER J. GALIMBA
O.I.C - ASST. SCHOOLS DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT

Approved:

MA. LORLINIE M. ORTILLO, CESO VI

SCHOOLS DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT

The first digital edition has been produced for print and online distribution within the
Department of Education, Philippines via the Learning Resources (LR) Portal by the Division of
Kabankalan City, kabankalan.city001@deped.gov.ph

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A Compilation of
ANCIENT NATIONS’ CONTRIBUTIONS TO CIVILIZATION

Ikalawang Markahan:
Sinaunang Kabihasnan sa Asya Hanggang sa Ika-16 na Siglo

Pamantayan sa Pagkatuto:
Napapahalagahan ang mga kontribusyon ng mga sinaunang
lipunan at komunidad sa Asya (AP7KSA-IIh-1.12)

Continent: A S I A
ANCIENT NATIONS CONTRIBUTIONS
1. THE SUMERIANS a. The invention of writing about 3500 B.C., was
called “cuneiform” because of its wedge-
shaped characters, derived from the Latin
term “cuneus” (wedge) and “forma” (form);
Man’s historic period began.
b. The building of the first cities, the first schools,
and temples; the writing of the first history,
poetry, epics, fables and proverbs, and the
first law codes:
* First written law code, the “Ur-Nammu
Code” was promulgated by Ur-Nammu,
Sumerian King of the city-state of Ur, about
2050 BC, 300 years older than the
“Hammurabi Code” which was promulgated
in 1750 BC
* “Epic of Gilgamesh” – a forerunner of the
“Great Deluge” in the Old Testament
c. The oldest known city map in the world is the
“Map of Nippur,” a Sumerian City, drawn by a
Sumerian cartographer about 1500 BC. It is
now preserved in the Hemann Hilprecht
Collection in Jena, Germany.
d. The mixing of copper and tin, thereby
producing an alloy called ”bronze,” a metal
which is harder that and more durable than
copper.
e. The use of bronze weapons in war and the
making of bronze ornamentals and tools for
everyday use.

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 f. The invention of the plow and the wheel –
which revolutionized agriculture and
transportation, and eventually trade.
2. THE AKKADIANS a. The founding of the world’s first empire – “The
Akkadian Empire” – by Sargon, which lasted
nearly two centuries (2334 – 2154 BC)
3. THE BABYLONIANS a. The idea of social stratifications: Babylonian
society was stratified into three social classes,
as follows:
* The nobles – who include the king, the
aristocrats, priests and rich landlords
* The freemen, composed of farmers,
merchants, soldiers, and artisans
* The slaves

b. The practice of hepaxoscopy that is,

observing the livers of slain animals to foretell
future events.
c. The ziggurat, which is the greatest
architectural achievement of Babylonia. An
edifice of several stories resting on a huge
platform, each story being smaller than the
one below it; on top of the last story was a
small shrine for the god to whom religious rites
were offered.
d. The invention of sexagesimal system of
calculation by sixties. The Babylonians were
the first people in history to divide the circle
into 360 ˚or 60’s. They also divided the hour
into 60 minutes, and each minute into 60
seconds.
e. Enriched astronomical knowledge. As early as
2000 Bc, they charted the position of the stars
and made accurate recordings of the
heliacal – the rising and setting of the planet
Venus.
f. Developed astrology because of their belief
that the stars and planets affected the lives of
men. They were the first people in the world to
devise the twelve signs of zodiac.

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 4. THE ASSYRIANS a. Developed the triple arches in building
construction, which the Romans later copied.
b. Improved animal sculpture which was
revealed in the prancing horses of
Sennacherib, the dying lion at the palace
gate of Nineveh, and the exciting lion hunt of
Ashurbanipal.
c. The oldest known library in the world. “The
Library of Ashurbanipal” (668 – 627 BC), which
consisted of 30,000 clay tablets fully
catalogued and well classified. It was
excavated by British archaeologists in 1854 at
Nineveh (now called Kuyunjik, Iraq, and is
preserved today in the British Museum,
London)
5. THE CHALDEANS a. The famous “Tower of Babel” which was built
by Nebuchadnezzar. It was a ziggurat of
seven stories.

b. The fabulous” Hanging gardens of Babylon,”

one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World

6. OTHER ANCIENT NATIONS

6.1. THE HITTITES a. The use of iron which enabled mankind to

progress from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age.
They were the first people in history to mine,
smelt, and utilize iron in making tools and
weapons.
b. The use of horse-drawn chariots in warfare,
which later copied by the Hyksos, Egyptians,
Kassites, Assyrians, Greeks and Romans and
use in their military expeditions.
c. The first treaty of peace which was concluded
between Rameses II of Egypt and Hattushilish
III in 1271 BC over Syria. Copies of this treaty
had been excavated in Boghazkewi and
Egypt. This is the first known recorded treaty in
history.
6.2. THE LYDIANS a. The invention of coinage. They were the first
people in history to mint gold and silver coins
and use them in commerce.

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 6.3. THE PHRYGIANS a. The mysterious “Gordian Knot” which was tied
by King Gordios to his chariot at Gordium, the
capital of Phrygia. He said: “Any man who
can untie this knot will be king of Phrygia.”
Many tried but failed. In 334 BC, Alexander
the Great arrived at Gordium and tried to
untie the knot. Failed, he took out his sword
and dramatically cut the knot.

b. The legend of King Midas – the son and

successor of King Gordios.

6.4. a. The establishment of colonies in various parts

of the Mediterranean world, out of which
THE PHOENICIANS
emerged Carthage (North Africa), Cadiz
(Spain), Cagliari (Sardinia), Palermo (Sicily),
Monaco (French Riviera)
b. They introduced not only the Asian trade
goods to the countries of the Mediterranean
world, but also the cultural influences of
Mesopotamia, Egypt, Palestine, Persia and
India so that they were called the “carriers of
civilization” during ancient times.
c. The invention of the alphabet. Their alphabet
contained 24 letters, all consonants. The first
two words in the Phoenician alphabet – aleph
(ox) and beth (house.) It should be noticed
that the Greeks simply improved the
Phoenician alphabet by adding the vowels.
Thus, the Phoenicians aleph and beth
became alpha and beta.

6.5. THE PHILISTINES a. The Biblical accounts of the killing, in single

combat, the giant warrior Goliath, champion
of the Philistines by David, former shepherd
boy who became king of the Jews after Saul’s
death.

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 6.6. THE JEWS a. Monotheism, the belief in one God. They were
the first people in history to really worship God
– Jehovah (Yahweh), hence their religion is
called Judaism. Pharaoh Ikhnaton
(Amenhotep IV), it should be remembered,
attempted to establish a monotheistic religion
in Egypt, but the priests and people spurned
it.

b. The Old Testament, now part of the Christian

Bible. The first five books of the Old Testament,
which the Jews call the “Torah”, are sacred to
them. The word “Torah” is usually translated as
“Law.”
c. The Code of Morality. This code is based on
the Ten Commandments and the teachings
of Jewish prophets (Amos, Hosea, Isaiah,
Micah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.) It uplifts men to
a high and noble level of culture, for it inspires
them to love freedom, justice, truth, and other
virtues.

6.7. THE ARAMEANS a. The greatest caravan traders of Asia

b. They spread on land the alphabet and other

Asian cultural influences to the Mediterranean
as the Phoenicians did by sea.

c. they gave the world the Aramaic language of

the Middle East. Jesus Christ and His Disciples
used this language to propagate the Christian
faith.

6.8. THE PERSIANS a. Zoroastrianism – a religion based on the belief

that life is a constant struggle between
goodness and evil. The founder was Zoroaster,
the “Prophet of Iran.” The Bible is Zend-Avesta;
the priests were wise men, called Magi.

b. The system of provincial administration, which

covered provincial executives, the local
system of taxation, and postal service.

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 6.9. THE HINDUS a. Two great religions. Hinduism, the oldest
religion in the world, and Buddhism, founded
by Prince Siddhartha Gautama “Buddha”
(The Enlightened One)
b. Six Philosophical Systems;
* Nyaska- the science of right reasoning
* Vaishesika- affirms that the universe is
governed by moral laws
* Samkhya- asserts that the universe is a
product of evolution, not of God’s creation
* Yoga- a discipline of the mind and body by
psychic and spiritual training
* Nimamsa- the doctrine of polytheism
* Vedanta- maintains that the individual soul is
a part of the absolute soul
c. India has enriched world literature:
Mahabharata and Ramayana, written in 500
BC by Byasa and Valmiki, respectively, are the
longest epic poems in the world. Bhagavad
Gita, - god’s dialogue between Krishna and
Arjuna – the world’s greatest philosophical
poem
d. Produced architectural wonders (ex. Taj
Mahal in Agra, India)
e. The invention of zero and the numerals in
mathematics (Hindu-Arabic)

6.10. THE CHINESE
a. The first paper (invented by Tsai Lun in 105 AD
– Han Dynasty), brush and ink for writing and
calligraphy (the art of fine writing.)
b. The first compass, whose invention was
attributed to legendary Huang – ti.
c. Sericulture and the use of silk clothes.
d. Confucian Philosophy preserved in the
Classics (Five Classics: Book of Changes, Book
of History, Book of Poetry, Spring and Autumn
Annals, and Book of Rites); Four Books:
Analects (Discourses), Great Learning,
Doctrine of the Mean, and the Book of
Mencius.)

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 e. Civil Service examinations (Chou Dynasty –
1122-256 BC), the longest dynasty founded by
Wu Wang.
f. Pagoda architecture, paper money, The
Great wall, and the chopsticks (invented by
Chou Hsin, the last emperor of the Shang
Dynasty.) Gun Powder (mixture of nitrate,
sulphur and carbon) which was originally
invented by Chinese alchemist as explosives
for festivals. It was first used as weapon by the
Sung army in battle in 1126 AD against the
Tartars.
g. First printing press which was invented by Feng
Tao in 932 AD. Five centuries earlier than John
Gutenberg’s invention of the first printing press
in Europe
h. The first published newspaper in the world,
“The Peking Gazette.” This newspaper
appeared during the reign of Emperor Hsuan
Tsung (705-735 AD)
i. The oldest known printed book, “The Diamond
sutra” (868 AD printed by Wang Chieh)
j. The introduction of rocketry in warfare, as early
a 1232 AD, called “arrows of fire.” The first
book on military strategy, “Art of War,” was
written in 500 BC by Sun Tzu.

6.11. THE JAPANESE a. Bushido, the Japanese code of chivalry (from

French word, “chevalier” meaning
“horseman;” for Koreans, “Hwarangdo.”)
b. Shinto religion
c. Kana alphabet (written in two types, hiragana
(cursive) and katakana (angular)
d. Literary forms, such as Kabuki (classical play)
and No (popular play; and tanka (931-syllable
poem)
e. Dignified social customs, such as cha-no-yu
(tea-drinking ceremony) and ikebana (flower
arrangement.)
f. Martial arts, such as karate, judo, kendo
(fencing) and sumo (wrestling.)

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 CONTINENT: A F R I C A
1. THE EGYPTIANS
CONTINENT: E U R O P E
1. THE GREEKS
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a. The Pyramids (the oldest manmade stone
monuments)
b. Magnificent palaces, obelisks, and temples of
granite and stone.
c. The first 365-day calendar, which divide the
year into 12 months of 30 days each. In
addition, there five feast days in a year.
d. The first sea-going ships (made of buoyant
papyrus plants)
e. The first people to develop Geometry
f. Increased man’s knowledge of medicine,
surgery, and embalming (mummies)
g. Various practical inventions (the inclined plane
and pulley; the sundial and water clock), which
are used to measure time
a. The principle of democracy, which is the
guiding ideology of many governments today.
b. The Homeric’s epic (Iliad and Odyssey), the
lyrical poetry of Pindar and Sappho, the
dramatic works of Aeschylus, and the
comedies of Aristophanes which are immortal
gems in world literature.
c. The philosophy of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle,
that widens human knowledge
d. The historical works of Herodotus and
Thucydides, which are considered classical
contributions to modern history
e. The Ionian, Doric, and Corinthian architectural
styles, which are considered classical
contributions to modern architecture
f. The exquisite Parthenon of Athens, a
masterpiece of Greek architecture which still
dazzles the imagination of all men who behold
it.
g. The Hippocratic Oath, which all physicians of
modern times regard as the credo of their
profession
 2. THE ROMANS a. Roman law, which is the basis of the legal
systems of Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and
other modern nations.
b. Latin language, the language of the western
world during the Middle Ages, which has
influenced the French, Spanish, Italian,
Portuguese, English and other modern
languages
c. Latin literature, which includes the writings of
Virgil, Livy, Tacitus, Cicero, and Julius Caesar
d. The coliseum, pantheon, aqueducts, baths,
roads, and other infrastructures which the
Romans built, and now considered marvels of
architectural art and engineering science.
e. The principle of self-government, in which the
citizen vote for their representatives to
government bodies.

LATIN A M E R I C A (Guatemala – Yucatan Peninsula)

1. THE MAYAS a. The cultivation of maize (corn), the raising of
chili (pepper), beans, cacao, sweet and white
potatoes, and squash
b. Code of morality, polygamy, a taboo, adultery,
a crime; great respect for the rulers, parents
and leaders
c. Development of a calendar (3000 BC) – 365
days a year divided into 18 periods of 20 days
each, and live additional days at the end of
the year.
d. The vigesimal system (computation by 20’s)

e. Prediction of eclipses with great precision. They

accurately charted the course of Venus
f. The principle of basketball game, - “Pok-ta-pok”
– played by two teams on a walled court, 8.2
m. long by 3.6 m. wide using a hard rubber ball
that must be goaled into one of the two rings
attached to the opposite walls.

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 2. THE AZTECS a. The founding of Mexico City (formerly
Tenochtitlan
b. The cultivation of tobacco and the making of
chocolate from cacao
c. The manufacturing of wine; pulque from
maguey; tequila from cactus
d. The ‘stone calendar” (which is preserved in the
National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico
City.) The Stone Calendar is a block of hard
stone on which inscribed the Aztec calendar,
measuring 3.7 meters thick weighing 24,000
kilograms.
3. THE INCAS a. The cultivation of white potato
b. The domestication of alpaca and llama
c. The manufacturing of a brewed beer from
maize (corn) - chicha
d. The concept of socialism – individual’s life
belongs to the state
e. The worship of the sun as a god; Viracocha,
creator of all things
f. The idea of life after death
4. THE CHIBCHAS a. The worship of spider
b. The “El Dorado” (The Gilded Man) – famous tale
which fired the imagination of gold-seeking
Spanish conquistadores

References:
Asian History, Zaide, Sonia and Gregorio F. Zaide,1988

Compiled by:

BLAS P. TABAYAG, JR.

Education Program Supervisor - Araling Panlipunan
Division of Kabankalan City

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