The Persian Empire
Essential Question
The Persian Empire expanded through military conquest. How did its political order allow the empire to stay together and thrive?
The Persian Empire
The Persian Empire
The Persian Empire began when Cyrus the Great became king in 559 BCE. He united the Persian tribes and conquered Medes, Lydia, Ionia (a Greek city-state), Babylonia, and Egypt. The Persian Empire was organized so that different people could rule themselves, pay fair taxes. However, there was a strong central government that worked to unite and help all the people through projects like building roads, common currency, and spies.
Activity 1: NEWSELA "The Persian Empire"
Sign into Newsela and read the article "The Persian Empire." Remember to annotate the article as you read and complete the quiz once you have finished reading.
Discussion Questions
How did the Persian Empire begin?
Why was the Persian Empire so successful at preventing rebellions?
Activity 2: How did the political order of Persia produce a stable government capable of keeping control of conquered lands?
Using the information from this lesson, answer the questions in a thinking map. Complete this assignment digitally or on paper. It will be collected in your portfolio.
Activity 3: Evaluation
List the empires of Persia, Egypt, Greece, and Mesopotamia in order from best political order to worst political order. Then explain your ranking. You must use evidence to support your claim.