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Bronze Age Facts & Worksheets

The first time humans began using metal for tools and weapons is known as the Bronze Age, an era marked by the emergence of states or kingdoms—vast populations united under a central administration by a strong ruler.

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The first time humans began using metal for tools and weapons is known as the Bronze Age, an era marked by the emergence of states or kingdoms—vast populations united under a central administration by a strong ruler. The originators of the Bronze Age may have been Middle Eastern Sumerians.

See the fact file below for more information on the Bronze Age, or you can download our 26-page Bronze Age worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

  • During the Bronze Age, humans developed numerous technological innovations, such as the first writing systems and the wheel.
  • The Bronze Age in the Middle East and parts of Asia lasted roughly from 3300 to 1200 BCE but came to an end with the nearly simultaneous collapse of several significant Bronze Age civilizations.
  • Copper smelting may have begun by humans as early as 6000 BCE in the Fertile Crescent, a historical region of the Middle East that is usually referred to as “the cradle of civilization” and where agriculture and the earliest settlements emerged.
  • Because it was difficult and required specific techniques to make metal implements, archaeologists believe that people became more organized in the Bronze Age.

BRONZE AGE TOOLS

  • It’s possible that ancient Sumer was the first culture to begin tin-fortifying copper to produce bronze. Bronze was a superior metal for tools and weapons because it was stronger and tougher than copper.
  • The Stone Age, a prehistoric era characterized by the use of stone tools and weapons, came to an end with the discovery of bronze.
  • SPEARS. With an extended, tail-like “tang,” the earliest bronze spearheads were fastened to the shaft, but few wooden shafts survived. Longer, sharper spearheads, with conical sockets into which the wooden shaft was fitted and bolted, were made as metalworkers improved their casting skills.
  • SWORDS. Between 1700 and 1600 BCE., the first real swords of the Bronze Age emerged; they were light and tapering, like an extended dagger.
  • SHIELDS and ARMOR. Until the later Bronze Age, hammering bronze into flat sheets was a necessary step in the production of bronze shields.
  • HALBERDS. A bronze blade in the form of a right-angled scythe fastened to a wooden or metal shaft is known as a halberd.
  • AXES. Axes from the Bronze Age that have metal heads are also common. Over time, metalworkers improved their casting skills to create three ax head designs: flanged, socketed, and pal stave.
  • DAGGERS and DIRKS. Some of the earliest weapons from the Bronze Age were short, tapered daggers because they needed so little of the precious metal to make them.
  • BOWS and ARROWS. These ancient weapons were used for both hunting and slaying foes.

BRONZE AGE CIVILIZATIONS

  • The emergence of states or kingdoms—vast populations united under a central administration by a strong ruler—marked the Bronze Age. Societies in the Bronze Age engaged with one another through trade, conflict, migration, and the dissemination of ideas. 
  • SUMER. Around a dozen city-states were founded by the Sumerians by the fourth millennium BCE in ancient Mesopotamia, including Eridu and Uruk in what is now southern Iraq.
  • BABYLONIA. Around 1900 BCE, in what is now Iraq, the Bronze Age saw the rise of Babylonia. The Amorites, who later became its rulers, originally settled in Babylon, the nation’s capital.
  • ASSYRIA. The Assyrian Empire was at its greatest when it covered what is now modern-day Iraq in the east, Turkey in the west, and Egypt in the south. The Hittite Empire of Turkey and the pharaohs of ancient Egypt were frequent targets of Assyrian aggression.
  • CHINA. In China, Bronze Age civilizations occurred under the Shang and Zhou dynasties. An alternative to the lost-wax technique utilized by other Bronze Age societies, piece-mold casting was used to create bronze chariots, weapons, and vessels.
  • GREECE. During the Bronze Age, Greece developed into a significant center of activity on the Mediterranean. Greece’s early Bronze Age civilization, the Cycladic civilization, first appeared in the Aegean Sea in the Cyclades Islands, southeast of the Greek mainland, approximately 3200 BCE.

BRONZE AGE SETTLEMENTS AND AGRICULTURE

  • People in the early Bronze Age still roamed around, pursuing herds of animals that could be hunted. Additionally, little fenced paddocks with animal enclosures and crops (mostly wheat and barley) were constructed.
  • They maintained their way of life by resowing some of the crops from the previous year with each new season. Field systems were established, and people could live in one location rather than travel to find food.
  • Wild food was no longer a significant part of the diet by the Bronze Age. The Sumerians, who lived around 5500 BCE, may be considered the “inventors of agriculture.“
  • More people could live in a region, thanks to farming than sustained by foraging and hunting. Crops could be kept for use in the off-season, for sale, or for trade. Being fed by farmers allowed people to engage in activities other than farming, which had a significant role in the development of permanent armies.
  • Sumerian agriculture helped them conquer territory and win wars. They were early empire builders as a result.
  • Flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers helped and constrained Mesopotamian agriculture. Floods caused by the Anatolian Mountains snowmelt occurred in the late spring or early summer.
  • Domesticated sheep and goats were raised mainly for their meat, milk, butter, and cheese.

BRONZE AGE COLLAPSE

  • SEA PEOPLE INVASION. The arrival of raiding invaders known collectively as the “Sea Peoples,” a name first used at the turn of the 12th century BCE by the 19th-century Egyptologist Emmanuel de Rougé, is the classic explanation for the rapid collapse of these mighty and interdependent civilizations.
  • Other civilizations weren’t as successful in repelling the Sea Peoples as the Egyptians were. Cities destroyed during this time, such as Megiddo in Canaan and Hattusa, the former capital of the Hittite Empire, littered the entire Mediterranean and Near East. 
  • MEGADROUGHT. Radiocarbon dating was used by Israeli and German researchers in 2014 to pinpoint the time range between 1250 and 1100 BCE in core samples collected from the Sea of Galilee was the driest of the whole Bronze Age, referred to by some academics as a megadrought. It lasted for at least 150 years and, in some locations, up to 300 years.
  • EARTHQUAKE STORMS. According to studies by Eric Cline and Amos Nur, a geophysicist, during the 50-years between 1225 and 1175 BCE, an “earthquake storm”— a rapid-fire sequence of large earthquakes—hit the Mediterranean region.
  • Large-scale monument construction and Linear B, a complete writing system used by Mycenaean scribes to record financial transactions, were both lost as a result of the Late Bronze Age collapse.
  • The Bronze Age came to an end and the Iron Age began when iron tools became widely used.

Bronze Age Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Bronze Age across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Bronze Age. The originators of the Bronze Age may have been Middle Eastern Sumerians.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Bronze Age Facts
  2. Enter the Bronze Age
  3. Tools of the Trade
  4. The First of Sumer
  5. Bronze Debun
  6. Bronze as Old as Time
  7. Keeping Up with Bronze Age
  8. Bronze-it
  9. Bronze Age Fashion
  10. Bronze Age Civilizations
  11. Bronze Age Legacy

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Bronze Age?

The Bronze Age was a historical period characterized by the widespread use of bronze, a metal alloy made primarily from copper and tin. It followed the Stone Age and preceded the Iron Age. The Bronze Age is known for its advancements in metallurgy, the development of complex societies, the rise of cities, and the emergence of early writing systems.

When did the Bronze Age occur?

The Bronze Age varied in different regions, but it generally occurred between around 3300 BCE and 1200 BCE. However, these dates can vary depending on the specific region and culture being considered. Different parts of the world entered and exited the Bronze Age at different times.

What were some significant advancements during the Bronze Age?

During the Bronze Age, there were several significant advancements. Some notable ones include the development of bronze tools and weapons, the invention of wheeled vehicles, the rise of urban civilizations, the establishment of trade networks, the construction of impressive architectural structures such as palaces and temples, and the emergence of writing systems such as cuneiform and hieroglyphics.

Which civilizations thrived during the Bronze Age?

Numerous civilizations thrived during the Bronze Age. Some of the most notable ones include the Mesopotamians (Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians), Egyptians, Minoans (on the island of Crete), Mycenaeans (in mainland Greece), Indus Valley Civilization (in the Indian subcontinent), Shang Dynasty (in China), and Hittites (in Anatolia, present-day Turkey). These civilizations made significant contributions to art, architecture, governance, and trade.

How did the Bronze Age come to an end?

The Bronze Age came to an end for various reasons, and the specific causes can differ in different regions. However, a common factor was the increasing use and availability of iron, which eventually led to the transition into the Iron Age. Iron tools and weapons became more practical and affordable compared to bronze, which led to a decline in the demand for bronze. Additionally, factors such as natural disasters, social unrest, invasions, and economic changes could have contributed to the decline and collapse of Bronze Age civilizations.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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