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Level 4 - 1

Alexander the Great Rjurik Davidson and Aaron Jolly

Series Editor Rob Waring Contents

A Boy Born to Rule the World...... 4 Alexander’s Early Life ...... 5 Life in the Army...... 7 The Battle of Issus...... 9 On to ...... 10 On to Persia ...... 11 The Man, The Legend...... 13 One of the World’s Greatest Leaders...... 16

Level 4 - 1 ...... Comprehension Questions 18 Rjurik Davidson and Aaron Jolly Glossary...... 19 © 2017 Seed Learning, Inc...... All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, World History Timeline 21 stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Series Editor: Rob Waring Acquisitions Editor: Liana Robinson Copy Editor: Casey Malarcher Cover/Interior Design: Andy Roh

ISBN: 978-1-9464-5230-6

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 21 20 19 18 17 A Boy Born to Rule the World Alexander’s Early Life

Can you imagine ruling the entire Alexander’s parents were King Philip II and world? How would you do it? Alexander Queen Olympia. They ruled a country called

the Great was a king who wanted to do Alexander created many . Philip had seven wives and many just that—rule the whole world! statues of himself. children. Philip believed that Alexander was the

child of one of the Greek gods. Alexander as Alexander was born in 356 BC in , nearly 2,500 years a young man ago. By the time he died, his armies controlled a massive King Philip hired the philosopher area stretching from the to the border of to teach his son. For years, Aristotle taught Alexander India. philosophy, poetry, drama, science, and politics.

Some rulers are called “great” by their people. These During his studies, Alexander learned the story of Achilles, rulers are loved. Alexander was one of a famous fighter. Achilles was strong and the greatest kings and most talented courageous. Alexander admired Achilles commanders in history. Yet he is called and wanted to be like him. The ruins of the ancient city of Pella, Greece, where “great” for a different reason. Alexander was born Alexander’s kingdom stretched Achilles at war all the way from Greece to India. Aristotle and his student Alexander the Great

4 5 Life in the Army

Alexander was a talented general. The army left behind by his father was strong and very well-trained.

King Philip had increased the Alexander’s soldiers during the Battle of Thebes number of soldiers who rode horses. Most statues of Alexander show him riding a horse. He also created a group of soldiers who King Philip was killed by one of his own soldiers in 336 BC. were engineers. They built things such as bridges and Alexander became king after his father’s death. towers for his army to use. Alexander convinced the other Greek cities to see him as Alexander learned from his father. He was a brave leader, their leader. He killed anyone else who wanted to be king. and he made the army even stronger. From the start, Alexander was bold.

In Thebes, there was more resistance. The people rebelled Alexander’s army had many soldiers riding horses. and rose up against Alexander. In response, Alexander burned the city to the ground. He killed all the men and captured the women and children. After that, many people were scared of Alexander, and no one wanted to challenge his power. Timoclea of Thebes begs Alexander for her life.

6 7 Comprehension Questions Glossary

1. How far did Alexander’s 6. Where was the Battle of Issus?  accurate exact; free from mistakes empire stretch? (a) In Turkey (a) From Greece to Africa (b) In Persia  conquer to defeat people in a war or to take control of a country (b) From the Mediterranean (c) In Egypt Sea to Egypt (d) In Greece  convince to make someone believe something (c) From Egypt to France (d) From the Mediterranean 7. Alexander claimed to be… Sea to the border of India (a) the king of the world.  empire a group of countries ruled by one person or (b) the best horse rider. 2. Which hero did Alexander (c) stronger than anyone.  intense extreme or very strong hope to be like? (d) the son of a god. (a) Philip  Macedonia an ancient kingdom that is now divided into modern (b) Aristotle 8. After the Battle of the (c) Achilles Hydaspes River, Alexander’s… Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Greece (d) Zeus (a) wife got sick. (b) soldiers wanted to go home.  malaria a serious disease that is passed to through 3. What did Alexander do to the (c) wife had a baby girl. city of Thebes when it rebelled? mosquito bites (d) friends got killed. (a) He burned it to the ground. (b) He killed all its animals. 9. What happened to Greek culture  Persia an area of land in western , which is now modern- (c) He ignored it. after Alexander’s victories? day (d) He killed all the women. (a)  It died out. (b) It spread through .  poison to hurt or kill someone with a dangerous substance 4. How did Alexander’s father (c) It spread through western improve the army? Asia.  pregnant having a baby growing inside your body (a)  He did not make them fight. (d) It spread through Africa. (b) He trained them all to ride horses. 10. How did Alexander die?  rebel to refuse to follow rules (c) He employed more engineers (a) From heavy drinking and got more soldiers. (b) From old age  resistance the attempt to prevent something by action or (d) He encouraged them with (c) From stomach pains argument kind words. (d) We can’t be sure.

5. Who was the king of Persia?  rise up to fight against a ruler or government (a) Roxana (b) Darius (c) Philip

(d) Napoleon

10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. (d) (c) (b) (d) (a) (b) (c) (a) (c) (d) Key

18 19 World History Timeline

Image Credit/Pages ©Shutterstock: 1, 4, 5, 10, 13, 14 middle, 14 bottom, 16 bottom ©iStock: front cover, 6 top, 7, 17 bottom ©Alamy: back cover, 6 bottom, 8 top, 9 ©123rf.com: 14 top, 16 top ©GettyImages: 15 top This chart shows a rough overview of world history. Wikimedia: 12 Some of the dates have been simplifi ed. Wikipedia: 11 bottom, 17 top World History Timeline World History Timeline 3000 BC 2900 BC 2800 BC 2700 BC 2600 BC 2500 BC 2400 BC 2300 BC 2200 BC 2100 BC 2000 BC

Pyramids of Giza (built c. 2550-2490 BC) Gudea of Lagash Mediterranean Sea

Jerusalem

Damietta Gaza Rosetta Dead Sea (c. 2144-2124 BC) Buto

Sais Tanis Pelusium Naukratis Busiris

Narmer, Egyptian King N Wadi Natrun NW NE Bubastis W E Delta SW SE Merimda Great Bitter S Lake Heliopolis Sahure, Egyptian King

01(km) 00 06(mi) 0 Giza Memphis Saqqara Helwan Sinai (c. 3000 BC) Dahshur Timna Lower Lake MoerisMeydum (c. 2487-2475 BC) Lahun Egypt

Herakleopolis Serabit al-Khadim

Gulf of Suez

Nile river Bahariya Oasis

Gulf of Aqaba

Beni Hasan Hermopolis Amarna

Asyut Badari Eastern Desert Qau Akhmim Red Sea Thinis Abydos Nile river Dendera Quseir Naqada Koptos Wadi Hammamat Thebes ( and Karnak) Tod Upper Hierakonpolis

Egypt

Kom Ombo

Aswan First Cataract Bernike Dunqul Oasis Sargon the Great,

Nabta Playa

Wadi Allaqi Abu Simbel Akkadian King Buhen

Second Cataract Kush Wadi Gabgaba (c. 2340-2284 BC)

Nubian Desert

Third Cataract Kerma

Nile river

Kawa Fourth Cataract Indus Valley Napata Gebel Barkal Fifth Cataract Civilization Meroe Cuneiform (c. 3000 BC-100 AD) Old Egyptian Kingdom (c. 2686 BC) Ur III Dynasty (c. 2112-2004 BC)

2900 BC 2800 BC 2700 BC 2600 BC 2500 BC 2400 BC 2300 BC 2200 BC 2100 BC 2000 BC Xia Dynasty Gutian Dynasty

Elam (Iran)

5000 BC (Sumerians) Akkadian Empire Ur III Dynasty (Early Period) 3100 BC Early Dynastic Period of Egypt Old Egyptian Kingdom Middle Egyptian Kingdom

3650 BC Minoan Civilization () Minoan Civilization (Crete) 1st Intermediate Period

Indus Valley Civilization (India) 3000 BC Early Age 2900 BC 2800 BC 2700 BC 2600 BC 2500 BC 2400 BC 2300 BC 2200 BC 2100 BC 2000 BC