The Bronze Age was a time of growth. Chapters cover how people used bronze to make tools and weapons, how empires grew in Mesopotamia and China, how writing appeared in several cultures, how complex social structures gave rise to rules and laws, and how religion, science, and medicine all grew. Then the Bronze Age collapsed, and researchers still don't know exactly what happened. Each chapter includes attention-grabbing photos and fascinating facts. Sidebars go deeper, and prompts invite readers to think for themselves. A Timeline of the Bronze Age gives a big-picture view of the era.