Chapter Two

 What marker event occurs in the Neolithic Era?  Sumerians are important because…  Egypt was able to flourish due to…  Why are we limited in what we know about the Indus Valley Civilization?

 There are three methods to gaining wisdom. The first is reflection, which is the highest. The second is imitation, which is the easiest. The third is experience, which is the bitterest. -Confucius

 Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. -Confucius

 Geography- Similar to Egypt, China was geographically isolated, but still traded  also, loess is more for agriculture!

 Economic Development  Unpredictable flooding leads to elaborate irrigation systems  Independent invention of both agriculture and metallurgy; cultural diffusion lead to chariots  Bronze weapons and tools; silk from worms  Cities were center of politics and religion  Walls of earth surrounded large public buildings, tombs, shrines and house of nobility  Ordinary people lived in villages outside the city

 Political Development  Shang Dynasty B.C.E.  Warrior Kings who were nomadic by nature  King was intermediary between a Supreme Being, Shangdi, and people  Vassals governed the people and paid tribute to the king  Zhou Dynasty B.C.E.  Wu creates the concept of Mandate of Heaven  Shi grew in size and importance during this time

 Social Development (Class structure)  The Elite – royal and noble families, along with landowning aristocracy and educated bureaucrats.  Peasants, artisans, and craftsmen – peasants worked the land for the nobility. Dugout houses outside city walls. Artisans and craftsmen live in the city working for the elite  Unskilled workers and slaves – performed hard labor such as clearing fields and laying foundations. Slaves were not common and performed household duties

 Cultural Developments  Organized religion was less important that in other early cultures  Oracle bones would be used by shamans to seek guidance of ancestors (divination)  Pictographs were used instead of an alphabet  Confucianism

 Confucius B.C.E.  Family is fundamental component of society - filial piety  Filiality is obedience, reverence, and love  Ren (humanness) benevolence and compassion  Analects – collection of Confucius writings  Book of Changes, Book of History, Book of Etiquette and Book of Songs also important in Confucianism  NOT A RELIGION, rather a way of life

 Uniqueness of Ancient China  The supreme importance of the family – Chinese revered ancestors (ancestor veneration) who were thought to continue to guide the living (think Mulan)think Mulan  The emphasis on this world – spirit world’s main purpose was to guide those on Earth. Priest class did not exist.  Emphasis on learning and literacy – Writing on oracle bones to communicate with ancestors

 Qin (Chin) have better army  Eventually dominate  Turn towards Legalism in administration of Empire

 Section Review Section Review  Unpredictable flooding led to the formation of a complex, hierarchical society  Mandate of Heaven played role in dynastic ruling  Feudal organization led to weakening of monarch  Bureaucracies grew in size and importance  Confucianism was dominant philosophy of life  Warring States Period left China with seven major powers

 Located south of Egypt, was a natural trading partner with Gold  Kush was Eyptian name for Nubia  Meroe was impressive city that controlled agriculture and trade

 Originating on the Rhine river, Celts spread throughout continental Europe  Greek and Romans describe them as impulsive and fond of war  Kinship groups were dominated by warriors  Druids played a major role in religion, education, and legal matters  Rome and the Germanic peoples pushed them to Britain

 Olmec located in Mesoamerica, present day Mexico  Chavin located in South America, present day Peru

 Geographical Influences  Complete separation from other early groups by Atlantic and Pacific Oceans  Environments that include deserts, mountains, rainforests, and frozen tundra kept groups isolated

 The Olmec of Mesoamerica  Economic Development and Social Distinctions  Built elaborate drainage systems to control water  Raised fields to cultivate wetlands  Did not have domesticated animals to assist  Most likely city-states did not engage in war  Elite group of priests dominate a probably authoritarian and hierarchical government  Artisans created jewelry and jade figurines that merchants most likely traded with other groups

 The Olmec of Mesoamerica  Political and Cultural Characteristics  Kingship combined religion and government  Giant heads may be of great rulers  Developed a number system based on 30  Created 365 day calendar  May be ancestors of Maya

 The Chavin of South America  Economic Development and Social Distinctions  Capital was 10,300 feet in Andes Mountains on crossroad to other smaller peoples  Labor may have been communal with shared responsibilities (early Communism?)  Llamas were domesticated beasts of burden  Metallurgy was advanced here, and spread to Mesoamerica

 The Chavin of South America  Political and Cultural Development  Not much is known about the government of Chavin  Cultural diffusion over large area gives an indication that they were politically well organized  Creation of a jaguar god may have given Chavin a spiritual right to control the area

 Environment and Organization  In China, flood-prone rivers led to the formation of powerful governments capable of irrigating crops  In Nubia, attacking nomads and Egyptians led to the formation of a protectorate state  In Europe, the Celtics had fertile land and adequate rainfall, so a strong state never materialized  In the Americas, the Olmec and Chavin created networks that brought resources and people together to create vast wealth

 Religion and Power  Shang rulers were intermediaries, via oracle bones, between the people and gods. Zhou introduced the Mandate of Heaven upon the ruling dynasty  Nubian rulers mimicked the Egyptians and build pyramids and burial tombs  Druids performed vital religious, legal and educational functions for the Celtic peoples, but did not construct temples and ceremonial centers  Olmec and Chavin created urban centers where religious ceremonies could be performed

MesopotamiaEgyptChina Social Political Interaction with Environment Culture Economics

 Analyze similarities and differences in how China and Mesopotamia established political institutions and governed their territory before 600 B.C.E.