Should early civilizations of South Asia, East Asia, and Oceania be seen as comparable to ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia? Period One: Technological and Environmental Transformations, to 600 BCE Key Concept 1.3: The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral and Urban Societies

Mountain ranges: Hindu Kush & Himalayas (includes Mt Everest) India is a subcontinent. Mountain ranges: Hindu Kush & Himalayas (includes Mt Everest) Main rivers: Indus, Ganges. Deccan Plateau: hot and dry. Monsoons: seasonal winds that bring rain. The monsoons are necessary to farm, but also bring a risk of floods.

Winter Monsoon Summer Monsoon

II Indus River Valley Civilizations 2500 – 1500 BCE Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were “twin” cities that developed in the Indus River Valley by 2500 BCE. Both were planned; the streets were laid out on a grid. Sewer system Polytheistic System of writing that is still undeciphered. Extensive trade network. By 1500 BCE Aryans (Caucasian Indo-Europeans) conquered the Indus River Valley.

Indus River Valley The "great bath" is possibly the earliest public water tank in the ancient world. It may also have served a religious function (I.e. water purification rituals). On the right is Indus River Valley writing.

Hukou Falls, Part of the Yellow River III Geography of China Natural barriers: Pacific Ocean (West) - Himalayan Mountains (Southwest) -Gobi Desert (North). -> ISOLATION The melting snows from the mountains in the west feed the Yellow and the Yangzi rivers. The Yellow River gets its name due to yellow clay called loess. China grows rice in the south, due to a warmer and wetter climate. China grows wheat in the north, due to a colder and drier climate. Hukou Falls, Part of the Yellow River

Terraced Farming: Chinese rice farmers cut steps into the mountains Terraced Farming: Chinese rice farmers cut steps into the mountains. This way, the water will be better distributed.

IV Shang Dynasty 1650 – 1027 BCE 1st centralized Chinese government. Developed by the Yellow River. Walled cities. Army of 30,000 soldiers. Bronze tools, weapons, and vessels. Made by skilled working class. Animistic religion (belief in spirits in nature) Earliest evidence of Chinese writing on “oracle bones” (tortoise shells)

V Zhou Dynasty 1027 – 256 BCE 1027 BCE the Zhou Dynasty conquered the Shang Feudal government Produced iron tools and weapons Mandate of Heaven: approval of the gods to rule (divine right).

Zhou Dynasty Continued… D) The Mandate of Heaven was used to explain the Dynastic Cycle.

Zhou Dynasty Burial

VI Oceania

4 main culture areas: Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Oceania 4 main culture areas: Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

First Settlers of Oceania The Lapita (from SE Asia) were the first people to settle Oceania to Melanesia, Micronesia, and western Polynesia (1200 - 1000 BCE). They transported taro, yam, breadfruit, banana and coconut for cultivation, and brought domesticated pigs, dogs and fowls. – teara.govt Lapita Pottery

But Pigs Point to Another Theory… “…researchers have used pig DNA to reconstruct the migration route of humans out of Asia and into the Pacific. Based on their evidence, the scientists say that various pig-toting cultures from Vietnam traveled south through the Malaysian Peninsula into Indonesian... From there the travelers reached New Guinea and then… Hawaii and French Polynesia... This route is in stark contrast to the conventional theory that the first Pacific settlers originated in Taiwan and traveled as a single cultural unit through the Philippines to New Guinea and then further east…” Roach, John. National Geographic News. March 20, 2007

Melanesia Melanesia ("black islands") consists of the Austronesians and the Papuans. The aborigines (indigenous people of Australia) arrived from Southeast Asia c.50,000 years ago. The Papuans arrived in New Guinea c.40,000 years ago; unlike in Australia, they developed agriculture. The later wave of Austronesians from Taiwan brought ocean-voyaging skills. Woman from Fiji Papuan, New Guinea Aborigine, Australia

Polynesia “A small fishing village in Tonga has been confirmed as the first Polynesian settlement [2900 years ago]. The site of Nukuleka was identified through [Lapita] pottery shards that were spread around the area...” –ancientstandard.com

Horticulture (simple farming), Papua New Guinea (left) Aborigine digging for grubs (right) Breadfruit (bottom right)

FILL IN YOUR PERIOD ONE CHART Focus Questions How did geography influence the earliest river valley civilizations of India and China? In your own words, explain the mandate of heaven and dynastic cycle. What are the 4 main groups of Oceania? Describe the earliest colonizers and how they got there. FILL IN YOUR PERIOD ONE CHART

Key Vocabulary Deccan Plateau Mohenjo-Daro Dynastic Cycle Monsoons Ganges River Mt. Everest Gobi Desert Oceania Harappa Oracle Bones Himalayas Polynesia Hindu Kush Shang Dynasty Huang River Terrace Farming Indus River Xi River Mandate of Heaven Yangtze (Yellow) River Melanesia Zhou Dynasty Micronesia