Eastern River Civilizations

Indus Valley Civilization Government -- ? Religion -- ? Job specialization: assumed due to use of advanced technology Social classes -- ?

What can ruins of cities tell us? Well organized, so there must have been a strong form of government Technologically advanced Large population

Arts & Architecture Statuary Pottery Cotton cloth? Advanced architectural concepts

Public Works Paved city streets Wells and perhaps even running water in some locations Some evidence for the possibility of a sewer system

Writing Simply called “Indus” Limited examples and as yet indecipherable

So what happened to the Indus? Did they cut down too many trees? Was there a volcanic eruption? Was there an earthquake? Were they wiped out by invaders?

No one knows for sure!

The Aryans

Nomadic warriors who burned villages & towns Rode in chariots Loved drinking, eating, music, and dice games Most of what we know comes from their holy writings, The Vedas Eventually settled down to farming and built their own cities

Aryan social structure Brahmins = Priest class Kshatriyas = Warrior class Vaisyas = herders, farmers, artisans, merchants Sudras = (Non-Aryans) farm workers, servants, and laborers Harijans = Untouchables, work in unclean trades

The caste system Ensures spiritual purity by keeping “clean” and “unclean” peoples separated

Early China

Huang He & Chiang Jiang Rivers

“The River of Sorrows” Huang He (Yellow) River Unlike in Egypt & Mesopotamia, river flooding in China was viewed as a disaster Thousands died every year in floodwaters

Dynastic Rule System of government where power passes to another member of the same family when the emperor dies

“The Mandate of Heaven” The idea that emperors who are fair and just will win the favor of the gods, but those whom are unjust will not be protected

Yin & Yang Yin = forces of darkness, earth, and females Yang = forces of light, heaven, and males These forces must be in balance for the world to operate correctly!

Confucius 551 – 479 BC Chinese philosopher Taught that good government was a responsibility Duty to one’s family is above all other responsibilities Teachings are called The Analects

The Five Confucian Relationships Parent to child Elder sibling to younger sibling Husband to wife Ruler to subject Friend to friend (only equal relationship) Everyone had responsibilities: superiors should care for their inferiors and set good examples, while inferiors owed loyalty and obedience to their superiors

Hanfeizi & Legalism Man is naturally evil Man is motivated by greed & selfishness To maintain order, laws must be very strict and punishments very harsh

Laozi & Daoism Rejects necessity of human conflict One should live in harmony with nature One should yield one’s desires and simply accept life Saw government as unnatural & unnecessary

The Great Wall Not actually one continuous wall Built in sections over hundreds of years Designed to defend against invading Mongol tribes from the North

Shi Huangdi’s Terra Cotta Army The emperor commissioned thousands of life-sized clay soldiers to be buried around his tomb to protect him in the afterlife No two soldiers look the same!

The Silk Trade China carefully guarded the secret of silk making for thousands of years Actual silk thread is the byproduct of the silkworm and is harvested from their cocoons

The Silk Roads: trade routes which connected China to the Mediterranean