1. 4.1 Global Political Systems
The development of civilizations BCE

2. Similarities and Differences
As landed aristocrats became increasingly powerful, they began to fight with each other
Political competition was defined by centralized authority v. decentralized authority

3. East Asia Politically, China was a feudal system based upon land
To stabilize the empire and protect land from nomadic invasions, the emperor parceled out more land
This made more aristocrats and expanded the court, but diluted the power of the emperor
Some aristocrats used their land to build local power
As aristocrats became more influential, wealthier, and powerful they would challenge the emperor
By 500 BCE the Zhou Dynasty would plunge into civil war

4. South and Southeast Asia
Towards the end of the Formative Period ( BCE), the last great Vedic Epics were being finished
Indo-Aryan’s had by this time largely assimilated into the indigenous population
They had conquered most of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and established regional rulers
Roughly 16 independent states would emerge, each as a republic of hereditary or elected rulers
Southeast Asia would begin to be influenced by Chinese and Hindu cultures

5. The Near East
The Neo-Babylonians would conquer Palestine, bringing the Jews to Mesopotamia (Babylonian Captivity)
The Assyrians would bring Mesopotamian and Nile civilizations together
All these cultures, and these two civilizations, would be brought together by the Persians
Cyrus the Great’s policy of toleration and autonomy allowed for a hugely successful imperial system
The “King of Kings”: armies and tribute in exchange for autonomy and loyalty

6. Africa
North Africa was divided between Phoenician, Greek, and Persian political systems
Nubia, south of Egypt, remained independent of the Persian Empire
South of the Sahara Desert, pastoralist societies began to emerge in the Sahel region of Africa
Some would begin to settle along the Niger River

7. Europe
Due to its mountainous geography, Greece was divided into various city-states, independent from each other
City-states would have varying types of political systems but were mostly variations of oligarchies, where a few ruled
Athens would begin to develop democracy by 508 BCE but it would be extremely limited
By 509 BCE Rome, a city-state in Italy dominated by Etruscans, would overthrow its monarchy and become a Republic
In both cases, citizenship defined those able to have access to political rights and it was limited to a percentage of males
The Phoenician colony of Carthage in North Africa would establish a power trading oligarchy

8. The Americas Olmec civilization became foundational to Mesoamerica
Maya civilization would adopt many Olmec traditions and settled on the Yucatan Peninsula
They established large agricultural city centers with massive public buildings
Although little is known for certain due to the Spanish destruction of Maya history, we know that Belize and Guatemala were regions first settled by the Maya