1. 4. China ~2200BCE Central govt. Xia, Shang, Zhou dynasties
Ruler was the “son of heaven” (intermediary between heaven and earth)
Written lang., oracle bones as early docs.
Maintained cultural continuity.

2. Chinese Geography
An Isolated land – Chinese civilization, begun over 3,500 years ago and outlasted all of its peers.
This is due partly to geography.
Ancient China was isolated from all other ancient civilizations.

4. Shang Dynasty
BCE

5. Society Anyone not Chinese was a barbarian
This is partially due to their isolation

6. The Family Family was central in China Everyone has a defined role
Eldest man is in charge of the family
The youngest woman has no power

7. Women Treated as inferiors Prearranged marriages 13-16 years old
Young brides would be afraid, unsure of how they will be treated in their new home.

8. Early religion Spirits of family ancestors
Not gods, but could be helpful or hurtful
Only sons could carry on traditional religious duties

9. View of Government Duty to family was where loyalty lied.
The ruler was like a super-grandfather who had the responsibility for the welfare of all Chinese people.
This ruler was seen to have the “Mandate of Heaven”, or divine approval.

10. Mandate of Heaven

11. Shang First civilization remains discovered on the Yellow river.
Loess – yellow soil from the western mountains. Very fertile, makes the river appear yellow.
Yellow river – floods, unpredictable
(China’s Sorrow)

12. Early Cities
2000 BCE – along the Yellow River
Anyang – wooden city

13. Social Classes
Nobles
Warrior-nobles owned the land, served in the army and government.
Skilled with horse, bow, and chariot
Gathered taxes to send to Shang ruler in exchange for local control

14. Social Classes Peasants Craftsmen Farmed for nobles
During Shang times – had no plows, only sticks and stone tools
Craftsmen
Artisans lived outside the city walls at Anyang
Lifestyle in between that of noble and peasant

15. Crafts
Bronze work
Bells
Silk
Silk worm cocoons

16. Writing system Oracle bones-
Tortoise shell and animal bones used to tell the future
Chinese characters stand for ideas, not sounds
There is no link between spoken and written Chinese.
You could read Chinese without being able to speak it, just like we can all read 2+2=4 and understand it.

17. Writing (continued) Advantages disadvantages
People in China could all learn the same written language even if they spoke very different languages.
All characters must be memorized
To be barely literate one needed to know at least 1000 characters
To be a scholar
Severely limited the number of educated Chinese people

18. 5. Egypt Earliest settlement along the Nile River in 5000 BCE
Flooding along the Nile river along a yearly cycle
Predictable :
Too much = destruction
Too little = famine?

19. Nile then (“Gift of the river”) and today.

20. Egypt
Pharaohs – God-Kings
Highly stratified society.

21. Polytheistic Religion
Anubis-
Funeral
Protector
of the dead
Polytheistic Religion
Isis-
Protection
Set -Chaos
Thoth –
Writing and knowledge
Osiris –Dead
Underworld

22. In The Beginning… At first there was only Nun
From these waters rose Ra, and emerged from blue lotus
Primordial and chaotic waters of the beginning
In The Beginning…
And he created Shu –the air and Tefnut – the moisture
Who gave birth to Nut-the sky and Geb-the Earth
Thus creating the physical universe
Later-defying Ra, they marry giving birth to Set, Osiris, Isis

23. Pyramids build as tombs
Strong belief in afterlife
Focus on death – necropolis
Mummification

24. Writing system
Hieroglyphics

25. Scientific achievements
Written numbers
Geometry
Papyrus –writing
Calendar – flooding cycle

26. Transliteration: iw wnm msh nsw, this means "The crocodile eats the king".