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Ancient Civilizations

Ancient Civilizations. India, China, & Mesoamerica. Indus Civilization. Developed between 3000-2500 BCE Two largest cities were Harappa and Mohenjo Daro Well planned cities Running water, sewers, and brick buildings Grid pattern Pictographic writing (still undeciphered) Has 400 symbols

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Ancient Civilizations

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  1. Ancient Civilizations India, China, & Mesoamerica

  2. Indus Civilization • Developed between 3000-2500 BCE • Two largest cities were Harappa and Mohenjo Daro • Well planned cities • Running water, sewers, and brick buildings • Grid pattern • Pictographic writing (still undeciphered) • Has 400 symbols • Clear social classes • Different types of houses: wealthy 2-3 stories, common people one room

  3. Economics • Advanced Agriculture • Wheat, rye, peas, rice (maybe) • Domesticated animals: chickens, cattle, goats, sheep • Abundant crops led to job specialization in cities (like E&M) • Craftsmen less skilled than Mesopotamia (stone arrows, poor spears) • Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro • Connected by villages • Major trading centers with China, SE Asia, Southern India, and Mesopotamia • Jade and jewels from SE Asia and China • Wheeled carts for transportation • Mesopotamia for olive oil, wool, and leather • Persia for gold, silver, and copper

  4. End of Indus • By 1500 BCE civilization had declined (unsure as to why: drought, earthquakes changed course of river, overuse of land, disease…) • 1500 BCE a Indo-European group, the Aryans, overtook India • Culture of Aryans blended with the Indians • Sanskrit; literary language of India • Vedas became major books of Hinduism • Placed native Indians into inferior class • People divided into 4 Varnas and each Varna into sub-classes called Jati • At the bottom were the Pariahs or Untouchables Scholars and priests Rulers and warriors Professionals Servants Pariahs

  5. Huang He Civilization • Most isolated of the river valleys • Huang He (Yellow River) and Chiang Jiang (Yangtze) rivers flood quite often • Xia (shah) Dynasty 4000 Years ago • first, legendary dynasty • Ruler Yu • Irrigation and drained floodwaters • Beginning of Chinese civilization • No written records – existence is by legend

  6. Shang Dynasty (1766-1122 BCE) • first to leave written records • Writing: Oracle Bones • Written on bone and used to foretell future • Farming society ruled by a king and an aristocracy • bronze metallurgy • Central rule to oversee irrigation and flood control • Walled citied, elaborate palaces and tombs • Ancestor worship developed

  7. Zhou Dynasty (1122-256 BCE) • Pronounced “joe” • 800+ years, longest dynasty • Mandate of Heaven • Claimed they overthrew Shang by will of gods • Took steps to centralize government, but local leaders ignored central government • Set up an agricultural system (nobles & peasants) A.K.A. feudalism • Culture • Mandarin is standardized as language • Laozi and Confucius both lived during Zhou • Emphasis on veneration of ancestors • If you honored family, society would function well Confucius asking Laozi about etiquette

  8. More Zhou • Technology: • Chopsticks • Iron Metallurgy • Use cavalry & crossbow • Expanded Chinese territory to Yangtze River Valley (wheat & rice growing areas added) • Increased food production and use of iron • Lost control of western half of empire, last two centuries known as “era of warring states”

  9. Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.) • Ruler: Qin Shi Huangdi (1st Emperor) – brutal ruler • Qin name applied to country’s name • Unified the Chinese world • Legalism – favored government force; viewed human nature as evil • A highly centralized government • Standardized coinage, weights, and measures • Irrigation

  10. Qin Shi Huangdi • Uniform writing system, & a law code • Manufacture of silk cloth is encouraged • Nucleus of the Great Wall is constructed • Burned books and attacked culture • National census, tax, and labor service • Downfall: high taxes, attacks on intellectuals, killed men, brutal punishments, & revolts after Qin’s death

  11. Mesoamerica • Not a river valley, small rivers and streams near ocean • Did not have wheel or large animals for labor, llama biggest animal • Olmecs • 1500 BCE settled around Gulf of Mexico • Made figurines out of jade and dressed based on status • Polytheistic • Built Colossal Heads • Don’t know why they declined • Chavin, early civilization in the Andes • Ceramics, textiles, gold • Constructed religious shrines

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