New Civilizations in the New Civilizations in the Eastern and Western Eastern and Western

HemispheresHemispheres2200-250 BCE

Early ChinaEarly China2000-221 BCE

Geography and ResourcesGeography and Resources

China is isolated from the rest of Asia by mountain ranges, deserts and the Pacific◦But were able to trade goods and ideas

Eastern Asia is great for agriculture◦Southern China receives monsoonal rain

China’s eastern river valleys and northern plain◦Contain timber, stone, metal deposits, and

productive land◦Why so fertile?

Loess, a yellowish-brownish dust that blows in from Central Asia

Gives the Yellow River (Huang He) it’s name

Agriculture◦Required people working together◦clear forests◦build water channels and dikes◦build reservoirs◦build terraces

Crops◦In the north

Millet and wheat◦In the south

Rice Rice can feed more people per cultivated acre

than any other grain!

The Shang Period, 1750-1027 The Shang Period, 1750-1027 BCEBCE

Shang family◦Originated in the Yellow River Valley◦Extended their control north into Mongolia,

westward and then south to the Yangzi riverThe beginning of Chinese written history

The King and his court ruled the center of the region◦Royal family members and nobility governed

the provinces◦In some far off regions, native rulers that swore

allegiance to the Shang King were allowed to rule

The region was connected by roads

The Shang often fought against the nomads to the north◦Called them “barbarians”

Shang cities◦Palaces, administrative buildings, storehouses,

royal tombs, shrines of gods and ancestors◦All surrounded by a city wall

Commoners◦Often lived outside of the city◦Focused on agriculture

Writing system◦Pictograms and phonetic symbols◦Hundreds of signs◦Small number of educated elite knew the

system◦(the main principle of this writing exists today,

where as cuneiform and heiroglyphics have been replaced)

Religion◦King was the intermediary between the people

and the gods◦Male ancestors were worshipped◦Rulers used divination to determine the will of

the gods Example on pages 42 and 43

◦Made ritual sacrifices Animals and humans, upon the death of a ruler

Bronze◦Possession meant power and nobility◦Weapons made the state powerful◦Vessels were used in religious ceremonies

Ex. Pg. 41◦The Shang expanded mining efforts of copper

and tin

The Zhou Period, 1027-221 The Zhou Period, 1027-221 BCEBCE

The last Shang ruler was defeated by Wu, the ruler of Zhou◦The Zhou line of kings was the longest lasting

of all dynasties◦The Zhou preserved Shang culture and added

to it

Mandate of Heaven◦The Zhou used the idea to justify their take over◦The idea: the ruler had been chosen by the

supreme deity and would retain his backing as long as he served as a wise, principled, and energetic guardian of his people

Religious rituals◦Decline in use of divination◦Decline in human sacrifices

Western Zhou rule ◦11th – 9th century BCE◦Early period◦Capitals were in the western part of the

kingdom◦Decentralized rule

Member and allies of the royal family ruled local territories autonomously

◦Elaborate ceremonies impressed people

Eastern Zhou era◦800 to 300 BCE◦Moved their capital to the east◦800 BCE

Local rulers became more independent Often went to war with each other

Warring States Period◦480-221 BCE

Unification of China◦221 BCE

Changes during the Eastern Zhou◦Walls between city-states◦Fighter on horseback, learned from the steppe

nomads◦Iron began replacing bronze weapons

Southern China – first to forge steel

◦In the states Law codes were written Governments collected taxes from the peasants Began large public works projects The philosophy of Legalism became popular

◦Believed human nature is wicked◦Strict laws are required to get people to behave◦Personal freedom must be sacrificed for the good of the

state

Confucianism, Daoism and Confucianism, Daoism and Chinese SocietyChinese Society

Confucius◦Kongzi (551-479 BCE)◦An aristocrat from a small state◦Idea of duty and public service◦Saw a parallel between family and state

A set hierarchy

FamilyFamily

FATHERFATHER

SONSSONS

WIVESWIVES

DAUGHTERSDAUGHTERS

GovernmentGovernment

RULERRULER

PUBLIC OFFICIALSPUBLIC OFFICIALS

COMMON PEOPLECOMMON PEOPLE

Confucius◦Government exists to serve the people◦The ruler gains respect by displaying fairness

and integrity◦Benevolence, avoidance of violence, justice,

rationalism, loyalty and dignity

◦Had little influence in his lifetime

Daoism◦During the Warring States period◦Developed by Laozi◦Wanted to stop the warfare◦Encouraged people to follow the Dao or “path”

of nature◦Suggests going through life passively without

fighting

Social organization changes◦From clans or large family groups to 3

generational families Grandparents, parents, children

◦New idea of private property Belonged to the men of the family and was divided

amongst the sons

Life of women…◦Very little is known ◦Written records tell us they were subordinate in

a patriarchal society Fathers arranged marriages Men could have one wife, but other sexual

partners as concubines

Concept of yin and yang◦Yang = Male; like the sun is active, bright and

shining◦Yin = Female; like the moon is passive, shaded

and reflective◦The symbol shows the balance of the two forces

NubiaNubia3100 BCE – 350 CE

Early Cultures and Egyptian Early Cultures and Egyptian Domination, 2300-1100 BCEDomination, 2300-1100 BCE

Along the Nile◦South of Egyptian civilization

River irrigation was necessarySix cataracts obstructed boat traffic~3000BCE

◦Turned to agriculture and cattle herdingWas a corridor of trade to Egypt

Middle Kingdom – 2040 – 1640 BCE◦Egyptian rulers tried to take Nubian gold mines◦Set up brick forts to protect southern Egypt and

regulate commerce

Kush◦In the fertile Dongola region of Nubia◦Powerful Kings

1750 BCE – used forced labor to build large monuments

Dozens to hundreds of servants and wives sacrificed upon their deaths◦Proves a belief in the afterlife

New Kingdom – 1532-1070 BCE◦Egyptians pushed further south◦Destroyed Kush◦Forced native workers to work in the mines

Many died◦Imposed Egyptian culture◦Nubians served in the Egyptian army◦Nubians began using at least parts of Egyptian

religion

The Kingdom of Meroe, The Kingdom of Meroe, 800 BCE- 800 BCE- 350 CE350 CE

Egypt’s authority in Nubia collapsed after 1200 BCE

712 to 660 BCE◦Nubians ruled all of Egypt as the 25th Dynasty◦The ruled according to Egyptian custom

701 BCE◦The Nubians made a mistake

Offered to help the Palestinians fight the Assyrians The Assyrians reacted by invading Egypt and

pushing Nubian power back to Nubia Egyptian culture remained in Nubia

◦Ex. Burial, small pyramids, hieroglyphics

By 400 BCE◦Nubian power was centered in Meroe

Sub Saharan culture began to replace Egyptian culture

Women of Meroe◦Royal women involved in politics, sometimes

queens ruled◦Matrilineal society

The king was succeeded by the son of his sister Roman accounts of a fierce one-eyed warrior

queen

Meroe the city◦More than 1 square mile◦Different trade routes met there◦Reservoirs were dug to catch rainfall◦Iron smelting (after 1000BCE)

Meroe collapsed◦About 350 CE◦May have been overrun by nomads who had

access to camels

First Civilizations of the First Civilizations of the Americas: The Olmec Americas: The Olmec

and Chavinand Chavin1200-250 BCE

People in the Western Hemisphere◦Came from Asia◦20,000 to 13,000 BCE◦Isolated until the 1400s CE

The Mesoamerican Olmec, The Mesoamerican Olmec, 1200-400 BCE1200-400 BCE

Varied geography and climates◦People in different areas developed different

technologiesThe region was not politically unified

Olmec◦1200-400 BCE◦Domesticated corn, beans, and squash◦Fished

Were able to have surplus food◦Religious and political elites

Organized the population◦ Irrigation canals◦Raised fields◦Constructed large scale religious and civic buildings

Different city-states held power at different times

Most were abandoned◦ monuments were defaced and buried,

buildings were destroyedWhy?

◦Over run by neighbors?◦Destroyed upon the death of a ruler?

Olmec building◦Large platforms or mounds of earth

Religious and political activities performed on them

Houses of the elites built on them◦Lifting the elite above the masses

◦Cities were aligned with certain stars People living in the agricultural regions around

the cities did most of the building

Olmec artisans◦Carved stone and jade◦Created pottery ◦Made obsidian tools

These items were traded with other people

Olmec political structure◦Probably a king that had both religious and

political power◦Large stone heads were carved to represent

different rulers

Olmec religion◦Thousands would come to the cities for

ceremonies◦Human sacrifice and blood letting◦Polytheistic◦Jaguars, sharks, crocodiles and snakes

An idea that humans could transform into these shapes

◦Shamans and healers worked with the elite◦Developed a calendar and a ritual ball game

Early South American Early South American Civilization:Civilization:Chavin, 900-250 BCEChavin, 900-250 BCE

Andean Civilizations◦As early as 2600 BCE◦Settled along the coasts of Peru

Chavin◦An early Andean urban civilization◦Controlled a large, highly populated territory

including coastland and foothills

The capital city, Chavin de Huantar, was located at an intersection of trade routes◦Could control trade◦Became a ceremonial and commercial center

A reciprocal labor system allowed for the building of public works

Llamas◦Were used to move goods◦The only domesticated beasts of burden in the

Americas◦Provided meat, wool and labor

Chavin religion◦A jaguar deity

Evidence has been found that suggests this belief covered a large area

Metallurgy in America developed in this region◦The technology moved into Mesoamerica

Along with maize becoming available in the Andes, proves trade

Again, no clear evidence as to why this culture collapsed