1. Geography and Agriculture
1.1. Indus Valley
1.1.1. extends east into ghaggor hakra river
1.1.2. spread over 1,260,000 km2
1.1.3. It was is of the largest ancient civilizations
1.1.4. The two rivers became wealth of civilization
1.1.5. They are part of what is now pakistan
1.1.6. They invented a drainage system
1.2. Tigris/Euphrates
1.2.1. Very rich soil-good farming-(more food, trading, income)
1.2.2. Irrrigation (bigger food supply)
1.2.3. Many tributaries
1.2.4. Mesopotamia is the land between the two rivers
2. Economy and Trade
2.1. Tigris/Euphrates
2.1.1. They traded for raw materials that their land lacked
2.1.2. They traded with textiles, timber, and stone
2.1.3. Temples in the area acted as modern day banks
2.1.4. City-states traded with eachother, not to far away places
2.2. Indus Valley
2.2.1. Traded far and wide, had boats and carts, to places like Persia, Afghanastan, and West India
2.2.2. Roads were made for paths of trade
2.2.3. Had abundance of farmers and cotton
2.2.4. Traded that livestock and cotton for raw materials
3. Religion
3.1. Tigris/Euphrates
3.1.1. New Years Day wedding to please the gods (moon god, Nanna)
3.1.2. Religion was basic of all life
3.1.3. Polytheism, the worship of many gods, was practiced
3.1.4. Human-like gods with more extreme power
3.2. Indus Valley
3.2.1. "Vedas" enabled scholars to learn a lot about religion
3.2.2. Many aspects of a single "external spirit" were worshiped (i.e. Indra, the ruler of heaven)
3.2.3. Worships inclued fire sacrifices and hymn chanting
3.2.4. Priests began to claim only religious rituals conducted by them could maintain universal order
4. Science and Technology
4.1. Tigris/Euphrates
4.1.1. Number systems were used
4.1.2. Irrigation
4.1.3. Many of the houses/buildings were multi-storied
4.1.4. They built boats which enabled them to travel easier
4.1.5. created a calendar
4.2. Indus Valley
4.2.1. They built a drainage and a sewage system
4.2.2. Their houses obtained water from wells
4.2.3. They figured out how to measure length, mass, and time. which enabled them to build better things
4.2.4. learned to create bronze, copper, tin, and lead.
4.2.5. The houses and cities were made out of brick.
4.2.6. They created a writing system
5. Government and Leaders
5.1. Tigris/Euphrates
5.1.1. Kings ruled the area as a whole
5.1.2. Kings were often viewed as being from the city of gods, but not being gods
5.1.3. Each city-state in the area had its own government
5.1.4. Governors who were placed in charge of a province enforced law and operated the military
5.2. Indus Valley
5.2.1. There were multiple leaders
5.2.2. There were not social classes
5.2.3. Buried respected leaders with their riches and belongings
5.2.4. Leaders were all generally passive, resulting in much peace
6. Social Structure and Family
6.1. Indus Valley
6.1.1. There were four social classes called Varnas, called Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras
6.1.2. Varnas were divided into hundreds of smaller groups called Castes
6.1.3. Not everyone belonged to a Caste, but the people who did were stuck in them their whole lives
6.1.4. People called the untouchables were not protected under the Caste Law
6.2. Tigris/Euphrates
6.2.1. Priests held a high statuses and governed city states under the kings rule
6.2.2. Gender roles played a big part in families, with women doing house work, farming, and watching the children, while the men did the heavier work
6.2.3. Kings family stayed in power for many generations
6.2.4. Kings formed Dynasties from city states to have less cities to rule but the same amount of area
7. Arts and Education
7.1. Tigris/Euphrates
7.1.1. Created first writing system that became useful for stories, poems, and songs
7.1.2. Developed a math system that is still used somewhat today (hour is broken into 60 minutes)
7.1.3. Sumerian sculptures created with large, wide-open eyes
7.1.4. Cylinder seals: stone cylinders with intricate carvings on the sides
7.2. Indus Valley
7.2.1. Extensive skills in pottery, painting and sculpture
7.2.2. Sculptures were made out of stone, metal, and terra-cotta (i.e. the bust of the bearded man)
7.2.3. Developed the "lost wax" process: Sculptures made of wax, covered in clay, then heated to leave a hollow mold
7.2.4. High level of artistic talent shown through paintings on pots that had been made from baked clay