1. Economy and Trade
1.1. Shang/Zhou
1.1.1. They traded iron and Weapons
1.1.2. Silk was Traded
1.1.3. Most work was done by peasants, nobles ordered them around
1.1.4. The main income came from farming and harvesting crops
1.2. Sumerians
1.2.1. Traded with people across southwest Asia
1.2.2. Trading enriched Sumer
1.2.3. Economy was based on agriculture and trade
1.2.4. They traded to get metals and wood
2. Geography and Agriculture
2.1. Sumerians
2.1.1. Sumer is in Southwest Asia and is between the Tigris and the Euphrates. It is also in the fertile crescent
2.1.2. It is called Mesopotamia
2.1.3. It is suited for agriculture, because floods leave behind feritile mud
2.1.4. They had plenty of food and grew grasses such as wheat and barley
2.2. Shang/Zhou
2.2.1. Long rivers
2.2.2. Fertile soils
2.2.3. Temperate climates
2.2.4. Isolated valleys
3. Religion
3.1. Sumerians
3.1.1. Religion shaped life and city states
3.1.2. Practiced polytheism (Worship of many god's)
3.1.3. They believed god's controlled all natural forces and brought rich harvest and raging floods
3.1.4. Worked hard to please god's
3.1.5. Built ziggurats and temples
3.2. Shang/Zhou
3.2.1. Royal Tombs were made for kings
3.2.2. They offered gifts to their dead ancestors
3.2.3. They offen asked ancestors for advice
3.2.4. A hot piece of metal was applied to an oracle bone resulting in cracks, then a priest would tell them what it means
4. Arts and Education
4.1. Sumerians
4.1.1. Architecture includes the uses of arches ramps and columns
4.1.2. Created a writing system called cuneiform
4.1.3. Sculptures had wide open eyes as well as small objects carved out of ivory
4.1.4. Used seal (that they created) to sign documents
4.2. Shang/Zhou
4.2.1. Schools taught youth nobles
4.2.2. Schools were divided into upper and lower education
4.2.3. The government funded five national schools
4.2.4. Depended on education of the person not the health
5. Science and Technology
5.1. Sumerians
5.1.1. They developed a math system based on the number 60
5.1.2. They learned to use Geometry, that helped with building structures
5.1.3. They invented the wheel and the plow
5.1.4. They learned to use bronze
5.1.5. They also built sewer systems
5.2. Shang/Zhou
5.2.1. They built bronze vessels and objects
5.2.2. They built large stable structures such as tombs
5.2.3. Astronomers built a calender based on the cycle of the moon
5.2.4. Worked with bronze
6. Government Leaders
6.1. Sumerians
6.1.1. Priests held a high status and initially governed the city states
6.1.2. War chiefs then began to rule as kings when city states began to fight
6.1.3. In time many of the city state kings formed dynasty's
6.1.4. Kings served as the gods' chief representatives
6.2. Shang/Zhou
6.2.1. During the Shang period China was ruled by a strong monarchy
6.2.2. The King had a large army at his disposal
6.2.3. Most of the society spent their time in fields tending crops
6.2.4. The King appoints governors to rule distant parts of the kingdom
7. Social Structure and Family Life
7.1. Sumerians
7.1.1. In the top of the social structure were the kings, priests, and principal agents
7.1.2. Next were large land owners and wealthy merchants
7.1.3. Then were artisans, farmers, and laborers
7.1.4. Last were slaves
7.1.5. Men held political power and made laws and women took care of the home and children
7.2. Shang/Zhou
7.2.1. The King and nobles had supreme power
7.2.2. The King was both political and religious leader
7.2.3. Warriors were very powerful
7.2.4. Peasants had very little and barely made it through the taxes, the King enforced