1. Government/Leadership
1.1. sumerians
1.1.1. Had a organized Monocarhy
1.1.2. Had a very complex system that got more complex as time went on.
1.1.3. Each city state began to collect taxes and employed scribes to keep exact records.
1.1.4. The ruler/leader took a lot of roles including chief priest, leading rites, and procession in order to honor the gods.
1.2. Shang/Zhou
1.2.1. Shang - Had a monarchy, The king was also lawmaker and judge and ruled by force.
1.2.2. Zhou - Had a government that was a kind of feudal system.
1.2.3. Zhou - Leader ship was divided into three ranks grand masters, servicemen, and nine honors/jiupin.
1.2.4. Zhou- Had a confucius government.
2. Economy and Trade
2.1. Shang/Zhou
2.1.1. The Shang used slaves as a big part of the economy.
2.1.2. The most important part of the Shang Dynasty was the agricultural sector.
2.1.2.1. Ancient Chinese currency
2.1.3. Opening up new fields and choosing what to grow was a task of the government officers.
2.1.4. Shang used cowrie shells as currency
2.2. Sumerians
2.2.1. The Sumerians also relied on agriculture. Like the Shang and Zhou.
2.2.2. The Sumerians also had great economic prosperity that made them targets of invasion.
2.2.2.1. Sumerian trade route
2.2.3. Economy was boosted by major advancements in technology
2.2.4. the temple of sumeria owned farmland, many of the parts of that farmland were rented out
3. Education and the Arts
3.1. Shang/Zhou
3.1.1. In the Shang Dynasty, art became more of an everyday life sort of thing. And was more practical than other civilizations would have it.
3.1.2. Pictorial art became more popular with the decoration of bronze and for mural painting.
3.1.3. During war times they became skilled in the art of bronze casting.
3.1.3.1. Bronze sculpture
3.1.4. After bronze casting they would mercury gild the bronze which was putting a mixture of ground gold and mercury on the surface of the bronze.
3.2. Sumerians
3.2.1. produced portraits of their rulers
3.2.2. since clay was their most abundant resource, they often used it to make pottery or write on with reed.
3.2.3. Created many large statues made of marble of the most important gods and goddesses that they worshiped. some could be up to 30 ft tall.
3.2.4. The earliest known writing was thought to be developed by the Sumerians
3.2.4.1. Sumerian writing
4. Science and Technology
4.1. Shang/Zhou
4.1.1. The Zhou perfected the calendar and bronze casting.
4.1.2. Were very into astronomy, made maps of stars.
4.1.3. Made tombs that used lots of manpower.
4.1.4. Used medical treatment like acupuncture and moxibustion.
4.1.5. Oracle bone inscriptions.
4.2. Sumerians
4.2.1. Invented the wheel in 3700 BC.
4.2.2. Were the first to divide hour into 60 minutes.
4.2.3. Had boats made of animal skins and reed.
4.2.4. The Sumerians divided the circle into 360 degrees and found how to find circumference of circle.
5. Location/Geography
5.1. Shang/Zhou
5.1.1. The Shang and Zhou were located along the Yellow River, and the Zhou dynasty was west of the Shang.
5.1.2. Shang was conquered by Zhou and lost land. Zhou borders were expanded to the Yellow Sea and Chang River.
5.1.3. The Zhou dynasty reigned the longest not just among the Chinese people but around the world.
5.1.4. There were natural boundaries and borders protecting the Shang and Zhou people in China like the Yellow Sea east of them, the Taklamakan Desert west of them, and the Himalayas southwest of them.
5.2. Sumerians
5.2.1. Mesopotamia was divided into two parts: Upper Mesopotamia and Sumer, it was also located in the Fertile Crescent.
5.2.2. Though the land was good for crops, it almost never rained and the rivers flooded during the worst times.
5.2.3. Flooded during the time for harvesting
5.2.4. Sumer was located in the lower part of Mesopotamia. It was in between the Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers. It later became known as Babylonia. Today we know it as Southern Iraq to the Persian Gulf.
5.2.5. Sumer
6. Social and Family Life
6.1. Sumerians
6.1.1. After meals would have singers preform for them.
6.1.2. Followed social hierarchy
6.1.3. Middle class were merchants and traders.
6.1.4. Owned slaves.
6.2. Shang/Zhou
6.2.1. Family relations arranged by marriage.
6.2.2. All people with royalty were at the top of the society.
6.2.3. Followed a social hierarchy
6.2.4. Owned slaves
7. Religion/Spirituality
7.1. Shang/Zhou
7.1.1. The Shang believed heavily in ghosts and spirits.
7.1.2. The Zhou believed in deities like mountains.
7.1.3. Four priests in Zhou society were prayers, sacrifices, diviners,and astrologers.
7.1.4. Confucianism and Taoism.
7.2. Sumerians
7.2.1. Polytheistic religion.
7.2.2. Created ziggurats and temples.
7.2.3. Believed they had to serve the gods.
7.2.4. Believed 7 gods would decree the fates.