1. Social Structure and Family Life
1.1. Sumerians
1.1.1. Distinct Social Hierarchy
1.1.2. Priests/Kings on top, with large Landowners and wealthy Merchants beneath them.
1.1.3. The majority were artisans/farmers, with slaves beneath them.
1.1.4. Men-political power, lawmakers. Women- stayed home with the children.
1.2. Shang/Zhou
1.2.1. Shang kings appointed governors
1.2.2. The Shang society collapsed introducing the Zhou.
1.2.3. The Zhou believed in Confucianism, a system of philosophical and ethical teachings.
1.2.4. Due to the Zhou's unique social system, they were able to sustain a strong government.
2. Economy and Trade
2.1. Sumerians
2.1.1. Mostly based on agriculture
2.1.2. Traded goods for wood which was scarce there
2.1.3. They used slaves, but was not too major of a part in the economy
2.1.4. Early Sumerian homes were huts built from piles of reeds
2.2. Shang/Zhou
2.2.1. Bronze was in abundance so that was used a lot
2.2.2. Agriculture was also a large part, the fishing industry was also starting to grow
2.2.3. Porcelain goods were also invented during this time
2.2.4. Most people were farmers, there were also nobles, soldiers, bronze workers, sculptors, architects, painters, potters, priests, and slaves.
3. Religion
3.1. Sumerians
3.1.1. Practiced Polytheistic Religion- believed in many gods
3.1.2. The people built temples and ziggurats where the priests would hold ceremonies.
3.1.3. Believed the gods were like humans; that they fell in love, ate/drank, and fought.
3.1.4. They believed their kings were the people's head representative for the gods.
3.1.5. Religious Artifacts
3.2. Shang/Zhou
3.2.1. The Shang believed in an afterlife and ancestor worship.
3.2.2. Their rulers were buried with their valuables, and their sacrificed servants and POW.
3.2.3. The Zhou believed in Daoism.
3.2.4. Daoist teaching says that the dao, or the way, is the limitless force that is part of all creation.
3.2.5. Religious Artifact
4. Geography and Agriculture
4.1. Sumerians
4.1.1. Located in Mesopotamia in the Fertile Crescent
4.1.2. Surrounded on both sides by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
4.1.3. Sediment and silt left behind from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers made the area very fertile
4.1.4. The land not by the rivers was mostly dessert.
4.1.5. Map
4.2. Shang/Zhou
4.2.1. Two major rivers flowed through Central China, the Huang He and the Yangtze.
4.2.2. Two rivers created a great source of fresh water, food, fertile soil, and transportation
4.2.3. Naruto run was invented during the shang/zhou time period.
4.2.4. The Gobi desert and the Taklamakan Desert served as borders that kept the Chinese isolated from the rest of the world.
4.2.5. Map
5. Arts and Education
5.1. Sumerians
5.1.1. Use of arches, ramps, and columns
5.1.2. Sculptures include large, wide open eyes and small objects carved out of ivory.
5.1.3. Writing called cuneiform, used sharp tools to make wedge shaped symbols on clay tablets
5.1.4. Paid scribes, or writers, to create written documents.
5.1.5. Art
5.2. Shang/Zhou
5.2.1. Earliest writing was found on bones
5.2.2. Religion led to great advances in working with bronze.
5.2.3. Created a precise calendar based on the cycles of the moon.
5.2.4. Created first system of money
5.2.5. Art
6. Science and Technology
6.1. Sumerians
6.1.1. Developed a math system based on the number 60.
6.1.2. Used geometry to build elaborate structures and irrigation systems.
6.1.3. They invented the wheel.
6.1.4. Made tools stronger with bronze
6.1.5. Technology
6.2. Shang/Zhou
6.2.1. Learned how to use iron
6.2.2. Farmers learned new techniques that increased the size of their harvests.
6.2.3. Invented chopsticks, still being used today
6.2.4. Built roads and canals
6.2.5. Technology
7. Government and Leaders
7.1. Sumerians
7.1.1. The ruler took on the role of Chief Priest
7.1.2. Each City-State collected taxes and employed scribes to keep records
7.1.3. Each City-State had created their own complex irrigation systems
7.1.4. All City-States have a building in the center called Ziggurats. These were places of worship and they were very important to Sumerians.
7.2. Shang/Zhou
7.2.1. Run by a strong monarchy, their court was run by strong nobles
7.2.2. The king appointed governors to rule distant parts of the kingdom
7.2.3. The king had control of a large army who was in charge of preventing rebellions and fighting
7.2.4. Wealthy people were on the top and there was a large gap between poor and rich.