1. Sumerians
1.1. Religion
1.1.1. Examples: -Sumerians practiced polytheism -Believed god controlled all natural forces -They believed that god protected each city-state -Believed gods were just like humans -Sumerians worked hard to please their gods
1.2. Social Structure & Family
1.2.1. Examples: -Men held political power -Women stayed at home with children -Few upper-class women received education -Families who owned large land were wealthier
1.3. Government & Leaders
1.3.1. Examples: -Priests were high statused -Priests governed the city-states -War chiefs ruled as kings -Many city-states' kings formed dynasties
1.4. Geography and Agriculture
1.4.1. Examples: -Consisted of Fertile Cresent,which had mineral rich soil -Geographic conditions benefitted first civilization -Floods helped enrichen poor soil - Methods developed to control water(basins)
1.5. Economy & Trade
1.5.1. Examples: -Lacked raw minerals so they traded across south west asia -A distinct social ranking developed -Top class were kings and priests -Bottom slaves captured in battle
1.6. Science and Technology
1.6.1. Examples: Invention of the wheel;used to make vehicles -Bronze made stronger tools -Built sewers -Some performed basic surgeries
1.7. Arts and Education
1.7.1. Examples: -Ruins and artifacts -Most famous works of art(cylinder seals) -Sumerian writing(cuneiform) -Scribes required years of schooling
2. Shang/Zhou
2.1. Government and Leaders
2.1.1. Examples: -The first shang ruler was known as the xia -Historians date the beginning of chinese civilization to the rise of the shang dynasty -When zhou conquored the shang dynasty most chinese people didnt accept it at first -Zhou introduced the idea to only have one ruler
2.2. Religion
2.2.1. Examples: -Historians studies tombs to learn about shang religion -Shang believed in an afterlife -Shang believed in worshiping their ancestors -Zhou said the shang dynasty was overthrown because they had lost the gods favor
2.3. Social Structure and Family
2.3.1. Examples: -Most people spent time farming crops -From time to time farmers were sent into fight in the war, or to slave, of to build buildings -The shang was a very agriculture advanced society -When under zhou, population grew a lot
2.4. Economy and Trade
2.4.1. Examples: -Fertile soils, long rivers, temperate climates and isolated valleys -Fertile Crescent -Economy was based on agriculture -Zhou was forced to flee east, economy grew rapidly
2.5. Geography & Agriculture
2.5.1. Examples: -First shang civilization began in the Huang He valley where people started growing crops - Most citys developed in river vallys becase of the fertile soil -Chang Jiang is best geography for farming, because of the fertile soil, warm weather, and lots of rainfall made great conditions for growing rice. -Zhou created new technology for farming witch created a food surplus
2.6. Science & Technology
2.6.1. Examples: -Shang led to advances with bronze -There is evidence that the shang dynasty created one of the first forms of money -Zhou learned how to use led instead of bronze -Zhou invented the use of chopsticks
2.7. Arts and Education
2.7.1. Examples: -Artists created highly decorative bronze objects witch were used in religious rituals -Zhou learned how to use iron instead of bronze -Bones were used for writing -Early shang writings used picture symbols to represent things