River Civilizations- Seven Aspects of Civilization

1. Sumerian

2. Religion

2.1. Polytheistic with anthropomorphic gods

2.2. Akkadians synchronized their gods with the Sumerian gods

2.3. Believed that gods could creat demons that could be good or evil

2.4. There were the four creator gods followed by the seven gods of fate: An, Enlil, Enki, Ninhursag, Nanna, Utu, and Inanna

3. Government/Leaders

3.1. Etana was the first kingdom ruler and ruled the kingdom of kish

3.2. After Etana's reign Meskiaggasher bacame ruler of a kingdom know as Erech

3.3. Sumerian government was a combination of democracy and monarchy

3.4. City-states similar to that of the Greeks and Romans

4. Geography

4.1. Located in the fertile creasent

4.2. In mesopotamia in between the tigris and euphrates rivers

4.3. Rivers flooded unexpectedly and violently

4.4. Wood was scarce so they had to trade for it

5. Social Structures/Family Life

5.1. Social structure included four classes: Nobles, commoners, clients, and slaves

5.2. Nobles included royalty, priests, warriors, and wealthy families with land

5.3. Everyone that was a part of the civilization live in the city

5.4. Priests and priestesses were equal to the king in power

6. Economy/Trade

6.1. Jobs included: pottery makers, stonecutters, bricklayers, metal smiths, farmers, fishers, shepherds, weavers, leather-workers, and sailors.

6.2. Traded with Lebanon for the prized cedar wood

6.3. Traded slaves although it was not a major part of their economy

6.4. Traded the clay and mud that was used to build because of how abundant it was

7. Science/Technology

7.1. Invented an irrigation system that allowed them to farm more land and support more people

7.2. Other technologies include: the wheel, cuneiform, arithmetic and geometry, sumerian boats, lunisolar calendar, bronze, leather, saws, chisels, hammers, braces, bits, nails, pins, rings, hoes, axes, knives, lancepoints, arrowheads, swords, glue, daggers, waterskins, bags, and harnesses

7.3. Their invention of the pottery wheel lead to land transportation by carriages pulled by animals many years later

7.4. The pottery wheel allowed the Sumerians to create very intricate pieces of pottery

8. Arts/Education

8.1. Most of what people learned about in "school" was how to write in Sumerian language

8.2. went to school in edubbas or "tablet houses

8.3. The invention of writing made kings and priests realize the need for a formal education

8.4. With education came scribes, people who were trained in writing and were responsible for recording what happened in the city

9. Shang/zhou

10. government/leaders

10.1. The civilization was a monarchy which means they were governed buy kings and queens

10.2. The king was the highest authority in the land

10.3. Any or all major crime was dealt with by the king or the aristocrats

10.4. Aristocrats ruled small villas

11. social structures/family

11.1. They ran on for different social statuses. Being king and aristocracy, military,craftsmen and artists, and peasants

11.2. Peasants were either slaves or farmers

11.3. women learned to make rugs and blankets

11.4. the craftsmen were well known for bronze work

12. Arts/Education

12.1. there was no form of school but they did have knowledge in craft work

12.2. they made a lot of bronze pots and jade jewelry

12.3. they were advance jade and bronze crafting

12.4. most of the art or bronze work was given to there gods

13. geography

13.1. It was located in the north east regions of china

13.2. Strived mostly because of the yellow river

13.3. They had fertile soil and good water supply which was effective in growing crops

13.4. It had many natural borders keeping them safe

14. science/technology

14.1. Casting bronze was the dynasty's biggest accomplishment because it led to the development of bronze tools and weapons

14.2. They domesticated the horse which would dramatically change farming and ways to travel

14.3. They also invented the chariot which changed warfare drastically

14.4. Oracle bones were bone fragments from animals and were used to write things down to keep history as well

15. economy/trade

15.1. They used shell shaped currency made from jade,bronze,gold,stone... etc.

15.2. They traded all goods they weren't using like tools,cattle...etc.

15.3. Bronze tools and weapons sold for more money than food and animals

15.4. Jade was the most expensive item you could trade because it was considered the most socially valued material item

16. religion

16.1. They were polytheistic which means they believe in many gods

16.2. They held festivals for there gods to help influence events like an abundant harvest

16.3. They also believed that there ancestors still existed with them

16.4. They prayed to statues mostly made out of bronze