1. Government and Leaders
1.1. Shang/Zhou
1.1.1. China was ruled by a strong monarchy, their kings were surrounded by a gathering of wealthy nobles
1.1.2. The nobles would perform rituals that were meant to keep the kingdom safe and strengthen it
1.1.3. Governors that were appointed by the king were set to rule distant parts of the nation, to help keep order
1.1.4. The king also had a large army he could use, besides fighting battles they were meant to prevent rebellions
1.2. Sumerian
1.2.1. Priests were a high status in Sumer and initially governed the city-states
1.2.2. \War chiefs began to rule as kings when the city-states battled for dominance
1.2.3. the Kings would perform ceremonies to please the gods, as the gods' chief representative would
1.2.4. Many of the kings in the City-States would eventually become Dynasties
2. Geography and Agriculture
2.1. Shang/Zhou
2.1.1. Like many other early civilizations, the Shang civilization started in a river valley
2.1.2. Eastern China had a fine dusty soil called Loess that was rich and helped plants grow
2.1.3. certain places were better suited for specific crops, like Southern China was warm and got plenty of rain so it was a better region for growing Rice
2.1.4. China was mostly isolated from other civilizations which protected it from competitors and helped it grow into a civilization, it had the Himalayas to the south and The Gobi to the west
2.1.5. Map of Shang civilization
2.2. Sumerian
2.2.1. The Sumerian civilization was created in the flat, swampy region of southern Mesopotamia
2.2.2. The region the Sumerians were in got little rain, so the surrounding rivers like Tigris and Euphrates could flood without warning
2.2.3. these floods had left behind a fertile mud called Silt, this mud enriched the soil where they grew Wheat and Barley
2.2.4. They made Basins, Canals, and Dikes to store, carry and control the water
2.2.5. A map of Sumer civilization (picture won't load but the link is still there)
3. Social Structure and Family Life
3.1. Shang/Zhou
3.1.1. Most people in the Shang spent their time caring for the crops in the field but were sometimes called to fight in the army or work alongside slaves on a project
3.1.2. ruling elite in the Shang had a lot of free time to spend on leisure activities like hunting, wealthy members collected objects made of bronze or jade
3.1.3. The Shang had 4 social classes: 1. Kings and Aristocracy 2. Military 3. Artisans and Craftsman 4. Peasants
3.2. Sumerian
3.2.1. The Sumerians eventually created a distinct hierarchy (rankings listed from highest to lowest) 1. Kings, Priests and Principal agents 2. Large Landowners and wealthy merchants 3. artisans, farmers, and laborers (the majority of Sumerians) 4. Slaves
3.2.2. Men normally held political power and made laws while women took care of the house and children , but there were a few women who got an education and served as priestesses
3.2.3. the husband was also the master of the household, he could divorce his wife and even under certain circumstances could sell his wife and kids to slavery
3.2.4. Upper class women had more freedom than normal women, they could own their own property, have an income separate from the husband and even provide evidence in a court case
4. Arts and Education
4.1. Shang/Zhou
4.1.1. Shang artists could create very decorative bronze objects, these objects would be used in religious rituals
4.1.2. Shang's earlier writing can be found written directly on the Oracle Bones that were used for spiritual advice
4.1.3. Early Shang writing used symbols to represent objects or ideas
4.1.4. Shang bronze dragon statue
4.2. Sumerian
4.2.1. Sumerian used a writing called Cuneiform, they drew symbols in a clay tablet with a Stylus
4.2.2. The Sumerians used Geometry and created a math system based off of 60, despite it not seeming right we still use it today to divide an hour into 60 minutes or a circle into 360 degrees
4.2.3. Architecture from the Sumerians use Arches, ramps, and columns which were all visible on the Ziggurats
4.2.4. People made Cylinder seals, a clay cylinder that has had a seal on it which created all kinds of markings, and used them to sign documents or show ownership of something
4.2.5. Cuneiform Script
5. Religion/Beliefs
5.1. Shang/Zhou
5.1.1. Shang tombs were usually filled with valuables made of bronze or jade
5.1.2. the Shang believed in an afterlife and thought that a ruler still needed his riches and servants in said afterlife
5.1.3. Their religion was based around ancestor Worship
5.1.4. Shang would ask their ancestors for advice through the use of Oracle Bones, they would ask a question, then they would crack the bone or turtle shell with a hot metal and Specially trained priests would interpret them
5.2. Sumerian
5.2.1. They practiced Polytheism, the worship of many gods
5.2.2. Sumerians believed that gods ate, drank, fell in love and married, and fought the same way humans do
5.2.3. They believed that gods had the power to bring miracles or disaster at any point
5.2.4. Sumerians would build Ziggurats and temples, in those temples, priests or priestesses would hold ceremonies and offer food and drink to the gods
5.2.5. A statue of a goddess
6. Science and Technology
6.1. Shang/Zhou
6.1.1. Shang astronomers created an accurate calendar that was based off of the cycles of the moon
6.1.2. The Shang built large, stable structures like Tombs
6.1.3. The Zhou learned to use iron which was strong and could cast more cheaply and quickly than the bronze they previously used
6.1.4. The Zhou made the first coins in China and started the use of Chopsticks which are still being used today
6.1.5. Ancient iron weapons from the Shang
6.2. Sumerian
6.2.1. The Sumerians invented the wheel, which they used to create pottery and vheicles
6.2.2. Sumerians also learned how to forge better tools and weapons with bronze and invented the plow
6.2.3. The Sumerians also built Sewers and gained a lot of medical knowledge, they even did surgery
6.2.4. They were among the first astronomers and mapped out the stars and planets that were visible to the naked eye
6.2.5. A Sumerian star chart
7. Economy and Trade
7.1. Shang/Zhou
7.1.1. Shang economy was built around Agriculture, the work of its people and Trade
7.1.2. the Shang used trade routes to get to faraway places
7.1.3. they traded with other civilizations but they also have their own form of currency: Cowrie Shells
7.1.4. The Cowrie shells were valuable because they came all the way from India
7.2. Sumerian
7.2.1. Sumerians had to obtain raw materials like wood and metals through trading in Southwest Asia
7.2.2. Early Sumerian homes were built from bundles of reeds but would later be built out of dried blocks of mud
7.2.3. Sumerian economy was based agriculture and that influenced many technological advantages