1. Government and Leaders
1.1. Shang/Zhou
1.1.1. During the Shang period, China was ruled by a strong monarchy. At their capital city of Anyang, Shang kings were surrounded by a court, or gathering of wealthy nobles, who performed rituals intended to strengthen the kingdom and keep it safe.
1.1.2. When the Zhou conquered the Shang, their leaders worried they would not accept that so they came up with the Mandate of Heaven. This principle stated that the gods would support a just ruler, but they would not allow anyone corrupt to hold power.
1.1.3. Later Chinese rulers used the Mandate of Heaven to explain the dynastic cycle, the rise and fall of dynasties in China. Any dynasty that lost power had obviously become corrupt, and it was the will go the gods that it be overthrown.
1.1.4. The government of the Zhou was based on the feudal system. The emperor divided the land into fiefs that were usually ruled by his relatives. The nobles who ruled the fiefs basically owned the farmers who owned the land.
1.2. Sumerian
1.2.1. At first priests governed the city-states because of their high status in Sumer from their religious ceremonies. But as the city-states battled for dominance, war chiefs began to rule and kings.
1.2.2. The Sumerians had a hierachy first was the kings and priests then the large landowners and wealthy merchants then the artisans, farmers, laborers, lastly comes the slaves.
1.2.3. Men had political power and made laws where as woman stayed home, cooked, cleaned, and took care of the children.
1.2.4. As Sumerians become more powerful, and the cities gained more and more wealth they shifted to a different form of government where instead of each city being ruled by a different priest, you had one priests in control of many cities.
2. Social Structure and Family LIfe
2.1. Shang/Zhou
2.1.1. The dynastic cycle was the rise and fall of dynasties in China. Any dynasty that lost power, they claimed, has obviously become corrupt and it was the will of the gods that it be overthrown.
2.1.2. The higher class of the Shang society had more free time, as appose to the majority who farmed, and could pursuit leisure activities like hunting or collecting expensive objects of bronze or jade.
2.1.3. The society was largely agricultural because its wheat fields were so abundant. A majority of the population spent time in fields tending to crops.
2.1.4. Kings in China put governors in distant parts of the kingdom to rule. Due to this the King had a large army at his disposal, to fight opponents and prevent rebellions.
2.2. Sumerians
2.2.1. Men held political power while women stayed home to tend to the house and children. This difference in gender role really began when societies started to settle and peoples strengths and weaknesses showed.
2.2.2. Social Class Order: Upper Class ~ Kings, Priests, Soldiers. Middle Class ~ Land-Owners, Wealthy Merchants, Artisans, Farmers. Bottom Class ~ Laborers, Slaves.
2.2.3. Because trade began to enrich Sumer the rankings fell by the richest and most respected to the poorest and least respected.
2.2.4. The majority of Sumerians were the at middle rankings; artisans, farmers, and laborers. The other two levels of social class were less populated, as in less people were rich and poor.
3. Science
3.1. Sumerian
3.1.1. Structures were made by mud bricks due to the scarcity of other materials but it turned out to be more convenient in the long run.
3.1.2. Large temples rose to the city's Chief God. At the heart of the temple, a pyramid shaped structure called a ziggurat rose to the sky. A ziggurat was a place people went to worship.
3.1.3. The Sumerians created the saw, the chisel, the hammer, the braces, the knives, the arrowhead, swords, daggers and so much more.
3.1.4. The Sumerians built 3 types of boats;skin boats comprised reeds and animal skins,sailboats featured bitumen waterproofing,wooden-oared ships, sometimes pulled upstream by people and animals walking along the nearby banks.
3.2. Shang/Zhou
3.2.1. The Zhou learned how to use iron, which became the backbone of the economy, especially in weapon making. Iron was strong and could be more cheaply and quickly then bronze.
3.2.2. These ancient dynasties were some of the first to develop basic mathematics. They counted with chips and used tallies to calculate.
3.2.3. The chariot was the first form of transportation, that could carry up to three people, for the Sumerians.The Zhou dynasty used chariots for war purposes.
3.2.4. In a way, some forms of medication were being produced. Acupuncture, or specific placement of needles in the body, could ease muscles.
4. Geography and Agriculture
4.1. Sumerian
4.1.1. The Sumerians invented the wheel to make pottery and to build vehicles
4.1.2. The Sumerians learned to use bronze to make stronger tools and weapons which benefited them in the long run.
4.1.3. The Sumerians also learned how to collect and catalog medical knowledge to person basic knowledge surgeries.
4.1.4. The Sumerians also developed one of the first mathematical based systems, in that system they learned how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide along with some basic Geometry which is used to build elaborate structures and irrigation systems.
4.2. Shang/Zhou
4.2.1. In a large agricultural society like the Shang's, most people spent their time working in the fields and tending crops. In some cases farmers were considered slaves because of how they were treated.
4.2.2. Farmers learned new techniques that increased the the size of their harvest hearby creating more food surplus.
4.2.3. The growth of cities led to the building of roads and canals allowing better transportation and communication.
4.2.4. The Shang and Zhou dynasties were located on major rivers, like the yellow river, which were good for fishing and fertile soil. Although rivers could also cause damaging floods.
5. Arts and Education
5.1. Sumerian
5.1.1. Sumerian architecture was considered art because of the detailed columns, ramps and arches used to decorate their buildings.
5.1.2. Sculptures were specifically wide eyed people or small objects made of ivory.
5.1.3. Most famous art form was cylinder seals carved with much detail. These seals were made to sign documents and forms.
5.1.4. Developed a form of writing called kunena to record historic events and stories which also helped education (especially to learn about the past)
5.2. Shang/Zhou
5.2.1. Had much skill in sculpting items out of bronze and jade making them considered as valuables.
5.2.2. Their tombs were also considered great art, because of the detail and hard work that was put into making them. The tombs were built in respect to dead leaders and ancestors.
5.2.3. Moon phase calendar was important to the Shang/Zhou's education because it could lead to days of the year and other time management.
5.2.4. First forms of chinese writing developed, especially on oracle bones. Their writing consisted of many pictures and symbols.
6. Religion
6.1. Sumerian
6.1.1. Sumerians mainly practiced polytheism, or the belief in many gods.
6.1.2. Sumerians believed gods were very similar to humans in which they ate, drank, fell in love, and fought.
6.1.3. People worked hard to please the gods by building temples (public worship place), ziggurats (private worship place), and also tried to be the best people possible.
6.1.4. Sumerian gods were believed to each protect a city-state and each controlled a natural force like air, fire, water, wind, etc.
6.2. Shang/Zhou
6.2.1. The Shang/Zhou dynasty believed in ancestor worship, in which they gave gifts to the deceased.
6.2.2. Sacrificed servants and other valuables or belongings would be placed in tombs with the dead. Some servants, once their lead died, would be sacrificed immediately in order to be with their master.
6.2.3. They also believed in after life, so that when buried with the gifts, the deceased would have their riches and servants in the afterlife.
6.2.4. A major factor of Shang/Zhou religion was oracle bones which were made of turtle shells or animal bones. These bones were used to communicate with ancestors, seeking advice or asking questions.
7. Economy and Trade
7.1. Sumerian
7.1.1. To agin raw materials,like metal and wood, Sumerians traded with places like Southwest Asia.
7.1.2. Some buildings were built in order to sell/ trade for other needed goods
7.1.3. Men had much political power and were considered important to the economy while women were not and stayed at home to cook and take care of children.
7.1.4. Sumerians did not have much of a money system, they just worked through trading goods and buildings.
7.2. Shang/Zhou
7.2.1. Zhou introduced the first coins and money systems to China, which was a major achievement.
7.2.2. These dynasties could easily grow their own food to trade due to their rich, fertile soil and rivers. They also took up fishing more often in the fresh waters.
7.2.3. Growing so much food led to more distribution among people and more food to trade and sell.
7.2.4. As people started showcasing their technique and skill into the arts, especially their bronze and iron use, they started to sell their own masterpieces. The more detailed and high quality the art, the more you could trade for it.