1. Geography and Agriculture
1.1. Sumeria
1.1.1. Flat, swampy, and well suited for agriculture
1.1.2. River floods often and leaves fertile silt on the land
1.1.3. Grew wheat and barley
1.1.4. Little to no rainfall in the region
1.2. Indus Valley
1.2.1. Temperate climates, isolated rivers, fertile soil, long rivers
1.2.2. The Yangzi and Yellow river supplied water for the earliest civilizations
1.2.3. Wei River Valley
1.2.4. Some regions were better suited than others
2. Social Structure and Family
2.1. Sumeria
2.1.1. Men held political power and made laws
2.1.2. Women took care of home and children
2.1.3. A few upper-class women were priestesses
2.1.4. Highest to lowest class order: kings, priests, large land owners and wealthy merchants, artisans, farmers, laborers, and slaves
2.1.5. Men held political power and made laws
2.2. Shang/Zhou
2.2.1. Emperor in charge
2.2.2. King, Nobles/Aristocrats, Peasants
2.2.3. Peasants took orders from lords and nobles
2.2.4. King lost power to aristocrats overtime
3. Government and Leaders
3.1. Sumeria
3.1.1. Priests governed city-states
3.1.2. As city-states battled more, war chiefs began to rule as kings
3.1.3. Kings served as the gods chief representatives and performed city wide ceremonies to please them
3.1.4. Kings formed dynasties- a series of rulers from one family
3.2. Shang/Zhou
3.2.1. Ruled by a monarchy during the Shang Dynasty
3.2.2. Agricultural society
3.2.3. king appointed governors to rule distant parts of the kingdom
3.2.4. Most work done by peasants- nobles ordered them around
4. Science and Technology
4.1. Sumeria
4.1.1. Invented pottery wheel and vehicle wheel along with the plow for farming
4.1.2. Built sewer systems
4.1.3. Bronze for stronger tools and weapons
4.1.4. Performed basic surgery and based a number system off of 60.
4.2. Shang/Zhou
4.2.1. Created iron weapons
4.2.2. Built roads and canals for better transportation and communication
4.2.3. introduced coins to China
4.2.4. Began using chopsticks
5. Religion
5.1. Sumeria
5.1.1. Polytheism- the worship of many gods
5.1.2. Gods controled all natural forces
5.1.3. Built ziggurats and temples to worship and please the gods
5.1.4. Gods were human like, but had enormous power
5.2. Shang/Zhou
5.2.1. Tombs contained valuable bronze and Jade items
5.2.2. Believed in afterlife
5.2.3. Worship their ancestors
5.2.4. Asked ancestors for advice through oracle bones
6. Economy and Trade
6.1. Sumeria
6.1.1. Traded woven textiles for metals, timber, and stone
6.1.2. Traded with people across South West Asia
6.1.3. Wrote to other trade partners for long distance trade accuracy
6.1.4. Traded with each other to create more tools
6.2. Shang/Zhou
6.2.1. Transportation and communication increased with the building of roads and canals
6.2.2. China got its first coins
6.2.3. Cities grew in size
6.2.4. Iron age- stronger, cheaper
7. Arts and Education
7.1. Sumeria
7.1.1. Cuneiform- wedge like writing
7.1.2. Carved small objects out of ivory
7.1.3. Built statues with large, wide open eyes
7.1.4. Cylinder seals- small stone cylinders engraved all around with detailed designs
7.2. Shang/Zhou
7.2.1. Learned how to use iron
7.2.2. Farmers learned new techniques increasing harvest sizes and creating food surpluses
7.2.3. New philosophies- Confucianism and Daoism
7.2.4. Began using piece-mold casting method