1. Arts and Education
1.1. Sumerian
1.1.1. The ancient Sumerians developed the arch and column, and they were also familiar with the use of domes.
1.1.2. They were professionals of building, using bricks made of mud, their main building material.
1.1.3. Brick making was a major Sumerian specialty, especially in the south, where wood was in short supply and there was no stone or rock.
1.1.4. Students learned by copying lessons on clay tablets, memorizing the lessons, and then reciting them for the school's headmaster
1.2. Shang/Zhou
1.2.1. This time was also called The Bronze Age of China, because bronze was used to fashion weapons, parts of chariots, and ritual vessels.
1.2.2. The lost-wax method enabled people to cast bronze with decorative patterns that could be carved or stamped directly on the inner surface of the mold before it was fired
2. Religion
2.1. Shang/Zhou
2.1.1. The ancestral cult was based on five key premises.
2.1.2. 1. The belief that the world was divided into three tiers heaven, earth, and the underworld.
2.1.3. 2, The importance of lineage- a Chinese family was connected with their fathers and mothers of the recent past and from the distant past.
2.1.4. 3, The human body has two souls: the soul that ascends at death, the hun, and the po.
2.1.5. 4.Offering of sacrifices to their counterparts in heaven to show filial respect and procure favors for the maintenance of the middle realm, earth.
2.1.6. 5. The ancestral cult embodied roles played by mediators, such as ritual specialists or priests.
2.2. Sumerian
2.2.1. The ancient Sumerian's worshiped hundreds of gods, each having his/her own name and specialized activities.
2.2.2. Every city has its own god or goddess.
2.2.3. There are also deities connected with various professions - such as scribes and builders.
2.2.4. Even though most people served these gods, very little people felt a connection with these different with these distant beings.
3. Economy and Trade
3.1. Sumerian
3.1.1. The wheel was invented and used for carts, chariots, and pottery making.
3.1.2. The Sumerian economy was based on agriculture, which was influenced by technological advances in Mesopotamian history.
3.1.3. Agriculture provided the people food made from several crops.
3.1.4. The Sumerian's has the capacity to build basic irrigation, such as canals and dikes.
3.2. Shang/Zhou
3.2.1. Economy was based on agriculture.
3.2.2. The Lands of the Lords were taken care of by peasants.
3.2.3. Increased irrigation turned into increased food, which turned into increased population.
3.2.4. As the population grew in size, people started to become merchants and traders
4. Government and Leaders
4.1. Sumerian
4.1.1. Etana of Kish was the first king oh Sumer he became king in early third millennium B.C.
4.1.2. Etana was known as "he who stabilized all the lands"
4.1.3. Utu-Hegal of Uruk is the most recent king and he was in power around 2100 B.C.
4.1.4. Etana was also known for being a king that had ascended to heaven on an eagle returning as an immortal.
4.2. Shang/Zhou
4.2.1. Western Zhou's capital was placed in Xi'an
4.2.2. The capital of Eastern Zhou was Louyang
4.2.3. One type of government used was Confucianism
4.2.4. Another form of Government used was Legalism
5. Social Structure and Family Life
5.1. Sumerians
5.1.1. There was a highly ranked man and woman, a middle class, and servants.
5.1.2. Woman rarely act as individuals. Those who did were usually royalty.
5.1.3. They were farmers, traders, and sailors.
5.1.4. sumerian social structure
5.2. Shang/Zou
5.2.1. They had a King, and the King had his chiefs.
5.2.2. Granted authority to members of the royal family to establish walled forts with troops.
5.2.3. Family relations were arranged by marriage, where there was no connection from childhood between them.
5.2.4. Shang dyansty social structure
6. Geography and Agriculture
6.1. Sumerians
6.1.1. Mesopotamia is a Greek word meaning land between two rivers.
6.1.2. Vast dry plain.
6.1.3. In between the Euphrates and Tigris.
6.1.4. Closer towards the sea the land gets marshy and muddy.
6.2. Shang/Zhou
6.2.1. Lived next to the yellow river
6.2.2. Located in the area of Xi'an
6.2.3. The zhou who took the Shang dynasty over, moved to the capital Luoyang
6.2.4. The Zhou used Jade when farming
7. Science and Technology
7.1. Sumerians
7.1.1. Invented the seeder plow, which revolutionized agriculture by plowing and seeding simultaneously.
7.1.2. They developed irrigation and sanitation systems
7.1.3. Developed writing around 3100 B.C.
7.1.4. Revolutionized transportation around 3500 B.C. by inventing the wheel
7.2. Shang/Zou
7.2.1. Created new tools out of iron, such as the iron hoe and plow
7.2.2. Invented the trebuchet, making warfare easier for the soldiers.
7.2.3. Created better innovations for everyday life, such as kites, improved writing and script, and medical records were established during this time.
7.2.4. Developed a new type of flooring which was made of soil, lime, and sand plaster