Mr.Finny UNIT 2: Indus River Valley and China

Harappa/Mohenjo-Daro

100

What was the religion in the civilizations?

• Polytheistic 

• Important priests 

• Their Beliefs Later Influenced Hinduism 

200

What led to the fall of these civilizations?

• Around 1750 B.C. 

• Deforestation most likely led to environmental disasters

• No evidence of warfare or invasion 

300

What type of government did these civilizations have?

• Centralized and Standardized

  • Planned Cities

  • Theocracy (government)

  • Standardized methods

400

What did public works look like in Mohenjo-Daro?

• Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro. 

• The floors were watertight so that water would not seep into other rooms. 

• Each bath drained into a sewer.

500

What made these places "planned cities"?

• Indoor plumbing/sewer system 

• Uniform mud bricks 

• Standardized weights and measures 

• Multi-storied buildings

• Ship-building

Aryans

100

What was the sacred literature of the Aryans which told of Aryan beliefs and life?

The Vedas

200

Describe the sacred text of the Vedas

1. Earliest holy text comprised of 4 books

2. Authorless?  Written by sages?

300

Explain the social hierarchy of the Vedic age

Brahmins: Priests

Kshatriyas: Kings, rulers, and warriors

Vaishyas: Merchants, craftsmen, landowners, and skilled workers

Shudras: Farm workers, unskilled workers, and servants

Untouchables: Street sweepers, waste removers, outcasts

400

Explain the four sections of the Veda

Samhitas: mantras

Brahmanas: commentaries on rituals, etc.

Aranyakas: rituals, ceremonies

Upanishads: philosophical, discusses the soul, reincarnation, karma, Brahman and liberation.

China

100

What natural disasters did China face similar to India?

Monsoons

200

Describe the geography of China

• 1/3 mountains – Himalayas (SW)

• Vast deserts – Gobi Desert (NW)

• Oceans & Seas to the East:

  • Yellow Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, Pacific Ocean

• These factors isolated China from other early civilizations

• Prevented cultural diffusion

  • Promoted strong sense of national identity

300

What did the Zhou Dynasty use to justify taking over the Shang? (Explain in detail!!)

The Mandate of Heaven; 

Dynastic cycle steps:

1. Old Dynasty 

• Taxes people too much 

• Stops protecting people 

• Lets infrastructure decay 

• Treats people unfairly

OLD DYNASTY LOSES MANDATE OF HEAVEN

2. Problems

• Floods, earthquakes, etc. 

• Peasant revolt 

• Invaders attack empire 

• Bandits raid countryside 

NEW DYNASTY CLAIMS MANDATE OF HEAVEN

3. New Dynasty 

• Brings peace 

• (re)builds infrastructure 

• Gives land to peasants 

• Protects people 

400

Describe the Huang He River (AKA Yellow River)

Huang He (Yellow River)

• Earliest civilization centered on this river

  • Sometimes called the “River of Sorrows” because its floods can be deadly and destroy crops.

• Three Legendary Dynasties: Xia --- Shang --- Zhou

  • Increasing evidence that these dynasties did exist

• In the early years, China was culturally isolated from the rest of the river valley civilizations

  • Deserts -- Himalayas -- Oceans and seas 

Shang Dynasty

100

Briefly describe the Shang Dynasty

• 1st dynasty (line of rulers who belong to the same family) from which there are written records in China

• Begins along the Huang He River

  • Rich with loess (essentially the same as silt, pronounced “los”)

• Kings were also high priests

200

Describe Shang Dynasty social structure

• Hereditary class of aristocrats (owned land) & were usually relatives of the king

• Artisans – created pottery, fabric, jewelry, metal tools & weapons

• Women

  • High Status – Female Generals (ex. Fu Hao)

  • Male status determined matrilineally (from mother’s line)

300

Describe Shang Dynasty religion

• Veneration (respect/awe/reverence) of ancestors

  • Spirits of the ancestors could speak to the gods on behalf of their family members

  • Believed in life after death, objects buried with the dead

• Polytheistic

  • Shang-Di – mother goddess

  • Some human sacrifice

  • Oracle bones 

400

Describe Shang Dynasty economy

• Shang economy was based on agriculture

  • Rice – high calorie 

  • Most people were peasant farmers

  • Grown along the Huang He  River Valley 

• Artisans (specialization of labor)

• Trade with central Asia and as far as India

500

Describe Shang Dynasty science and technology 

• Produced some of the finest bronze objects ever made

• Wove silk into beautiful colored cloth for the upper class (sericulture)

• War Chariots (horse drawn)

• Jade

• Ivory

Zhou Dynasty

100

Explain the two periods of the Zhou Dynasty

Western Zhou

1027 – 771 BCE

• China’s first “Golden Age” of Peace, Prosperity & Innovation

Eastern Zhou

770 – 221 BCE

• Decentralization of Government 🡪 Collection  of Feudal States

  • Would lead to a “Warring States” period that lasts 200 years

200

Describe Zhou political structure

• Initially = Centralized power and expanded territory under their control

• Eventually the territory became so large they divided it into regions 🡪 similar to city-states

  • Local government ruled as they wished

  • Paid taxes to king and provide soldiers

• Feudalism

  • People would get land for their allegiance (loyalty) to a landowner 

  • The Zhou gave large regions of land and privileges to a select few nobles who then owed loyalty to the king in return

• Downside: causes the government to become decentralized

• System broke down over time – city states became more independent and fought each other 🡪 warring states period

300

Describe Zhou advancements

• First coined money in China

• Improved transportation with roads and canals

• Improved the efficiency of government with trained workers called civil servants

• Accurate calendar/astronomy

• Introduced the first iron-making

  • Makes farming more productive (🡪 bigger cities)

  • Deadlier wars

• Military Technology

  • Crossbows

  • Iron Swords

  • Cavalry (soldiers on horseback)

• SERICULTURE