Monday-No School
Tuesday- Forum post leaders talked about their posts. Did some more presentations. Talked about the debates and the candidates a little bit.
Wednesday: Presentations
Thursday: Presentations
Friday: Finished Presentations
The Zhou Dynasty:
Economy:
Agriculture based
Required a lot of work
There were many peasants
This allowed agriculture to flourish and the population to increase
Agriculture:
The main products were millet, wheat, rice, and some fruits
Tools/Advancements:
Because agriculture was booming, several tools were invented to increase population
Inventions include: iron-tipped plows, various iron tools, chariot parts, and other iron wares
Socails Classes:
Kings, working class, craftsman's, traders
Four Occupations:
The Shi- scholars, prestigious, gained power because of their knowledge, respected, strong morals
The Nong-peasant farmers, produced food that was essential to life, taxpayers and landlords, families produced soldiers
The Gong- artisans and craftsmen, produced essential goods, did not provide the state with much revenue, most worked independently, some for government
The Shang- lowly merchants, did not produce anything, depended on other for profit, seen as lowly because of lack of hard work
Women and Children:
Were seen as less important than men
Women’s jobos included:
Cleaning
Cooking
Raising children
Weaving textiles out of their home
Working in fields
Technology:
Perfection of the calendar
Recording of irregular astronomical events
First geographical maps
Discovering of magnetism
Ploughing methods
Use of fertilizers and pesticides
Descriptions of healing methods like acupuncture
War:
Spring and Autumn Period 772-467 BCE
Time of violences and social issues
Included battles, assassinations, civil wars and other discrepancies throughout the ruling
Overall a lot of war
Gender Roles:
Women’s roles were dominated by 3 obediences and 4 virtues
Father before marriage
Husband after marriage
Son after husband’s death
Morality
Proper speech
Modest manner
Diligent work
Political Involvement:
Introduced he “Mandate of Heaven”
Thought that the leaders were in charge
Feudal System:
Similar to the Middle age in Europe
System:
Kind
3 Dukes(Grands)
3 Lieutenants
Peasants and Common people
Advancements:
Iron- could be used by farmers because it was much easier to makes
Roads and canals
Metal Coins- improved trade
Came to an end: 256 BCE:
Ended during the Warring States in 256 BCE
Army of the state Qin invaded and took over Chenzhou
Ended the Zhou dynasty by killing King Nan the last ruler of the Zhou
Zhou was going to get divided into states of Qin, Qi, and Chu
Qin conquered and unified China
Sumerians:
Type of Economy:
Reliant on agriculture
Majorly influenced by technological advances in Mesopotamian history
Lots of trading of goods involved
Making a living/jobs:
Pottery makers, stone cutters, bricklayers, metalsmiths, farmers, fisherman
Job scaled with the social classes
Women had less important jobs and ones similar to peasants
Social Classes:
At the top of the chain is the king, he owns all land and gives it to his people as a trade for their loyalty and protection
In the middle are merchants, skilled workers, and traders
At the very bottom are the slaves and peasants
Bonus: Oldest known joke:
“Something which has never occurred since time immemorial: a young women did not fart in her husband’s lap”
Religion:
Sumerian religion was created around nature and its aspects. At first nature was worshipped in its original forms but later they became associated with human forms
This turned from nature being gods to gods being in control of nature.
This eventually turned to city states being associated with gods.
Education:
Most Sumerian education took place in a temple with a teach being a priest
Most of the children in school came from wealthy families and were almost all male
School days lasted from sun up to sun down
Children were praised if their work was done well and accurate, but if done wrong was punished by being hit with a stick or cane
Art:
Most art was made of clay because it was a common resource in Western Asia
They created many statues of their gods and their relationships with nature and animals
People also began to carve cylinder seals
They would use a piece of rock or clay and carve unique marks into soit would be very difficult to copy
Entertainment:
Consisted of music, festivals, sports like boxing and wrestling, board games, and toys like jump ropes and tops
Began writing poetry and creating art
Gender Roles of Women:
Their role depended on their social class
Lower class took care of children in the household
Middle class could sell goods like clothes and even own a tavern with their husbands permission
High class like priestesses and member of the royal family were given some authority and could own property and attend legal matters without their husbands
Gender Roles of Men:
Their role depended on social class
Wealthy men were rulers, lawmakers, and priests that had a lot of authority
Middle class were mostly farmers and traders
Low class were claves and had no say in any orders
Rulers:
Sumeria has 18 major cities which kinsh of functioned as independent states but were often unified as one civilization under one king
Sumeria was ruled as one starting in the early dynastic period from 2900-2800 BC
The earliest king authenticated with archaeology is Enmebaragesi of Kish who ruled in the 26th Century BC
Sumerian Politics:
Organized by city-states
Ruled by a king
More formal political structure
Government regulated religion
Court system
Class system
Rulers:
Then there was the second early dynastic period from 2800-2600 BC included the King of Gilgamesh and this period was associated with lots of war
Next was the early dynastic period 3a from 2600-2500 BC
Next was the early dynastic period 3b from 2500-2300 BS
After this time the empire was taken over by the Akkadian empire
Lugal-Zage-Si was the last ethically Sumerian king of Sumera
City States:
Combination of 18 major city states and before 3000 BC and the beginning of the dynasties,they were separate with their own rulers
Ruled by many successive religious leaders or priest-kings who would have to unite the city states when they came to power after the old king died
This weaken Sumeria and they were not able to defend themselves from the Akkadians, who took them over in 2334 BC
Location:
Located in the most southern part of Mesopotamia
Located directly between Tigris and Euphrates rivers
Area is now southern Iraq
Natural Barriers:
Lacked natural barriers
People were very vulnerable and could not protect themselves or their village from other civilizations, natural disasters, or animals
Arabian desert
Land type:
Located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
Land next to these rivers is very fertile and excellent for agriculture
Advancements:
Inventing the wheel
Cuneiform writing system was first writings there is evidence of
Concept of dividing the hour into 60 min and the min into 60 sec
Invented military formations
First formal astronomers
Assyrian:
Geography:
Northern part of Mesopotamia also known as Iraq today
Two important rivers that ran through were the Tigris and the Euphrates
North and east parts of assyria were the Taurus and Zagros mountains
Soil was very rich and fertile
Economy:
Mainly farmers and herders
Tried to keep to themselves not to do with trade a lot
Only trade with surrounding village if needed
Established a tax for states and provinces around them
Mainly on the Tigris river in small villages that had good irrigation systems
Immigrants from unknown places would come in causing the boundaries to grow which allowed more forestry and mining
Political:
4500-2400 BC complex societies began to form
First society the make militarism
Trade begins- Karum Kanesh-wealth generates stability
Hurrians and Hatti hold dominance in Anatolia, Ashur, and North Mesopotamia
Shamshi Adad drove out the Amorites and took over
Assur, Nineveh, and Arbela unite
Government:
Monarchy led by king
Independant states-own ruler
Tax system-destroy villages
The fall:
Over expansion- In 612 BC Medes and Chaldeans join together to overthrow Assyrian rule, burn down Nineveh
2nd Rise:
33 AD- after the crucifixion, Assyrians converted to Christianity
Religiou Empire
Translations from Greek
Science, philosophy, Medicine
First university ever- The school of Nisibis
630 AD- Arabs sweep the middle east
Tamerlane the Mongol ends Assyrian Empire
Education:
Upper class
Priest and scribes
Wealthy
Boys
Religion:
Ashurism
Christianity
Art:
Wall drawings
War
Hunting
Sculptures
Leaders
Entertainment:
Music: Harps and drums
Sports: Boxing and wrestling
Games: Board games
Gender Roles:
Women
Stay at home tasks
Provide
Men
Work
Farm
Leather Producer
Brick makes
Carpentry
India Harappans:
Economy:
Very wealthy civilization
Used gold instruments studded with jewels
Copper, silver, and gold from Nilgiri region
Trade link western Asia
Social Class:
Originated by Varna system
Brahmin- king and priest
Kshatriyas-warriors and aristocrats
Vaishya-cultivators, artisans, and merchants
Shudra-peasants and servants
Geography:
Province of Pakistan
Indus valley civilization was a bronze age of civilization
One of the three early civilizations of the old world
Natural Barriers:
Located in Indus Valley
Surround by high mountains
Oceans
Deserts
Dense forests and swamps to east
Land look like:
Mountains
Along the ocean or river
Thar desert
Farming:
Farmers made good use of water from the rivers
First farmers to take water from underground wells
Indus valley farmers grew:
Wheat
Grains
Animals
Natural Resources:
Fresh water and timber
Gold, silver, semi-precious stones
Marine resources
Granary:
The “granary” of harappa is found on mound F
Brick structure that was built on massive brick foundation over 45 meters north-south and 45 meters east-west
Two rows of six rooms, each room about 15.2 by 6.1
Burial:
Placed them inside a wooden coffin (decayed later)
Wore jewelry around their neck and wrists
Grave robbers
If infant dies they are buried underneath there mother
Education:
Was oral and all the writing was down on bark and leaves
Wife would usually teach in the house, and the ones to teach about religion
Had their own writing
Script was found, but can not be read
Language:
They used pictographic script
Carved into stone
Some writing made on the bottom of pottery before firing
Government:
Existed around 3000-1500 BC and was primarily an agricultural and mercantile community, focusing on farm and trade
Advance technology:
Architecture
Gender equality
REligion
Burials
Relative peace
Rapid Downfall:
Believed to have been steady and then instantly fell once being taken over by a civilization of “Pantheistic Indo-Europeans” Known as aryans.
Monetization:
Primarily farm and trade based culture, they made their money from their many trade routes and to western Asia that sold things
Largest city is thought to have been the Capital: Mohenjo-Daro was the second largest city and was most likely the capital of one of the provinces
They lacked Social Borders
Not sure but believe it was religious ran
Religion:
Buddhism
Hinsuism:
The oldest religion
Believe in one person
Temple rituals and ritual bathing in the “great bath”
Believe in karma
Female Gods:
Mother Goddess (Shakti)
Siva
Figure of a deity with three faces
With horned head-dress
Sitting cross-legged
Many animals surrounded her
Art:
Pottery working
Weaving
Jewelry
Metal Work
Statues of girls are believed to be Gods
They also played many instruments like the Tambora
Entertainment:
Children
Small whistles have been discovered-some like animals/bird shaped
Small carts
A monkey that could slide down a string
Adults:
Dancing
Pool
A central pool was found believed to be used as a swimming pool or used for religious purposes
The Great Bath:
Called the earliest public water tank of the ancient world
Two wide staircases
Clothing:
Colorful robes
Women wore jewelry and lipstick
Gender Roles:
Men were superior and worked
Women
would clean, cook, and nurse
Was to please to her husband
Care about him more than anything else she loved
The children were to obey and respect their parents
Babylonians:
Geography:
Babylon is the city in which they lived. 59 miles from Baghdad, Iraq
Babylon means “Gate of Gods”
Rivers: Tigris River and Euphrates River
There are no mountain ranges near Babylon but the Zagros mountains run towards the top of Iraq
The land has natural barriers of the 2 rivers (tigris and euphrates) but nothing else acted as a barrier
The land was very rich with nutrients causing more food that could be grown and sold
Advances or Creations by the Babylonians
Started documenting medical history of people to help diagnose them for the future
The Zodiac symbol represents your personality
Glazed bricks to decorate temples or other buildings
Seeder plow
Architectural designs- dome, column, arc
Transportation- Used wind for sailing
Social Class:
Kings
Nobles, birthright and political status
Priests, sacred rituals, contact with “gods”
Soldiers
Slaves, serfs
Jobs of Economy:
Brickmaker
Smith
Carpenter
Wheelwright
Exorcist
Currency:
Barley preceded silver
Legal ratio- One shekel of silver=180 grains of barley
Power of gold
Trade:
Exports: grain, oils, textiles
Imports: timber, wine, precious metals
Assyria and Syria
The Hanging Gardens:
Seven wonders of Ancient world
605 BC
Symbol of empire is the lion - God of happiness and war
Ruled by king and he had the say in everything
Priests and noble men helped with decisions
Warfare took place in chariot or horseback
Herbage was a king who was very cruel, made a code that everybody went by
Believed in many gods
Religion:
Influenced by Sumerian counterparts
Gods represented different elements or aspects of the world
Education:
Most consisted of becoming a scribe
Started at 8 or 9
Gender Roles:
Women:
Wives
Mothers
Housekeepers
Making clothes
Men:
Kings (rulers)
Rule-makers
Garmers
Father’s
Warriors
Builders
Art:
Grand, sophisticated, and elaborate
Draw pictures of their gods
Entertainment:
Kings love big-game hunting
Banquets were help
Musicians
Boxing and wrestling
- Board games
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