Chapter One Ancient Civilizations

Transcription

1 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations Section One How Civilization Began the Paleolithic Era Unlike modern humans, early people who lived in the Paleolithic Era did not live in cities. These people did not know how to plant seeds to make food grow, and were not capable of taming wild animals to raise for food. As a result, they were nomads who had to be able to move around wherever food could be obtained. Since they had to be ready to follow the animals they hunted or to go where wild plants could be found, these early humans could not accumulate very many possessions or build permanent structures. They also had to spend most of their time hunting or gathering food, so they had little time to spare to make art or create a system of writing. How Historians Know If these people lived so long ago, and had no system of writing, how do historians know anything about them? Historians and archaeologists dig for artifacts left by early people, and then make inferences about their lives illustration of Paleolithic blades based on these primary sources. In reference to later time periods, historians will combine what they can find out from artifacts with information from other types of written primary sources. Some of the primary sources they use include diaries, newspapers, government records, and eyewitness accounts. Historians then use the information they obtain from primary sources to create secondary sources, such as History books and documentaries. the Neolithic Revolution Around 10,000 BCE, people in the Arabian peninsula began to figure out that they could plant seeds to grow food. They also learned to domesticate, or tame, animals. This development is called the Neolithic Revolution. Gradually, this new method of food production began to spread, and the people who adopted agriculture no longer had to worry about wandering around to find food. As a result, they could stay in one place and build permanent structures. This discovery of agriculture is what allowed civilization to begin. The Paleolithic Era was a time period from about 2.6 million years ago to 10,000 BCE during which humans began to use stone tools. Paleolithic literally means old stone age. Nomads are people who do not live in a permanent spot and instead move from place to place. Artifacts are everyday objects left behind by historical people, which historians use to make inferences about their lives. Primary sources are historical sources that come from the time period being studied. Examples include artifacts, diaries, newspapers, government records, and eyewitness accounts. Secondary sources are historical sources written by historians based on what they have learned from various primary sources. Examples include History books and historical documentaries. The Neolithic Era has different dates for different civilizations, because each discovered agriculture at a different time. Approximate dates for this period are 10,000 BCE 3000 BCE. Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section One How Civilization Began 1 1.1

2 Accounting for Dates in History BC stands for before Christ and AD stands for anno Domini, or the year of our Lord. These abbreviations have been used for a long time to account for time when studying history. BC dates are telling us how many years before the birth of Christ something happened, so they count down, like negative numbers. For example, 4000 BC stands for 4000 years before Christ, so it is longer ago than 3000 years before Christ. Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section One How Civilization Began Ethnocentrism refers to the study of history from the point of view of a particular ethnic or cultural group. For example, people of European descent who studied only the history of Europe while ignoring the history of the rest of the world would be considered ethnocentric. AD dates are telling us how many years after the birth of Christ something happened, so AD dates count forward, like positive numbers. Recently, some scholars have suggested that the use of the BC/ AD system is ethnocentric, since not all people in the world are Christian. So now, instead of BC and AD, historians have begun using BCE & CE. BCE stands for before common era and CE stands for common era. BCE dates count down and CE dates count forward. Also, if a date is mentioned without BCE or CE written after it, it is assumed that it is a CE date BCE 3000 BCE 2000 BCE BCE dates count down, like negative numbers BCE CE dates count forward, like positive numbers. 1 CE 1000 CE 2000 CE The Features of Civilization Once people had discovered agriculture, they could stay in one place, and did not have to devote all their time to finding food. This allowed civilizations to develop. All civilizations share the following eight features: Cities People began to live in larger settlements. Most early cities were situated near a river or other large water source

3 Job Specialization In the Paleolithic Era, each person or family took care of most every task themselves. In cities, individuals would do one or two tasks that they were good at (such as baking, shoemaking, carpentry, etc.) and then trade with others to get what they needed. Social Classes Different groups, or social classes, usually based on occupation, formed within early cities. Each social class had its own privileges and obligations. Sumerian tablet with cuneiform writing Writing Early civilizations needed to be able to keep records, so systems of writing developed. Most early systems of writing used pictographs. Because of these complex systems, it was difficult and time -consuming to learn to read & write. Very few people were literate, and scribes usually enjoyed high social status. Complex Religion Most early civilizations religions were polytheistic. Centralized Government Governments originally developed to make sure that food and water were distributed fairly, then began to perform other functions, such as keeping order and protecting property. Public Works Governments would pay for large projects, such as roads, dams, and irrigation systems, that would benefit everyone. Arts & Architecture Permanent structures were now more practical since people were no longer wandering around in search of food. Also, individuals did not need to spend all their time looking for food, so they had extra time to create artworks for purely aesthetic reasons. from a Sumerian banner 3 Pictographs are symbols which stand for a word or an idea. As there is a different symbol for every word, alphabets which use pictographs can have thousands of characters. Polytheistic religions have many gods. Root words: poly many; the god(s). Public works are structures paid for by the government that everyone can use. The main purpose of an item created for aesthetic reasons is simply to be beautiful. 1.1 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section One How Civilization Began

4 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Two Mesopotamian Civilization Memory Trick To remember the order of Mesopotamian civilizations, think about how cuddly a baby sumo wrestler would be. Sumo Babies Are Cuddly People PLEASE DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PACKET OR TAKE IT FROM THE CLASSROOM!! Sumer Babylon Assyria Chaldea Persia A city-state is a city that governs itself more or less independently. It s as if each city is a separate country. Section Two Mesopotamian Civilization The earliest civilizations developed around 4000 B.C. in the modern-day Middle East in an area known as Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia Mesopotamia means between the rivers in Greek. It refers to the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Middle East. Sometimes this area is called the Fertile Crescent because it is shaped like, well, a crescent. Others call this area the the Fertile Crescent cradle of civilization because it is where civilization began. It makes sense that the first civilization would be near two rivers, since farming is necessary to begin civilization, and farming requires a source of water. Ancient Civilizations in Mesopotamia Over time, many different civilizations have settled in Mesopotamia. The ancient civilizations there, in chronological order, included Sumer, Babylon, Assyria, Chaldea, and Persia. Sumerian City-States The earliest Mesopotamian civilization, Sumer, was divided into city-states. Each city-state had a king who ruled along with the advice of noblemen. Sumerian citystates included Ur, Uruk, Kish, and Lagash. Sumerian frieze showing a scene from the Epic of Gilgamesh Sumerian Writing The Sumerian tale the Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest known piece of fictional literature in the world. It tells a story of a hero, Gilgamesh, who is trying to find immortality. In one part of the story, he meets a man who was instructed by the gods to build a boat because a flood is coming. The portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh that refers to the flood is similar to the story of Noah s flood in the Hebrew scriptures. Many ancient cultures have such stories about floods. Some historians believe that this is because there was a catastrophic flood sometime around 5600 BCE. Early people may have told these tales as a way to explain the purpose of natural occurrences that they weren t able to understand scientifically

5 cuneiform script Sumerians used a pictographic alphabet called cuneiform to record their literature and for other writing purposes. The Babylonians and Assyrians also used this alphabet. Babylonian Law In Babylonia, King Hammurabi put his code of law into effect. Hammurabi s Code is one of the earliest codes of law and also one of the earliest surviving written documents. In the code, laws and punishments were set out clearly so that potential law-breakers might be deterred from misbehaving. Punishments differed according to the law-breaker s social status. Upper-class people usually had to pay fines. Lower-class people suffered physical consequences for their misbehavior. Many of the punishments for lower-class people followed the eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth principle. This means that the punishment for breaking a law was related to the crime. (For example, a thief might have a hand cut off; a liar might have a tongue cut out.) Assyrian Warfare The Assyrians, a very warlike people, conquered Babylonia around 1200 BCE. They are best known for their efficient army, and were the first to use cavalry and to recognize the advantages of iron weapons (rather than bronze weapons). a ziggurat King Hammurabi, the Law-giver Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian Architecture The Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians all built ziggurats, which were terraced pyramids that housed religious shrines at the top. Chaldean Copycats The Chaldeans ruled the Fertile Crescent from about 626 BCE to 539 BCE. The most notable Chaldean king, Nebuchadnezzar, was very interested in reviving traditions from the Babylonian time period. In fact, Chaldean culture was so similar to Babylonian culture that many historians refer to the Chaldeans as Neo-Babylonians. (The Latin root neo means new. ) 5 Cuneiform is Greek for wedge-shaped. This is an accurate name for the Sumerian alphabet, since many of the characters have triangular elements. Deterrence occurs when people are made aware that a strict punishment will be administered if they commit a crime. This causes them not to want to commit the crime because they don t want to be punished. Memory Trick The main thing you ve got to remember about the Assyrians is that they were warlike, so... don t say it out loud or anything, but look at the first three letters of the word Assyrian, and you ve got a pretty decent way to remember that the Assyrians liked conflict! Cavalry soldiers fight while mounted on horseback. Terracing refers to the carving of stairstepped levels into a steep slope. 1.2 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Two Mesopotamian Civilization

6 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Two Mesopotamian Civilization Zoroastrianism is a religion which originated in ancient Persia. It emphasizes the importance of the triumph of good over evil. In a barter economy, people trade goods directly for other goods instead of using money. For example, a person might trade a chicken for a bushel of wheat. Cultural diffusion is the spread of ideas from one place to another. Persian Empire Around 550 BCE, Cyrus, the chief of a small Mesopotamian tribe, began to conquer the area around the Tigris and Euphrates. He did this because he felt it was his duty to spread his religion, Zoroastrianism, as far as he could. In doing so, he created the Persian Empire. Around 520 BCE, the Persian king Darius divided the empire into 120 satrapies, or small states. Each satrapy was ruled by a governor called a satrap. This division of the empire made it more efficient and easier to govern. King Darius the Great Mesopotamian Currency & Trade Most of the economies of the Mesopotamian civilizations were based on farming and used a barter system for trade. In 546 BCE, the Persian king Cyrus conquered Lydia, a small kingdom in modern-day Turkey. The Lydians were the first to use coins for trade, and so the Persians adopted the use of coins instead of bartering in order to trade. Phoenician Sea Traders Unlike the other civilizations in this section, the Phoenicians never controlled the entire Fertile Crescent. They were primarily sea traders who sailed and traded all around the Mediterranean Sea (a little southwest of Mesopotamia). As they traveled, they established colonies, such as Carthage, in Mediterranean port cities. This gave them a unique opportunity to promote cultural diffusion. The most important idea that the Phoenicians spread was that of the phonetic alphabet. In this type of alphabet, each character stood for a sound. Characters could then be put together to make words. This was much easier than using a pictographic alphabet, in which there was a different character for each word. Most languages have thousands of words, so that would require people to learn thousands of characters. In contrast, the Phoenician alphabet had only twenty-two symbols. In fact, our own alphabet is derived from that of Phoenician alphabet the Phoenicians

7 Section Three Egyptian Civilization Importance of the Nile Like all other early civilizations in the Eastern hemisphere, Egyptian civilization sprang up around a river, the Nile. Rivers were necessary for all early civilizations to provide irrigation for crops, but the Nile was especially important for Egypt since most of Egypt is a desert. The Greek historian Herodotus summed it up well when he wrote, Egypt is the gift of the Nile. By this he meant that, without the Nile, there could be no civilization in Egypt. Egyptians divided their land into two categories, and felt that each served an important purpose. Black land was the fertile soil around the Nile, which was used for food production. Red land was the dry, barren desert that surrounded the black land. This seemingly useless terrain actually helped to protect Egypt from invasion, since it would have been difficult for armies to cross the desert. Additionally, many precious metals and minerals could be mined from the red land, providing Egypt with trade goods. Egyptian Historical Records The Egyptians left behind lots of primary sources which historians can study to learn about their civilization. Official Egyptian records were carved into clay tablets or onto monuments in hieroglyphics, a pictographic alphabet. Egyptians also used papyrus for other records, but not as many of these records have survived. Egyptian hieroglyphics 7 A barren piece of land will not produce crops. Hieroglyphics were pictographic symbols which the Egyptians used for record-keeping. Papyrus is a reedy plant that grows in Egypt. It was used to make a paperlike substance for record-keeping. 1.3 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Three Egyptian Civilization

8 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Three Egyptian Civilization In a hierarchical society, some social classes are higher than others, and higher social classes have fewer members. A pharaoh was an Egyptian god-king (or god-queen, sometimes). Artisans are skilled workers who create useful objects, such as weapons, shoes, prepared food, or tools. Memory Trick Hatshepsut sounds like hot sheep suit. Imagine that if you were wearing a sheep suit, you would be hot and glad to trade with someone else. In an ethical religion, proper behavior is considered important. Followers of such religions usually follow a set of rules that tell them what is acceptable. A virtuous person makes an effort to do what is considered to be right or good. In a monotheistic religion, only one god is worshipped. Root words: mono one; the god. 1.3 Historians are able to read hieroglyphics because of the Rosetta Stone. This stone was dug up in 1799 by French soldiers who were laying the foundation for a fort in Egypt. Because there is a message written on the stone in both Greek and hieroglyphics, scholars who knew Greek were able to decode the hieroglyphics. Egyptian Society and Economy Like most ancient civilizations, Egypt had a hierarchical social structure. At the top of society was the pharaoh, who was not only the monarch, but also considered to be a living god. Next were government officials and priests, and then there was a large middle class composed of merchants, soldiers, farmers, and artisans. Most Egyptians belonged to this class, and farming was the most usual occupation. At the bottom of the social ladder were slaves and servants. Because of its location near the Mediterranean & Red Seas, it was easy for Egyptians to trade with other civilizations nearby, such as Nubia, Palestine, and Greece. Exports included grain, linen, and papyrus; imports included lumber, gold, and incense. The female pharaoh Hatshepsut is especially well-known for promoting trade. Egyptian Religion Traditional Egyptian religion was both polytheistic and ethical. Important gods included Anubis, Osiris, and Horus. It was believed that when people died, they went to a place where their behavior in life would be judged. If they were deemed to have been good, they would spend eternity in paradise. If they were deemed to have been evil, then a crocodile-headed dog called the Eater of the Dead would consume their souls. Deceased Egyptians were buried with all of their possessions, because it was believed that they would need them in the afterlife. Most corpses were buried with a copy of the Book of the Dead in their arms. The Book of the Dead was a sort of manual to help a person get to paradise in the afterlife, and contained instructions on how to live a virtuous life. Short-lived Monotheism One pharaoh, Ahkenaton, embraced a monotheistic religion in which only one god, the sun god, was worshipped. But after Ahkenaton s reign, Egyptians quickly returned to their traditional polytheism. 8 Ammit, the Eater of the Dead

9 Mummification & the Pyramids Due to the Egyptian idea that a person needed all of his or her possessions in the afterlife, including body and organs, the process of mummification developed to preserve these items. Mummification was very expensive, however, so only pharaohs and very wealthy nobles could afford it. Pyramids were built as burial tombs for pharaohs. The first Egyptian pyramids had stepped sides, like the ziggurats of Mesopotamia. Later pyramids had smooth sides. The world s largest pyramid, at Giza, was built around 2550 BCE by Pharaoh Khufu. King Tut s sarcophagus When a pharaoh died, his mummified body would be enclosed in a decorated coffin, called a sarcophagus. The sarcophagus would then be placed inside the pyramid, along with all of the pharaoh s worldly goods. Most of the largest pyramids were robbed before modern times, so historians couldn t be sure what kinds of items might have been placed inside. But in 1922, the undisturbed tomb of King Tutankhamen was discovered. The tomb contained huge amounts of precious objects, even though King Tut was only a minor pharaoh. We can only imagine what must have been in the tombs of the major pharaohs. Egyptian Art Many examples of Egyptian art are still around today, in part because Egypt s dry climate is good for preserving old things. Surviving artworks include sculptures, friezes, and paintings. The artworks portray pharaohs, the gods, and sometimes even everyday life. Egyptian art features stylized bodies. They look unnatural and are often posed awkwardly, with their feet and heads pointed to the sides, but with their chests turned toward the front. Egyptian painting with stylized bodies 9 The mummified remains of a pharaoh were put inside a sarcophagus made of precious metals and carved in the pharaoh s likeness. A frieze is a sculpture carved into a wall. Stylized bodies in art do not look natural and are often strangely posed. 1.3 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Three Egyptian Civilization

10 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Four Hebrew Civilization A patriarch is the male head of a family or tribe. In a patriarchal society, fathers and husbands have power over their families. Root words: patria father; arch government The Torah is one of the holy texts of the Hebrews. It corresponds roughly to the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. In a pastoral society, the raising of herd animals, like sheep or goats, is the main method of food production. Root word: pasture Section Four Hebrew Civilization Hebrew civilization is considered to have begun with the patriarch Abraham. The Torah is the main source for information about Abraham and the other patriarchs of Ancient Israel. Since it is a religious text, there is some controversy about the accuracy of the information. When we study the ancient Hebrews, it is important to keep this in mind. The information presented in this packet is considered by historians to be highly probable, taking into account the nonreligious accounts of other civilizations that a Torah scroll existed at the same time. Geography & Contact with Other Cultures Hebrew civilization began in the area surrounding modern-day Jerusalem, near the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean. Most of Ancient Israel enjoyed a temperate climate that was perfect for a pastoral lifestyle. Due to their location near the Mediterranean, the Hebrews came into contact with many other civilizations, such as Assyria, Chaldea, Egypt, and Rome. A covenant is a binding agreement. The Origins of Judaism The ancient Hebrews were unique among early civilizations in that they practiced ethical monotheism meaning that they worshipped one God and felt that behavior was important. They believed that they had a special covenant with their god, whom they called Yahweh. If they worshipped only Yahweh and followed his laws, then someday he would lead them to a promised land. To prohibit is to forbid something. 1.4 Within the Torah are the Ten Commandments, which governed Hebrew society. Unlike Hammurabi s Code, the Ten Commandments did not specify how individuals would be punished if they broke the law. However, many of the same ideas prevail in both documents. Each promotes respect for elders, and prohibits killing and theft. 10

11 the Kingdom of Israel In most civilizations ruled by a monarch, the monarch is simply born into a royal family. However, in Ancient Israel, a prophet was asked to appoint the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. The fact that a religious figure was made responsible for selecting the ruler shows how important religion was in Hebrew society. Both Saul and David were concerned primarily with war, as Israel was under attack by neighboring tribes during their reigns. After these attackers King Saul in battle were dealt with, King David established the capital at Jerusalem around 1000 BCE. The next king, Solomon, ordered the building of a holy temple to house important religious documents. After Solomon s death in 930 BCE, the kingdom of Israel was split into the kingdoms of Israel & Judah. Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Four Hebrew Civilization illustration of what Solomon s Temple may have looked like based on descriptions in the Torah the Diaspora The kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyrians in 722 BCE, and the kingdom of Judah fell to Chaldeans in 586 BCE. As a result of these conquests, many Hebrews were forced to move to other areas. This spreading out of the Jews is referred to as the Diaspora (pronounced die-ass-puh-ruh). A diaspora is the spreading out or scattering of a group of people

12 Section Five Indian Civilization Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Five Indian Civilization Little pieces of dirt and rock are referred to as sediment. To excavate is to carefully dig something up. To decipher means to de-code or figure out. Early Indian civilizations grew up around two major Indian rivers the Indus River and the Ganges River. Both rivers originate in the Himalayan mountain range, and carry sediment down into the plains around the rivers. This sediment fertilizes the soil and makes for very fertile farmland. Harappan Civilization The earliest civilization in India was situated on the banks of the Indus River. This civilization flourished from about 2700 BCE to 1900 BCE. It is known as Harappan India because one of the main cities in the civilization was called Harappa. Another major city from this civilization, Mohenjo-Daro, has also been unearthed by archaeologists. Harappan Writing The scholars who excavated Harappa and Mohenjo- Daro found many objects with writing on them. However, nothing like the Rosetta Stone has been found to help us decipher the writing. As a result, historians must make inferences about life in Harappan India based on artifacts alone. These public works also must have originated from the orders of a government. game pieces from Mohenjo Daro Early Indus valley people also left behind artwork and other objects that tell us much about their civilizations. Some stone seals from the city have pictures of musical instruments are inscribed on them, and game pieces and children s toys have also been found. These objects tell us that the Harappan people had free time to enjoy one of the benefits of civilization

13 Harappan Ruins and Artifacts Many clues from the ruins of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro indicate that both cities had strong governments. We can infer this because the cities were well-organized, with straight streets running at right angles to each other. Human beings don t naturally build structures in straight lines they must be organized and directed to do so by some authority or government. Additionally, within the ruins are military forts and sewer systems, which would also require government control. aerial view of the ruins of Harappa Vedic Civilization Vedic civilization developed around the Ganges river from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. It takes its name from the Vedas, a series of Hindu religious documents, which were written during the time period. Aryans and Dravidians Some evidence suggests that the Aryans, a people from the area of modern-day southeast Russia, migrated to India around 1700 BCE. These Aryans settled around the Ganges River and may have conquered the people who already lived there, the Dravidians. However they got there, it is certain that the Aryan people considered themselves superior to the Dravidians. Dravidians were placed at the bottom of the social ladder in Vedic civilization. Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Five Indian Civilization Hinduism and the Caste System The religion of the Vedic people was an early version of Hinduism. This involved the worship of multiple deities, including Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Instructions for rituals and sacrifices used to worship these gods were included in the Vedas. A class of priests, called Brahmins (pronounced brah-menz), helped the people to correctly interpret the Vedas and perform rituals properly. A deity is a god or goddess. ancient Vishnu figurine According to the Vedas, an organized society was important. Vedic people

14 Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Five Indian Civilization Memory Trick Imagine a kshatriya shooting you, then saying, Ha ha, I k-shot-ya! That will help you remember that they were warriors. Vaisya starts with a V, and so does vendor, so you can remember that they were merchants who sold things. Karma is the idea that if a person does bad things, then bad things will eventually happen to him or her, and vice versa. To follow the law of dharma a person must fulfill his or her obligations, which will be affected by caste, gender, and age. 1.5 were divided into four social classes. The highest class was made up of Brahmins, who were priests. Next were Kshatriyas (pronounced kuh-shot-ree-uhs), who were warriors. Third were Vaisyas (pronounced vizh-uhs), who were herders and merchants. At the very bottom were Sudras, who were servants. Aryans made up the upper three classes, while all Dravidians were classed as sudras. This social hierarchy eventually evolved into the caste system. the Caste System Belief in reincarnation is an important aspect of Hinduism. Reincarnation is the idea that the soul is born again and again into different bodies. By following the laws of karma and dharma, a person can be reincarnated into a higher caste. (This is the only way to change one s caste, by the way.) The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to achieve moksha, which is a release from the suffering of constant life and rebirth. The concepts of karma and dharma actually helped to reinforce the caste system. If a person was born into a low caste, then it was assumed that he or she had not followed the laws of karma and dharma in a previous life. If a person was born into a high caste, it would be assumed that he or she had been especially virtuous in a past life. In this way, one s social status was viewed as a product of one s own choices. 14 Brahmins priests Kshatriyas warriors Vaisyas merchants & herders Sudras non-aryan servants Karma Though not from an authentic ancient Indian source, this is a pretty good illustration of the concept of karma.

15 Section Six Ancient Chinese Civilization Geography and Food Production Ancient Chinese civilization developed along the Huang-He, or Yellow River. (It is sometimes called the Yellow River because of its yellowish sediment, called loess.) This area had a warm, wet climate, which was perfect for growing rice. As a result, this food became a staple of the Chinese diet. There wasn t much land suitable for grazing cattle or sheep, but the early Chinese were also able to raise pigs and poultry as sources of meat. Chinese Dynasties Events in Chinese history are grouped according to dynasty. Each dynasty is named after the ruling family of the time period. The dynasties of Ancient China were the Xia (pronounced zhee-uh ), Shang, and Zhou (pronounced zho ). Xia, Shang, and Zhou China Staple crops are crops produced in large quantities that form the main part of a people s diet. A dynasty is a period of time during which members of one family are in power. Memory Trick To remember all of the dynasties of Chinese history in order, imagine a group of zebras who have become addicted to huffing (which is a terrible idea, btw) and have decided to go to rehab. Seven Shang Zebras Zhou Quit Qin Huffing Han The Tang Stuff Song Yesterday Yuan Morning Ming Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Six Chinese Civilization Mythical Xia Dynasty? The first dynasty described in ancient Chinese historical texts was the Xia dynasty. Historians and archaeologists are divided on the issue of whether this dynasty actually existed, or was simply a mythical tale. If it did exist, it would have been from approximately 2070 BCE to 1700 BCE. Some artifacts have been found that date from this time period, but since no Xia written records have ever been found, we cannot confirm whether these artifacts belong to the people described in the ancient historical texts. Shang Dynasty The Shang Dynasty ruled the area around the Huang He from 1700 BCE to 1122 BCE. Much of what we know about the Shang comes from the ruins of a Shang royal city found near Anyang in the early 20th century. 15 Or, you can sing, to the tune of Frere Jacques: Shang Zhou Qin Han Shang Zhou Qin Han Tay-ang Song Tay-ang Song Yuaaaaaaan Ming Yuaaaaaaan Ming Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong. 1.6

16 To venerate something is to treat it with great respect or honor. Shang Religion Ancient Chinese religion was polytheistic. This religion included veneration of ancestors. It was believed that the deceased ancestors had influence with the gods, and so it was important to honor them. The Shang did this with shrines and offerings to the ancestors. Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Six Chinese Civilization An oracle is a person who can see the future. So the name oracle bones tells us exactly what they were bones used to predict the future. An affront is a insult or offensive action. When a rightful ruler has been usurped, this means he or she has been overthrown by someone else, who then takes the ruler s place. Shang Writing Many oracle bones have been found in Shang archaeological sites. The Shang used these to ask questions of an oracle bone the gods. A priest or king would ask the question, then heat the bone (usually a large, flat bone, like the shoulder-blade of a cow) until it cracked. Then he would interpret the cracks and write the interpretation on the bone. These oracle bones are important because they are the earliest examples of Chinese writing. jade figurine Shang Art and Technology Many of the artifacts from the Shang period are made of bronze or jade stone, which indicates that the Shang had knowledge of metal and stone-working technology. They made weapons, vases, containers, and figurines from these materials. Zhou Dynasty The Zhou dynasty, which lasted from about 1045 BCE to 256 BCE, is sometimes called the Warring States period. This is because many warlords were fighting each other for power. As a result of all this disorder, many theories arose which supported different ideas of government. the Mandate of Heaven The Chinese considered their king to have been chosen by the gods. In order to rule, the Zhou had to overthrow the Shang, which might have been considered to be an affront to the gods. In order to justify having usurped the godchosen Shang king, the Zhou created the idea of the Mandate of Heaven. According to the Mandate of Heaven, the gods chose a ruling family, who had the right to rule as long as they governed the people fairly and well. If this family did not fulfill their duties, then the gods would send some kind of catastrophe (usually a natural disaster like a flood or earthquake) to show their displeasure. 1.6 When the gods revoked the Mandate of Heaven from one ruling family, it was acceptable for a new family to overthrow the old one, thus beginning a new dynasty. 16

17 Confucianism Confucius, who lived from 551 to 479 BCE, developed a set of ideas on how an orderly society should work. His main idea was that if everyone behaved according to his or her place or role, then life would go smoothly for all. According to Confucius, there are five relationships. Most relationships included a superior person and an inferior person. It was the superior Confucius person s job to set a good example and use their authority justly and kindly. The inferior person was supposed to respect and obey the superior. The most important relationship of a person s life was that among children and their parents. A dutiful child practiced filial piety respect, honor, and obedience for parents. According to this model, the best kind of government would be one in which the ruler fulfilled the duties of the superior person in a relationship. Good rulers should rule by example and treat their subjects fairly. Legalism Another thinker who spread his ideas about proper government during the Zhou period was Hanfeizi. His system of government was called Legalism. According to Hanfeizi, people were naturally stupid and likely to misbehave. They could not make good decisions for themselves, so a good ruler must make very strict laws and enforce them with harsh punishments. The yin and yang symbolizes balance between opposites. Daoism Laozi, who disseminated the philosophy of Daoism, had ideas that contrasted sharply with those of Hanfeizi. Daoists believed that the world is full of opposites, and that the way to find harmony was to live naturally and achieve balance between contrasting forces, such as light and dark, good and evil, or beauty and ugliness. This idea is symbolized by the yin and yang. Laozi believed that government was unnatural, and that having too many laws and restrictions would only lead people to rebel. Therefore, he considered the best rulers to be the ones who did not rule much. The five relationships were those between ruler and subject, husband and wife, parent and child, older sibling and younger sibling, and friend and friend. The only equal relationship was that between friends. The root words of filial piety tell us what it means. The Latin word filius means son, and to be pious is to be good, honorable, or virtuous. Memory Trick Hanfeizi just SOUNDS angry and mean, so imagine a strict ruler shouting it as he beats someone with a bamboo stick (which is how Legalists punished wrongdoers). To disseminate information is to spread it around or distribute it. Memory Trick Lao rhymes with Dao, so that can help you to remember that Laozi founded Daoism. Also, it s a pretty lousy way to govern (if you ask me), and lousy sounds like Laozi. Chapter One Ancient Civilizations; Section Six Chinese Civilization