ANCIENT WORLD HOMEWORK PACKET

NAME: __________________________

PERIOD: ________

ANCIENT WORLD HOMEWORK PACKET

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. The Sumerians and Mesopotamia

a. Reading and Questions

II. Ancient Egypt- The Rise of Pharaohs

a. Reading and Questions

III. Fertile Crescent Reading

IV. Ancient India

a. Reading and Questions

V. Ancient China

a. Reading and Questions

b. Ancient Dynasties

Vocabulary Terms

1. Neolithic Revolution-

2. Agriculture-

3. civilization-

4. revolution-

5. Mesopotamia-

6. Fertile Crescent-

7. Pharaoh-

8. Polytheism

9. Monotheism-

10. Judaism-

11. Dynasty-

12. Islam-

13. City-State-

14. Hinduism-

15. Buddhism-

16. Caste System-

17. Mandate of Heaven-

18. Daoism-

19. Confucianism-

20. Confucian-

The Sumerians About seven thousand years ago, several groups of people settled

between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in present-day Iraq. Social scientists believe that the first civilization or complex society developed in Mesopotamia or this land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Every spring the rivers flooded their banks and made the land fertile. In addition, people in this area learned how to divert water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to irrigate the already extremely fertile soil. Irrigation allowed farming settlements to flourish and food surplus or extra food from successful farming allowed some people to specialize in or perform activities other than farming. All of these factors led to the rise of several city-states or independent cities surrounded by farmland. The Sumerians were one of the many different tribes that lived in this area. They shared a common language and religion although they lived in separate and independent city-states. The Sumerians built strong protective walls around their cities. They also built canals and irrigated the farmlands. Each city had its own government and sometimes Sumerian cities fought each other for access to water and farmland. Sumerian civilization lasted from 3500 B.C. to 1700 B.C. Questions: 1- Before people settled, they were nomads. The first humans were always nomads. Define nomad.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2- Why were the first humans’ nomads? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3- What did people need to learn to do in order to settle? ___________________________________________________________

4- What was the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers called? ___________________________________________________________ 5- How did the rivers benefit the people of the region? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 6- What is a city-state? Why did Sumerian city-states fight one another? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 7- Why were walls built around cities? ______________________________

The Neolithic Revolution:

1. The Neolithic Revolution was a turning point or a big change. 2. People learned to farm and domesticate animals. 3. People settled. 4. People built cities. 5. People developed civilization.

The Neolithic Revolution began in river valleys. Rivers provided water for farming and fertile soil.

What was the Neolithic Revolution and how did the Neolithic Revolution change people’s lives? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Provide a title for the chart: ___________________________________________________________

A river valley civilization is a civilization that develops in a river valley. The earliest civilizations developed in river valleys because river valleys provided water for farming. The Tigris and Euphrates river valley, the Nile river valley, the Indus river valley, and the Huang He or Yellow river valley were locations of the earliest civilizations. Some of the most important inventions in world history were developed by the people of Mesopotamia known as the Sumerians. The Sumerians invented the wheel and the sail boat, and developed the first tools and weapons of copper and bronze (a mixture of tin and copper). The Sumerians devised a calendar, dividing the year into 12 months. They

also invented the earliest known writing system, cuneiform, a form of symbol-writing on clay tablets. The Sumerians were also the world’s first city-builders. They built walled cities, and stepped-pyramids known as ziggurats. The ziggurat was the main building in each Sumerian city. The people worshipped their gods in the ziggurats. Like most people at that time, the Sumerians believed in gods who had human feelings. They believed that when the gods became angry, they punished the Sumerians and made rivers flood and crops fail.

8- What was the main building in each Sumerian city? ___________________________________________________________ 9- Define Ziggurat. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10- Discuss the religious beliefs of the Sumerians: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11- What was the most important Sumerian invention? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12-What were other Sumerian inventions? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Civilization developed slowly in different parts of the world. People began to settle in areas with abundant natural resources. A section of the Middle East is called the Fertile Crescent. The Fertile Crescent is a rich food-growing area in a part of the world where most of the land is too dry for farming. The Fertile Crescent is a quarter-moon shaped region that extends from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf.

What is the main reason the Neolithic Revolution is considered a turning point in world history? (1) Fire was used as a source of energy for the first time. (2) Spoken language was used to improve communication. (3) Domestication of animals and cultivation of crops led to settled communities. (4) Stone tools and weapons were first developed. •Plantingwheatandbarley•Domesticatinganimals•EstablishingpermanenthomesandvillagesAtthebeginningoftheNeolithicRevolution,themostdirectimpactofthesedevelopmentswason(1)religionandgovernment(2)transportationandtrade(3)dietandshelter(4)climateandtopography

Baseyouranswertoquestiononthemapbelowandonyourknowledgeofsocialstudies.

Themainpurposeofthismapistoillustratethelocationof(1)overseastraderoutes(3)rivervalleycivilizations(2)earlybeliefsystems(4)burialsitesofancientrulers

Pharaohs, Dynasties, and Pyramids Ancient Egypt consisted of two parts: Lower or Northern Egypt and Upper or Southern Egypt. Since the Nile River flows northward to the Mediterranean Sea, Upper Egypt was in the south near the river’s origin. While Upper and Lower Egypt initially had separate governments, the need to unite arose. In order to finish irrigation projects, all Egyptians needed to work together. Around 3100 B.C., a pharaoh united Upper and Lower Egypt. Pharaohs or divine rulers and dynasties or ruling families ruled ancient Egypt for many years.

Ancient Egyptian civilization consisted of two parts. Name the two parts:

____________________________ ____________________________

Where is Lower Egypt? Why is it called “Lower” Egypt? _____________________________________________________________Where is Upper Egypt? Why is it called “Upper” Egypt? _____________________________________________________________ What surrounds the Nile River?

_________________________

Why did Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt unite? _____________________________________________________________ When did Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt unite?

_______________________ There were many dynasties in ancient Egypt. Define dynasty: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Ancient Egyptian civilization is divided into three periods: The Old Kingdom (3100-2186 B.C.), The Middle Kingdom (2040 -1630 B.C.) and the New Kingdom (1600 -525 B.C.) During all periods, pharaohs ruled ancient Egypt.

• Define pharaoh: __________________ • During the Old Kingdom, pharaohs built pyramids. Why did

pharaohs build pyramids? (Turn to yesterday’s lesson for clues.) ______________________________________________________

• Why did the Egyptians fill a pharaoh’s tomb with food, clothing, jewelry, furniture, and beautiful art? ______________________________________________________

The ancient Egyptians believed that pharaohs continued to rule even after they died. So, they built great tombs or places to bury the dead ruler. To make these tombs last forever, the Egyptians built with stone. About 75 pyramids still stand in the Egyptian desert. The three most famous are in an area called Giza, outside modern Cairo. Building the pyramids was hard work. The builders had no iron tools to cut the stone. They had no wheels or work animals to carry the huge stone blocks, which weighed about 5,000 pounds each. The Egyptians buried the dead pharaoh in rooms deep within a pyramid. Then they sealed the rooms with huge stone blocks. However, robbers sometimes broke into the tombs and stole the treasures there.

List four facts about the building of pyramids in Ancient Egypt: __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

Scribes in ancient Egypt wrote with picture symbols. This writing system is called hieroglyphics. The term comes from the Greek for “sacred carving”. As time passed, though people could no longer read them. Centuries later, the key to hieroglyphics was found. It was a stone tablet we know call the Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone was found in 1799 by Napoleon’s army. Soldiers accidentally dug up a tablet carved with three kinds of writing: Greek, a newer form of Egyptian, and hieroglyphics. Eventually, a French scholar was able to decipher the ancient Egyptian symbols. Today, archaeologists can decipher hieroglyphics.

Did the ancient Egyptians develop writing? What do we call ancient Egyptian writing? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is the Rosetta Stone and why is it important?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Around 1630 B.C., nomads from Asia known as the Hyksos invaded Egypt. The Hyksos had better weapons. They had horse-drawn chariots, bronze and iron weapons, and armor. The Hyksos easily defeated the Egyptians. For the first time in Egypt’s history, foreigners ruled Egypt. Why were the Hyksos able to easily defeat the Egyptians? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Eventually, the Egyptians adopted the military tactics of the Hyksos and drove out the foreign invaders.

A few interesting facts: While most pharaohs were men, Hatshepsut was a female pharaoh. She ruled for about 20 years. During her reign, there was peace in Egypt. Around 1372 B.C., Ikhnaton became pharaoh. He had new religious beliefs. He wanted the Egyptians to worship one god. His monotheism lasted until his death when the Egyptians returned to polytheism. Why were Hatshepsut and Ikhnaton unusual pharaohs? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The main purpose of this map is to illustrate the location of (1) overseas trade routes (3) river valley civilizations (2) early belief systems (4) burial sites of ancient rulers ____________ Pharaoh

A. She was the first female ruler of ancient Egypt. This female pharaoh spread Egyptian culture.

______________ Mummies

B. It is the longest river in the world. It was the birthplace of Egyptian civilization.

______________ Rosetta Stone

C. During the Old Kingdom, these architectural structures were built as tombs for deceased pharaohs.

____________ Hieroglyphics

D. French engineers discovered it. It allowed archaeologists to decipher ancient Egyptian writing.

____________ Dynasty

E. The ancient Egyptians preserved the bodies of the dead. They believed in an afterlife.

____________ Nile

F. It is ancient Egyptian writing. It is similar to Sumerian cuneiform. It recorded history.

____________ Pyramids

G. It is located near the Mediterranean Sea. It has a delta and is good for farming.

____________ Hyksos

H. It is a ruling family. It is a political system where a family controls the government.

____________ Lower Egypt

I. It is a divine ruler of ancient Egypt. This ruler is believed to be a god.

____________ Hatshepsut

J. They invaded Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. They made iron weapons.

One reason the Euphrates, Indus, Nile, and Tigris valleys became centers of early civilization is that these valleys had

(1) borders and elevations that were easy to defend (2) rich deposits of coal and iron ores (3) the means for irrigation and transportation (4) locations in regions of moderate climate and abundant rainfall

SETTINGTHESTAGETworiversflowfromthemountainsofwhatisnowTurkey;downthroughSyria

andIraq,andfinallytothePersianGulf.Oversixthousandyearsago,thewaters

oftheseriversprovidedthelifebloodthatallowedtheformationoffarming

settlements.Thesegrewintovillagesandthencities.

GeographyoftheFertileCrescentAdesertclimatedominatesthelandscapebetweenthePersianGulfandthe

MediterraneanSeainSouthwestAsia.Yetwithinthisdryregionliesanarcofland

thatprovidedsomeofthebestfarminginSouthwestAsia.Theregion’scurved

shapeandtherichnessofitslandledscholarstocallittheFertileCrescent.ItincludesthelandsfacingtheMediterraneanSeaandaplainthatbecameknown

asMesopotamia.ThewordinGreekmeans“landbetweentherivers.”

TheriversframingMesopotamiaaretheTigrisandEuphrates.Theyflow

southeastwardtothePersianGulf.TheTigrisandEuphratesriversflooded

Mesopotamiaatleastonceayear.Asthefloodwaterreceded,itleftathickbedof

mudcalledsilt.Farmersplantedgraininthisrich,newsoilandirrigatedthefields

withriverwater.Theresultswerelargequantitiesofwheatandbarleyatharvest

time.Thesurplusesfromtheirharvestsallowedvillagestogrow.

EnvironmentalChallengesPeoplefirstbegantosettleandfarmtheflat,swampylandsinsouthern

Mesopotamiabefore4500B.C.Around3300B.C.,thepeoplecalledthe

Sumerians,arrivedonthescene.Goodsoilwastheadvantagethatattracted

thesesettlers.However,therewerethreedisadvantagestotheirnew

environment.

• Unpredictablefloodingcombinedwithaperiodoflittleornorain.Theland

sometimesbecamealmostadesert.

• Withnonaturalbarriersforprotection,aSumerianvillagewasnearly

defenseless.

• ThenaturalresourcesofSumerwerelimited.Buildingmaterialsandother

necessaryitemswerescarce.

SolvingProblemsthroughOrganizationOveralongperiodoftime,thepeopleofSumercreatedsolutionstodealwith

theseproblems.

• Toprovidewater,theydugirrigationditchesthatcarriedriverwaterto

theirfieldsandallowedthemtoproduceasurplusofcrops.

• Fordefense,theybuiltcitywallswithmudbricks.

• Sumerianstradedtheirgrain,cloth,andcraftedtoolswiththepeoplesof

themountainsandthedesert.Inexchange,theyreceivedrawmaterials

suchasstone,wood,andmetal.

Theseactivitiesrequiredorganization,cooperation,andleadership.Ittookmany

peopleworkingtogether,forexample,fortheSumerianstoconstructtheirlarge

irrigationsystems.Leaderswereneededtoplantheprojectsandsupervisethe

digging.

Theseprojectsalsocreatedaneedforlawstosettledisputesoverhowlandand

waterwouldbedistributed.Theseleadersandlawswerethebeginningof

organizedgovernment–andeventuallyofcivilization.

SumeriansCreateCity-StatesTheSumeriansstandoutinhistoryasoneofthefirstgroupsofpeopletoforma

civilization.FivekeycharacteristicssetSumerapartfromearlierhumansocieties:

(1)advancedcities,(2)specializedworkers,(3)complexinstitutions,(4)record

keeping,and(5)improvedtechnology.Allthelaterpeopleswholivedinthis

regionoftheworldbuiltupontheinnovationsofSumeriancivilization.

By3000B.C.,theSumerianshadbuiltanumberofcities,eachsurroundedby

fieldsofbarleyandwheat.Althoughthesecitiessharedthesameculture,they

developedtheirowngovernments,eachwithitsownrulers.Eachcityandthe

surroundinglanditcontrolledformedacity-state.Acity-statefunctionedmuch

asanindependentcountrydoestoday.Sumeriancity-statesincludedUruk,Kish,

Lagash,Umma,andUr.AsinUr,thecenterofallSumeriancitieswasthewalled

templewithazigguratinthemiddle.Therethepriestsandrulersappealedtothe

godsforthewell-beingofthecity-state.

PriestsandRulersShareControlSumer’searliestgovernmentswerecontrolledbythetemplepriests.The

farmersbelievedthatthesuccessoftheircropsdependedupontheblessingsof

thegods,andthepriestsactedasgo-betweenswiththegods.Inadditionto

beingaplaceofworship,thezigguratorSumeriantemplewaslikeacityhall.

Fromthezigguratthepriestsmanagedtheirrigationsystem.Priestsdemandeda

portionofeveryfarmer’scropastaxes.

Intimeofwar,however,thepriestsdidnotleadthecity.Instead,themenofthe

citychoseatoughfighterwhocouldcommandthecity’ssoldiers.Atfirst,a

commander’spowerendedassoonasthewarwasover.After3000B.C.,wars

betweencitiesbecamemoreandmorefrequent.Gradually,Sumerianpriestsand

peoplegavecommanderspermanentcontrolofstandingarmies.

Intime,somemilitaryleadersbecamefull-timerulers.Theserulersusually

passedtheirpowerontotheirsons,whoeventuallypasseditontotheirown

heirs.

Suchaseriesofrulersfromasinglefamilyiscalledadynasty.After2500B.C.,manySumeriancity-statescameundertheruleofdynasties.

AReligionofManyGodsLikemanypeoplesintheFertileCrescent,theSumeriansbelievedthatmany

differentgodscontrolledthevariousforcesinnature.Thebeliefinmorethanone

godiscalledpolytheism.Enlil,thegodofstormsandair,wasamongthemost

powerfulgods.Sumeriansfearedhimas“theragingfloodthathasnorival.”

DemonsknownasUgalluprotectedhumansfromtheevildemonswhocaused

disease,misfortune,andmisery.

Sumeriansdescribedtheirgodsasdoingmanyofthesamethingshumansdo–

fallinginlove,havingchildren,quarreling,andsoon.YettheSumeriansalso

believedthattheirgodswerebothimmortalandall-powerful.Humanswere

nothingbuttheirservants.Atanymoment,themightyangerofthegodsmight

strike,sendingafire,aflood,oranenemytodestroyacity.Tokeepthegods

happy,theSumeriansbuiltimpressivezigguratsforthemandofferedrich

sacrificesofanimals,food,andwine.

Sumeriansworkedhardtoearnthegods’protectioninthislife.Yetthey

expectedlittlehelpfromthegodsafterdeath.TheSumeriansbelievedthatthe

soulsofthedeadwenttothe“landofnoreturn,”adismal,gloomyplacebetween

theearth’scrustandtheancientsea.Nojoyawaitedsoulsthere.Apassageina

Sumerianpoemdescribesthefateofdeadsouls:“Dustistheirfareandclaytheir

food.”

SomeoftherichestaccountsofMesopotamianmythsandlegendsappearina

longpoemcalledtheEpicofGilgamesh.

SumerianScienceandTechnologyHistoriansbelievethatSumeriansinventedthewheel,thesail,andtheplowand

thattheywereamongthefirsttousebronze.Manynewideasandinventions

arosefromtheSumerians’practicalneeds.

• ArithmeticandgeometryInordertoerectcitywallsandbuildings,planirrigationsystems,andsurveyfloodedfields,Sumeriansneededarithmetic

andgeometry.Theydevelopedanumbersysteminbase60,fromwhich

stemthemodernunitsformeasuringtime(60seconds=1minute)andthe

360degreesofacircle.

• ArchitecturalinnovationsArches,columns,ramps,andthepyramidshaped

thedesignofthezigguratandpermanentlyinfluencedMesopotamian

civilization.

• CuneiformSumerianscreatedasystemofwriting.Oneofthefirstknown

mapswasmadeonaclaytabletinabout2300B.C.Othertabletscontain

someoftheoldestwrittenrecordsofscientificinvestigationsintheareasof

astronomy,chemistry,andmedicine.

LifeinSumerianSociety

Withcivilizationcamethebeginningofwhatwecallsocialclasses.Kings,

landholders,andsomepriestsmadeupthehighestlevelinSumeriansociety.

Wealthymerchantsrankednext.ThevastmajorityofordinarySumerianpeople

workedwiththeirhandsinfieldsandworkshops.AtthelowestlevelofSumerian

societyweretheslaves.Someslaveswereforeignerswhohadbeencapturedin

war.OtherswereSumerianswhohadbeensoldintoslaveryaschildrentopaythe

debtsoftheirpoorparents.Debtslavescouldhopetoeventuallybuytheir

freedom.

Ancient India and Urban Planning The Indus River Valley was another location of an early river valley civilization. As in Mesopotamia and Egypt, when the Indus River flooded, it deposited rich soil along its banks. Food surpluses from successful agriculture allowed people to build large cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. The people of this civilization, sometimes called the Harappans, made the first cotton cloth and developed their own form of writing. They also made pottery and built sewage systems in their cities. Of course, the Indus River Valley was located in the Indian subcontinent. India is often called a subcontinent because it is so large. The Indian subcontinent is a peninsula surrounded on three sides by water. The world’s highest mountains – the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush – are located in the north of the peninsula. These two mountain ranges separate India from the rest of Asia but not completely. Passes or flat lands exist in these mountain ranges that allow access to other parts of Asia from India. The best known pass or opening is the Khyber Pass. The land of northern India is fertile. The Indus River and the Ganges River provide water for farming. Indian civilization began in the Indus River Valley and the Ganges is so important to Indians that they call it “Mother Ganges.” The Ganges is a sacred river to Hindus, the dominant religious group of India. Indians also depend on the monsoon. The monsoons are winds that bring rains. The rains provide water for farming.

Geographic Features:

Effects:

Peninsula

Himalayas

Indus River

Ganges River

Monsoons

Why is India often called a subcontinent?

___________________________________________________________

India’s first civilization developed in the Indus River Valley. This river begins in the Himalayas. The river floods when the snows melt. Later, the water retreats and leaves silt or fertile soil behind. The first Indian civilization began with two cities – Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Both Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro looked like modern, planned cities. Their streets were wide and straight. The people built with clay bricks. Each brick was exactly the same size. This kind of careful planning of cities is referred to as urban planning. The cities of the Indus River Valley exhibit or show evidence of urban planning.

India’s First Civilization Location: Two Cities: Design of the Cities: Urban Planning: Harappan civilization had many accomplishments. Some homes even had indoor bathrooms and toilets. Dirty water drained away through clay pipes. A great wall surrounded each city and protected it. In addition, archaeologists have discovered many clay tablets with writing on them. Archaeologists are still trying to decipher the writing of the Indus River Valley civilization. Around 1500 B.C., this civilization ended. Perhaps the monsoon failed or disease or a flood struck. Maybe invaders attacked.

Accomplishments of Harappan Civilization

• • • • • How do we know that the people of the Indus River Valley must have had a strong government? (Think of the design of the cities.) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Did the people of the Indus River Valley have writing? ___________________________

Describe the writing system: ___________________________________________________________

List four possible causes of the collapse of Harappan Civilization: By 2500 B.C. cities that rivaled the great urban centers of Mesopotamia were developing along the Indus River and its tributaries. The most important of these cities were Mohenjo-Daro, on the lower Indus River, and Harappa, on the Ravi River near the upper end of the Indus Valley. Both cities were built on a similar plan, with a grid work of streets, housing for the common people and larger homes for the elite, as well as a sanitation system that included bathrooms linked to sewers—an important contribution to public health in cities that contained as many as 40,000 people. Bricks used for construction were all of the same mold, and the public buildings included granaries filled with surpluses. Trade was the glue of the Harappa civilization, binding one city to another and the region as a whole to Mesopotamia and other distant lands. Among the goods exported were cotton, spices, ivory, and handcrafts such as jewelry. Like other river valleys that fostered ancient civilizations, the Indus region was subject to seasonal flooding that helped nourish the fields but was sometimes catastrophic. The city of Mohenjo-Daro had to be rebuilt at least nine times. Ruinous floods may have contributed to the decline of Harappan civilization after 2000 B.C.

Reflections: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Word Bank: Peninsula, Urban Planning, Monsoons, Himalayas, Pictograms, Asia, China, Indus, Subcontinent, Ganges, Archaeologists

River Valley Civilization in China

People have lived in China for thousands of years. In ancient times,

China’s geography isolated or kept the Chinese away from other peoples.

The Gobi desert lies in the north of China. The Tibetan mountain plateau

stretches toward the west and the mighty Himalayas rise in the southwest.

Seas protect China on its eastern and southern coasts. While China’s

mountains and deserts have isolated it and made farming difficult especially

in the west, there are many rivers in eastern China. The Huang He or

Yellow River flows 3,000 miles across northern China. Because the river is

shallow, it often floods. Throughout the years, flooding has destroyed cities

and farms. Hunger, disease, and death follow. The Chinese sometimes refer

to the Huang He as “China’s Sorrow.” The Yangtze River is China’s

longest river. It is very deep. In fact, it is the deepest river in the world.

The Yangtze flows through southern China. It has been one of China’s main

trade routes since ancient times. Due to its rivers, farming began in China

more than 8,000 years ago. Farm villages eventually grew into cities. The

first Chinese cities began near the Huang He or Yellow River about 2000

B.C. The Huang He River Valley was a birthplace of civilization in China.

Geographic Features of China: Geographic Effects on China:

Mountains

Desert

Rivers

Seas Bordering the Eastern Coast

China’s geography isolated China in the past. Due to this isolation,

ethnocentrism developed. Ethnocentrism is the belief in a culture’s

superiority. The ancient Chinese believed their culture was superior.

Why might isolationism lead to ethnocentrism?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

China’s first civilization emerged along the Huang He or Yellow River.

Around 1500 B.C., people from the Huang He migrated southward to the

Yangtze River, where they learned to grow rice and irrigate the land. Rice

cultivation soon became common along the Huang He. The farming of

soybeans and the raising of pigs, chickens, and dogs was also introduced.

Around 1760 B.C., a ruling family or dynasty known as the Shang took

control of the region. Shang warriors used bronze weapons and horse-drawn

chariots. The Shang built the first known Chinese cities. Each city had

several large public buildings at its center, where the nobles lived. Potters,

bronze smiths, and other artisans lived just outside the city. The ancient

Chinese became skilled in many crafts, such as making objects out of

bronze. They also developed the ability to make silk from a silkworm’s

cocoon. The Chinese system of writing was based on pictographs, like that

of ancient Egypt. Each character represented a different word.

Where did China’s earliest cities develop?

_____________________________________________________

List three important facts about China’s First Dynasty:

Why do the Chinese call the Yellow River “China’s Sorrow”?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

No river flows from south to north in China. The Chinese rulers built a

1,100 mile canal or waterway. It joined the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers.

The Chinese transported supplies on the canal. The Chinese rulers began

construction of the canal about 2,400 years ago. The Chinese also started

work on the Great Wall of China over 2,000 years ago. The Great Wall

eventually stretched nearly 1,400 miles from the Yellow Sea westward.

In some places, it stood 40 to 50 feet high. Its base was 15 to 30 feet

thick. Workers build towers along the wall. From the towers, guards

looked far to the north and to the west. The Great Wall of China was

built to protect China from invaders. An ancient Chinese historian says

300,000 workers built the Great Wall of China. Others believe that 1

million people worked on it and 400,000 of them died while building the

wall. Some people refer to the wall as the “Great Graveyard of China”

because the bodies of dead workers were often thrown into the wall!

Why did the Chinese build a Grand Canal?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Why did the Chinese build the Great Wall of China?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

List three facts about the Great Wall of China:

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

China had many dynasties.

Define dynasty: ______________________________________

Name China’s first dynasty: ____________________________

Word

Bank:

Mountains, Great Wall, Dynasty, Isolation, Huang He, Agriculture, Shang,

Characters, Yangtze, Grand Canal, Flooding

The Shang and Zhou Dynasties of China

1. Please read the passage and answer the questions that follow: A family that rules a country for a long period of time is called a dynasty. There were many dynasties in Chinese history. The first dynasty of China was the Shang dynasty. Most people in Shang China were farmers. Chinese civilization began in the Yellow River Valley (The Chinese call this river the Huang He River.) Chinese craftsmen or artisans made beautiful jewelry out of wood, ivory, and jade. Artisans also used bronze. The Chinese developed writing during the Shang dynasty. There are over 3,000 characters in Chinese writing. The Shang dynasty lasted over 500 years (1766 B.C.-1050 B.C.). The next dynasty of China was the Zhou dynasty. It lasted from 1027 B.C. – 221 B.C. The Zhou conquered the Shang. Since most ancient Chinese believed that their ruler was chosen by the gods in Heaven, and that Heaven could overthrow a bad ruler, the Chinese believed that the Zhou were chosen to rule. They believed that the Zhou had the Mandate of Heaven or the right to rule. The Zhou dynasty lasted a very long time but towards the end of the Zhou dynasty, there was a great deal of fighting in China. During this time of fighting, two important Chinese philosophies developed: Confucianism and Daoism. Confucianism was founded by Confucius. He believed that it was important to preserve the social order. Therefore, people had to do what they were supposed to do. Daoism was founded by Lao-zi. He believed that people should live in harmony, respect nature, and act according to their true natures. Questions: A- List three important facts about the Shang dynasty:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B- List three important facts about the Zhou dynasty: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ C- Define the following terms: Dynasty and Mandate of Heaven ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:

Confucius was a philosopher in ancient China around 500 BC. His main idea was that people could achieve peace by doing their duty, and cooperating with society. If people rebelled, and everyone tried to do his or her own thing, then the world would be full of fighting and unhappiness. So people should obey the law, and do what the emperor and government officials told them to do. Also, people should do their duty to their parents and take good care of their children, and people should do their duty to their ancestors and to the gods. At the same time, the government should do its duty to the people, and not abuse them or ask too much of them. The emperor should be cooperative and helpful to the people, just as the people were helpful and cooperative to him. Because Confucius wanted to make government officials behave better, the Chinese government did not like him while he was alive. But after Confucius died, later emperors of China did use many of his ideas. Of course they mainly liked the idea that people should obey the government, and they weren't so interested in the idea that the government should help the people! Here's an example of a story people told about Confucius: Zi Lu, they say, asked Confucius, "When we hear a good idea, should we start to do it right away?" Confucius told him no. "First, you should always ask someone with more experience." Later on, Ran You asked Confucius the same question. But this time Confucius said, "Yes, of course you should do it right away." There was another student who had heard both of these conversations and was very confused. He asked Confucius why he had answered the same question in two different ways. Ran You has a hard time making a decision," Confucius said. "So I encouraged him to be bolder. Zi Lu sometimes decides things too quickly. So I reminded him to be careful. Naturally different people should get different answers. " Questions:

A- Explain the philosophy or way of thinking of Confucius. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B- Do you agree or disagree with Confucius? Explain your answer. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Answer the following questions:

A. Which belief is most closely associated with the philosophy of Confucianism? (1) nirvana (3) prayer (2) reincarnation (4) filial piety (sons obey fathers) B. One similarity between the ancient civilizations in Egypt and in China is that they developed (1) nomadic lifestyles (2) monotheistic belief systems (3) democratic governments (4) written forms of communication C. The exchange of silks and spices and the spread of Buddhism along the Silk Roads are examples of (1) cultural diffusion (3) ethnocentrism (2) self-sufficiency (4) desertification D. The technology of papermaking traveled from China to Baghdad along the (1) Saharan caravan trails (3) Silk Roads (2) Trans-Siberian Railway (4) Suez Canal

E. Which civilization first developed a civil service system, invented gunpowder, and manufactured porcelain?

(1) Aztec (3) Japanese (2) Chinese (4) Roman

G. One way in which the Huang He, the Indus, and the Nile civilizations were similar is that they each (1) flourished by trading salt and gold (3) developed monotheistic religions (2) suffered repeated invasions (4) originated in river valleys 4. Matching:

Mandate of Heaven ____

A. It is a ruling family. For many years, the Chinese were governed by ruling families.

Shang ____

B. It is a geographic feature. It surrounded China and isolated China in the past.

Dynasty ___

C. It is a Chinese philosophy. It seeks to maintain the social order. The subject must obey the emperor.

Great Wall of China ___

D. It is an important Chinese river. It was the birthplace of civilization in China.

Silk Road ____

E. It is a Chinese philosophy. It encourages people to respect nature, live in harmony, and be themselves.

Huang He ___

F. It was the first dynasty of China. Most people were farmers. Artisans worked in ivory and jade.

Confucianism ___

G. It is the Chinese belief that the gods chose the emperor but can also remove the emperor.

Daoism ____

H. It conquered the Shang. Confucianism and Daoism developed.

Mountain ____

I. It was built to protect China from nomadic invaders.

Zhou ____

J. It was a famous trading route that connected China to the Middle East and Europe.

5. Do you prefer the philosophy of Confucianism or Daoism? Explain your answer. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________