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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 Revolution2. Agriculture3. civilization4. revolution5. Mesopotamia6. Fertile Crescent7. Pharaoh8. Polytheism 9. Monotheism10. Judaism11. Dynasty12. Islam13. City-State14. Hinduism15. Buddhism16. Caste System17. Mandate of Heaven18. Daoism19. Confucianism20. 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? ______________________________ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Neolithic Revolution: The Neolithic Revolution was a turning point or a big change. People learned to farm and domesticate animals. People settled. People built cities. 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 foodgrowing 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 •Establishingpermanenthomesandvillages AtthebeginningoftheNeolithicRevolution,themostdirectimpactofthese developmentswason (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 (31002186 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 (2) early belief systems ____________ Pharaoh ______________ Mummies ______________ Rosetta Stone ____________ Hieroglyphics ____________ Dynasty ____________ Nile ____________ Pyramids ____________ Hyksos ____________ Lower Egypt ____________ Hatshepsut (3) river valley civilizations (4) burial sites of ancient rulers A. She was the first female ruler of ancient Egypt. This female pharaoh spread Egyptian culture. B. It is the longest river in the world. It was the birthplace of Egyptian civilization. C. During the Old Kingdom, these architectural structures were built as tombs for deceased pharaohs. D. French engineers discovered it. It allowed archaeologists to decipher ancient Egyptian writing. E. The ancient Egyptians preserved the bodies of the dead. They believed in an afterlife. F. It is ancient Egyptian writing. It is similar to Sumerian cuneiform. It recorded history. G. It is located near the Mediterranean Sea. It has a delta and is good for farming. H. It is a ruling family. It is a political system where a family controls the government. I. It is a divine ruler of ancient Egypt. This ruler is believed to be a god. 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 SETTINGTHESTAGE TworiversflowfromthemountainsofwhatisnowTurkey;downthroughSyria andIraq,andfinallytothePersianGulf.Oversixthousandyearsago,thewaters oftheseriversprovidedthelifebloodthatallowedtheformationoffarming settlements.Thesegrewintovillagesandthencities. GeographyoftheFertileCrescent AdesertclimatedominatesthelandscapebetweenthePersianGulfandthe MediterraneanSeainSouthwestAsia.Yetwithinthisdryregionliesanarcofland thatprovidedsomeofthebestfarminginSouthwestAsia.Theregion’scurved shapeandtherichnessofitslandledscholarstocallittheFertileCrescent.It includesthelandsfacingtheMediterraneanSeaandaplainthatbecameknown asMesopotamia.ThewordinGreekmeans“landbetweentherivers.” TheriversframingMesopotamiaaretheTigrisandEuphrates.Theyflow southeastwardtothePersianGulf.TheTigrisandEuphratesriversflooded Mesopotamiaatleastonceayear.Asthefloodwaterreceded,itleftathickbedof mudcalledsilt.Farmersplantedgraininthisrich,newsoilandirrigatedthefields withriverwater.Theresultswerelargequantitiesofwheatandbarleyatharvest time.Thesurplusesfromtheirharvestsallowedvillagestogrow. EnvironmentalChallenges Peoplefirstbegantosettleandfarmtheflat,swampylandsinsouthern Mesopotamiabefore4500B.C.Around3300B.C.,thepeoplecalledthe Sumerians,arrivedonthescene.Goodsoilwastheadvantagethatattracted thesesettlers.However,therewerethreedisadvantagestotheirnew environment. • Unpredictablefloodingcombinedwithaperiodoflittleornorain.Theland sometimesbecamealmostadesert. • Withnonaturalbarriersforprotection,aSumerianvillagewasnearly defenseless. • ThenaturalresourcesofSumerwerelimited.Buildingmaterialsandother necessaryitemswerescarce. SolvingProblemsthroughOrganization Overalongperiodoftime,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-States TheSumeriansstandoutinhistoryasoneofthefirstgroupsofpeopletoforma 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. PriestsandRulersShareControl Sumer’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. AReligionofManyGods LikemanypeoplesintheFertileCrescent,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. SumerianScienceandTechnology HistoriansbelievethatSumeriansinventedthewheel,thesail,andtheplowand thattheywereamongthefirsttousebronze.Manynewideasandinventions arosefromtheSumerians’practicalneeds. • ArithmeticandgeometryInordertoerectcitywallsandbuildings,plan irrigationsystems,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 MohenjoDaro. 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: Mountains Desert Rivers Seas Bordering the Eastern Coast Geographic Effects on China: 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 (2) reincarnation (3) prayer (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 (2) self-sufficiency (3) ethnocentrism (4) desertification D. The technology of papermaking traveled from China to Baghdad along the (1) Saharan caravan trails (2) Trans-Siberian Railway (3) Silk Roads (4) Suez Canal E. Which civilization first developed a civil service system, invented gunpowder, and manufactured porcelain? (1) Aztec (2) Chinese (3) Japanese (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 ____ Shang ____ Dynasty ___ Great Wall of China ___ Silk Road ____ Huang He ___ Confucianism ___ Daoism ____ Mountain ____ Zhou ____ A. It is a ruling family. For many years, the Chinese were governed by ruling families. B. It is a geographic feature. It surrounded China and isolated China in the past. C. It is a Chinese philosophy. It seeks to maintain the social order. The subject must obey the emperor. D. It is an important Chinese river. It was the birthplace of civilization in China. E. It is a Chinese philosophy. It encourages people to respect nature, live in harmony, and be themselves. F. It was the first dynasty of China. Most people were farmers. Artisans worked in ivory and jade. G. It is the Chinese belief that the gods chose the emperor but can also remove the emperor. H. It conquered the Shang. Confucianism and Daoism developed. I. It was built to protect China from nomadic invaders. 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. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
