Download Classical Civilizations

Focus 5/27
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The classic civilizations of Greece, Rome, and
the Byzantine Empire created many
advances. The Greek city state of Athens
created democracy. Rome’s Laws of the
Twelve Tables influenced modern legal
codes. The Byzantine influenced Russia by
introducing the Cyrillic alphabet to Russia and
Justinian’s Code preserved Greek and Roman
law.
Classical Civilizations
China
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Geographic Setting
Yellow Sea
High Mountains
Gobi Desert
Pacific Ocean
Huang He (Yellow)
River
Yangzi River
China
Geographic
isolation caused
them to become
ethnocentric
 Middle Kingdom
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China
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Like the Inca in South America, the
Chinese practiced Terrace Farming
China
Dynastic
Cycle
 Mandate
of Heaven
– Divine
approval
to
overthrow
a dynasty
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China
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Qin Dynasty – First
emperor Shi Huangdi
Strong centralized
government based on
legalism
Shi Huangdi’s greatest
achievement was
building Great Wall
China
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Han Dynasty
Most famous
Emperor – Wudi
Used Confucianism
Used civil service
system
Like the Romans,
built an extensive
system of roads
China
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Advances of Han Dynasty
Made paper from wood pulp
Invented wheelbarrow
Fishing rod
Rudder
Acupuncture
anesthesia
India
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Geographic Setting
Fertile Northern Plain
Deccan Plateau –
dry/desert like
Coastal Plains
Thar Desert
Isolated by Mountains
Khyber Pass – Invasion
Route through mountains
Monsoons
Indus and Ganges Rivers
India
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Early cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
showed advanced urban planning
India
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Mauryan Empire
Chandragupta Maurya was first to unite
India
ASOKA – converts to Buddhism, tolerant
ruler, promotes trade
Pillars of Asoka – written law codes
Gupta Empire In India
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Gupta Empire – GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA
Influenced by Hinduism
Expands caste system
Advances in math and medicine
Concept of Zero
Decimal System
Cave Paintings at Ajunta
Stupas
Greece
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Geographic Setting
Located in
southeastern
Europe
Like Japan and
England, had an
irregular coastline
Many mountains
and isolated valleys
Scattered Islands
Greece
Develop political units known as citystates or polis
 Two most famous city-states = Sparta and
Athens
 Sparta = strict military state
 Athens develops direct democracy and
seeks well-rounded education
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Athens
Athens reaches a Golden Age under
leadership of Pericles
 Pericles believes the biggest responsibility
of the people is to participate in
government
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Greek Philosophy
Greek Philosophers believed the best way
to explain the world was through
observation and reason
 Socrates
 Plato
 Aristotle
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Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great of Macedonia creates
Hellenistic Civilization through conquests
 Hellenistic Civilization is a combination of
Persian, Greek, Egyptian, and Indian cultures
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Rome
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Geographic Setting
Located on Italian Peninsula
Mediterranean Sea
Few Natural Barriers
Rome
Rome establishes a republic
 Most powerful governing body was senate
 Plebians
 Patricians
 Law codes – Laws of the Twelve Tables
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Rome
Rome becomes an empire
 Pax Romana – 200 years of peace and
stability in Roman Empire
 Like the Han, built an extensive system of
roads
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Rome
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Roman Contributions
Legal System
Republican form of government
Laws of Twelve Tables
Architecture
Aqueducts