Early Civilizations Part 2:

Cities on the Indus and River Dynasties in China

DATE: September 3, 2013

Objectives:
1. We will be able to analyze factors that led to the rise and fall of cities on the Indus.
2. We will be able to analyze factors that led to the rise of river dynasties in China.
3. We will be able to compare and contrast the four major river valley civilizations.

Planned Cities on the Indus River (2500BC-1750BC)

A. A Tough Environment But Civilization Emerges
a. The Indus River is surrounded by the largest mountains and a large desert. The
Ganges is another important river in the region.
i. Which protected the region from invasions
b. Seasonal winds called monsoons dominate India's climate
i. OCTOBER to FEBRUARY=Dry Air
ii. JUNE to OCTOBER=Moisture and Rain
1. Environmental Challenges
a. Yearly Floods brought rich soil but were unpredictable.
b. Rivers would change course.
c. Monsoon seasons could be unpredictable.
B. A Large Civilization Emerges
a. The Indus Valley Size > Mesopotamia and Egypt
i. Around 2500 BC, Indus Valley inhabitants built first cities" Harappa "
b. Advanced Cities, Harappa being one of the main ones
i. Grid System
ii. Advanced Plumbing
iii. Buildings built to protect against flooding
iv. Quality Bricks
c. A Great Culture That Comes To An End
i. Language
1. Developed a written language but we can't decipher
ii. Culture
1. Uniform, could produce nonessential itemswhich means what?
iii. Role of Religion
1. Possible theocracy, symbols show up in later Indian history and
Hindu.
iv. Trade
1. Thriving trade; gold and silver; traded down to Sumer; Indus River
transported goods (cotton)
d. Crash Course: Indus Civilization
1. What are some factors of civilizations?
(Surplus production, Building a City, Specialization of Trade,
Trading, Centralized Government, Writing, Social Stratification,
Writing, and Rivers)
2. What did the Indus Valley civilization have that 18 th century Europeans
would have been jealous of at this time?
A good working sewage system
3. What are possible reasons why this civilization ended?
a. Conquest, Environmental, Earthquake
4. What were the two most interesting points you found in this video?

RIVER DYNASTIES OF CHINA (2000 BC-500 BC)

A. A Complex Environment
a. Isolated because of deserts, mountains, and oceans
i. Huang He_(Yellow) and Chang Jiang (Yangtze) Rivers were vital
1. Provided fertile soil called loess
b. Huang He brought disastrous floods.
c. China's isolated location caused little outside trade
d. North China Plain is most suitable for farming.....Guess where this is located?

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B. Dynasties and a Culture Emerge
a. Xia Dynasty emerges around 2000 BC
i. However, the Shang Dynasty (1700 to 1027 BC) left written records
b. Chinese Culture
i. Saw themselves as "civilized" world, and non-Chinese as uncivilized
ii. Family was vital, particularly respect to parents
iii. Marriages were arranged for daughters 13-16
iv. Social classes sharply divided (nobles and peasants)
v. Religion: Ancestors acted as spirits (Good and Bad_
c. Writing System
i. Each character stands for one syllable or unit of language
1. Many (elite) could read but not all spoke the same way....MANY
different characters
C. The Zhou Dynasty and its Cycle
a. 1027 BC- The Zhou overthrew the Shang
i. Did so because of the Mandate of Heaven
ii. The Zhou controlled through Feudalism
1. Nobles are granted the use of lands that belong to the king. Nobles owe
loyalty to
the

king.
2.

2.
D. Greater
Technology and the Zhou
Downfall
a. Roads and Canals stimulated trade and agriculture
b. Coined money furthered trade
c. Quality Iron production not matched by Europe until the Middle Age
d. Impressive Silk
e. Warring states emerged in the later periods of the Zhou Dynasty (1027-256 BC)
i. Traditional values collapsed

Ancient River Valley Civilizations Homework CHart

MESOPOTAMI
A
Location/
Geograp
hy

Social
Structur
e

Technolo
gy

Governm
ent

Trade/
Economy

Religion

Other
Info

EGYPT

INDUS VALLEY

CHINA