ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

YELLOW RIVER SETTELMENT

CHINA

YELLOW RIVER

YANGZI RIVER

Population Growth
Settlements began to crop up along the Yellow and Yangzi Rivers
Created a need for recognized authorities who could maintain order, resolve disputes, and organize public works projects Village-level organizations could only act locally

Small dynasties followed that extended their control over progressively larger regions

Dynasties
A sequence of powerful leaders in the same family
Shang Dynasty 1766 to 1122 B.C. Zhou Dynasty 1122 to 256 B.C. Tang Dynasty 618 to 907 A.D. Song Dynasty 960 to 1279 A.D.

Shang Dynasty

Characteristics of a Civilization
Intensive agricultural techniques Specialization of labor Cities A social Organized religion and education Development of complex forms of economic exchange Development of new technologies Advanced development of the arts. (This can include writing.) Development of writing as a means of communication.

Agriculture

Yellow River
Takes its name from the vast quantities of loess soil it picks up along its route
Loess is an extremely fine and powder-like soil that gradually builds up in the river bed, raising the river bed and forcing the water out of its established path Yellow River periodically unleashes terrible floods, earning it the nickname Chinas Sorrow

Agriculture
Loess soil is extremely fertile and easy to work
Even before the introduction of metal tools, cultivators with wooden instruments could generate large harvests

Crops
Initially, millet was the main crop (especially in the north) Sometime thereafter, the Chinese began cultivating rice (especially in the south where the Yangzi River is less prone than the Yellow River to devastating floods) Extensive rice production would require developing a complex irrigation system (made possible by the centralizing authority of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties)

Cities

Ruins of Banpo Village near modern Xian

Cities: Shang
Vast network of walled towns whose local rulers recognized authority of the Shang kings Shang rulers moved their capital six times
Capital at Yin (near modern Anyang) contained a complex of royal palaces and eleven large and lavish royal tombs
Royal tomb at Anyang

Social Hierarchy

King Wen of Zhou China

Social Hierarchy: Shang and early Zhou

Royal family and allied noble families
Resided in large, palatial compounds and lived on the agricultural surplus and taxes delivered by their subjects Power tied to bronze

Privileged class of hereditary aristocrats

Rose from the military allies of the rulers Possessed extensive land holdings and performed military and administrative tasks Some access to education for those who lived in cities

Social Hierarchy: Ancient Shang and early Zhou

Small class of free artisans and craftsmen Lived in cities Those who worked almost extensively for the privileged classes lived reasonably comfortably Peasants Semi-servile class that lived in the countryside and did not own land Provided agricultural, military, and labor services for lords in exchange for plots to cultivate, security, and a portion of the harvest Slaves Most were captured enemy warriors Performed hard labor that required a large work force such as clearing fields or building city walls During the Shang Dynasty many were victims of human sacrifice during funerals and other religious and ritual observances

Specialization

Bronze storage jar from Zhou Dynasty Silk making

Specialization
Bronzesmiths Jewelers Jade workers Embroiderers Manufacturers of silk textiles
Silkworms are fed mulberry leaves, they molt and spin cocoons, then workers boil the cocoons to produce the raw silk. Silkworm cocoon

INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

RIVER INDUS