Transcript Ancient Indus Valley and China

Warm Up
• Do you believe a peaceful or warrior
civilization would be more successful?
Ancient Indus Valley and China
Key Terms
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Subcontinent
Harappan civilization
Mandate of Heaven
Dynastic cycle
Feudalism
Indian Subcontinent
• This area of Asia is
separated from the rest
of the continent by the
highest mountains in
the world
• Mountains to north and
desert to the east
protect from invasion
• Indus and Ganges Rivers
provide fertile land
Environmental Challenges
• Yearly floods
unpredictable
• Rivers could change
course
• Monsoon winds were
unpredictable, causing
rains to be unpredictable
Harrapan Civilization
• Indus Valley civilization
called this due to
findings at city of
Harrapa
• Cities used a grid like
system of roads
• Homes made of
standard size bricks
• Early plumbing and
drainage system
Indus Valley Culture
• Had language, but isn’t
understood today
• Little division of social
classes
• Not much knowledge of
religion
• Great at trade
• Peaceful people who
did not worry about
war
Reflection
• What do you believe was the greatest
achievement of the Ancient Indus River
Valley?
Ancient China
• Two major rivers, Huang
He, or Yellow River, and
the Chang Jiang, or
Yangtze River
• Isolated to rest of world
by Yellow Sea, East
China Sea, Pacific
Ocean, and large
mountains and deserts
to the west
Environmental Challenges
• Huang He floods could
destroy entire cities
• Isolated and had to rely
on own resources
• Natural barriers did not
completely protect from
invaders
• Only 10% of China’s
land is good for farming
Ancient Chinese Dynasties
• First dynasty was the
Xia Dynasty around
2000 B.C.
• Led by Yu, a
mathematician and
engineer, who helped
control the flooding
with irrigation system
• Shang Dynasty was first
Chinese rulers to leave
written records
Ancient Chinese Dynasties
• Shang Dynasty were
constantly waging war
• Zhou Dynasty did not
change culture of Shang
• Believed in Mandate of
Heaven which meant
ruler had divine
approval, but if he was
evil or foolish, he would
lose the right to rule
Dynastic Cycle
Feudalism
• Dynasty gave power to
family and noble to
govern different regions
• Would grant use of land
in return for protection
of king and people
• Regions became more
powerful and began
fighting, leading to end
of Zhou Dynasty
Reflection
• Describe the similarities between the ancient
civilizations of the Indus Valley and China to
the other ancient civilizations we have
discussed.