Unit 04: Ancient Eastern Civilizations

Indus River Valley

Where Ancient India resides. Often flooded. Strong winds and monsoons (really bad storm). Protected by the Himalayas Mountains

Ancient Indian Economy

Relied on crops that were able to grow because of irrigation systems and canals. Traded for precious metals

Ancient Indian Religion

Polytheistic. worshipped animals like tigers and bulls

Theories to disappearance in 1500 BC

natural disasters. invasion from Aryans (Europeans)

Aryans

migrated to India through Khyber Pass. began the Vedic age based on the Vedas

Vedas

Ancient Sanskrit writings that are the earliest sacred texts of Hinduism

Aryan society

Brahmins - priests
Kshatriyas - warriors
Vaisyas - herders
Sudras - Non-Aryans, laborers, servants

Caste system

controls society
can't marry outside of religion, caste, or culture

What made ancient China a very isolated area?

Ancient China was surrounded by all sides. They have the Himalayas Mountains to the West, the Yellow Sea to to the East, and the Gobi Desert to the North. Since China was so isolated, people believed it was the center to all civilizations and the Earth.

Why was the Huang He River also called the "River of Sorrows?"

The Huang He river has this soil inside of it that slowly settles to the bottom. When it settles to the bottom, the river floods the areas around it, destroying crops and leading to starvation.

Why did the Shang pray to their ancestors?

The Shang prayed to their ancestors because they believed that only the ancestors could talk to god and they wanted god to answer their prayers. So they respected their ancestors and asked them to send their messages forward to god.

What does veneration of ancestors mean?

Veneration of ancestors is when someone respects their ancestors because ancestors have the power to tell god things.

What were oracle bones?

Oracle bones were used to predict the future. They would write yes or no questions onto flat bones and heat it up till it cracked. The cracks would tell their fate.

How did Chinese writing create unity?

Everyone was able to communicate with each other through writing because the writing was all the same. China was also very isolated so they only really needed to talk with each other.

Why did the Chinese try and not tell anyone how to make silk?

The Chinese made a lot of money off of silk because no one else knew how to make it. If people found out how to make silk, they could just make it themselves and China would lose their most valuable export.

Were the ancient Chinese monotheistic or polytheistic?

The Chinese were polytheistic. They believed in both many gods and nature spirits.

Great wall of china

wall originally built to keep out the Mongols. worked on by each dynasty

Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan was a very successful conqueror. He sought out revenge for his father and raised a large army that grew into an even bigger one that killed millions of people. Despite being largely outnumbered, he still managed to defeat army after army because of how well he trained his soldiers. HIs grandson, Kublai Khan, conquered China which was later ended and started the Ming Dynasty.

What makes Ancient Indian technology different from Mesopotamia's?

plumbing systems