River Valley Civilizations Flashcards
Mesopotamian type of writing?
cuneiform
Who did they trade with?
Egypt + Indus Valley
Most famous piece of literature?
Epic of Gilgamesh
What metal used for tools and weapons?
Bronze
Mathematic Advancements?
astronomy and math based on 60
View of the world
pessimistic because of irregular unpredictable flooding of tigris and euphrates
religion
polytheism - gods powerful and cruel
Status of kings
powerful but not divine
Political Organization
city states and warrior kings, and frequent competition between city states led to little political stability
Laws
Hammurabi’s Code - “an eye for an eye”
Job specialization
farmers, metallurgist, merchants, craftsmen, political administrators, priests
Women
marriage contracts, veils, women of upper classes had less freedom
Common characteristics of river valley civilizations?
complex irrigation systems, legal codes, money, art + written literature, formal scientific knowledge, number systems, calendars, more social equality
When was Mesopotamia developed?
around 3500 BCE - 1500 BCE
When did the Indus valley develop?
2500 BCE
how was their writing system?
indecipherable, so little is known about the civilization
trade?
soapstone seals indicate trade with mesopotamia and china
weapons?
crude : stone arrowheads, no swords
religion?
polytheism
major cities?
harappa and mohenjo-daro
political structure?
complex and centralized
priests?
high status - intermediates between gods and people
social classes?
yes - strong distinctions
when was shang china developed?
1700 BCE
Oracle Bones
used to connect with ancestors + led to development of pictorial language that connected different languages
weapons and tools
bronze
transportation
horse-drawn chariots
trade?
indus valley
government?
centralized, with power in the hands of the emperor
government projects?
flood control of river
social classes?
warrors, aristocrats, bureacrats, farmers slaves
state of women in society?
patriarchal with women as concubines or wives
When was civilization developed in meso and south america?
1200 BCE
where were Olmecs?
mesoamerica
Mathematical developments?
astronomy used to predict agricultural cycles and please gods
religion?
polytheism: shamans as healers, religious rituals
agriculture?
irrigation and drainage canals
political organization?
not united
social aspect?
craft specializations, priests have high status, most people were farmers
where were the chavin?
south america
political aspects?
capital city, political unification, public works operated by labor obligations
social aspects?
priests = high status, capital city dominated land, most people were farmers
symbols?
jaguars important to polytheism (jaguar men)
architecture?
square-stone, no mortar
agriculture?
well-developed, based on maize
geography?
very unique, lived in mountains, coast, and jungle
agricultural societies
cultivate crops 8000 BCE
types of technology?
domestication of plants and animals, iron tools, writing systems, growth + development
where?
mesopotamia, nile river valley, india, china, mesoamerica, andes
pastoral societies
domesticated animals 8000 BCE
types of technology?
domestication of horses and camels
where?
steppes, grasslands, deserts, mountain ranges
foraging societies
hunting and gathering 35,000 BCE
types of technology?
baskets for gathering and storing hunting tools
where?
everywhere until sedentary agricultural societies and empires took over fertile areas
Egypt- Year it was developed
3000 BCE
Who did they trade with?
The Mesopotamians but their trade was less extensive than other civilizations.
Religion?
Polytheistic and the pharaoh was considered a god
Concerned with what?
Decorative arts, shipbuilding, and had some medical knowledge.
Government structure
Divine kingship-pharaoh.
Highly centralized and by today standard it was an authoritarian government.
Extensive bureaucracy and the pharaoh’s powers were channeled through regional government.
Egyptian women
Probably higher status than in Mesopotamia. Owned property and could divorce husbands.
Describe social structure
Smaller nobility than Mesopotamia.
Merchants were few and were low in status. Priest would have the highest status after pharaoh. Pharaoh was at the top, government officials, priests, soldiers, farmers, peasants, merchants, and lastly slaves
