Aim: How much did geography influence the Indus and Yellow River Valley Civilizations?

Do Now: What do you know about India and China? What would you like to know?

I Geography of South AsiaA) India is so large that it is often called a subcontinent. B) Its main mountain ranges are the Hindu Kush & the Himalayas. Mt Everest, the tallest mountain in the world is part of the Himalayas.C) South Asia’s main rivers are the Indus (today in Pakistan) and the Ganges (today in India).D) In southern India is the Deccan Plateau. It is extremely hot and dry.E) India depends on monsoons: seasonal winds that bring rain. The monsoons are necessary to farm on the dry Deccan Plateau, but they also bring a risk of floods.

South Asia Monsoons

Winter Monsoon

Summer Monsoon

II Indus River Valley Civilizations2500 – 1500 BCE

A) Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were “twin” cities that developed in the Indus River Valley (in modern Pakistan) by 2500 BCE.B) Both were planned cities; the buildings and streets were laid out on a grid, and even had a sewer system! C) Both were animistic (believed in spirits in nature).D) Both had a system of writing that is still undeciphered.E) By 1500 BCE Aryans (light skinned Indo-Europeans) conquered the Indus River Valley.

Harappa

How do we know that Harappa was a planned city?

Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro

The "great bath" is possibly the earliest public water tank in the ancient world. It may also have served a religious function (I.e. water purification rituals).

Indus River Valley Writing

III Geography of ChinaA) China has many natural barriers - Pacific Ocean (West) - Himalayan Mountains (Southwest) -Gobi Desert (North). These barriers led to China being isolated, and believing that they were the Middle Kingdom (the center of the world!) *This is an example of ethnocentrism (the belief that your culture is superior to others)B) Northeast China (close to Russia) is freezing! C) China's most important rivers are the Yellow and the Yangzi. The Yellow River gets its name due to yellow clay called loess. The Yangzi River is the longest in China and third longest in the world. E) China grows rice in the south, due to a warmer and wetter climate. China grows wheat in the north, due to a colder and drier climate.

Hukou Falls, Part of the Yellow River

Terraced Farming: Chinese rice farmers cut steps into the mountains. This way, the water will be better distributed.

IV Shang Dynasty 1650 – 1027 BCE

A) The Shang developed a civilization near the Yellow River.B) Produced bronze tools, weapons, and pottery.C) Animistic religion (belief in spirits in nature)E) Earliest evidence of Chinese writing on “oracle bones” (usually tortoise shells)

Shang Dynasty Oracle Bones

Oracle bones (often on tortoise shells) often were inscribed with records of the king's predictions on topics such as the weather and harvest.

V Zhou Dynasty 1027 – 256 BCE

A) 1027 BCE the Zhou Dynasty conquered the ShangB) Produced iron tools and weaponsD) Developed the idea of rulers having the Mandate of Heaven: the gods have the power to give or take away the right of a ruler to rule (divine right).

Zhou Dynasty Continued…D) The Mandate of Heaven was used to explain the Dynastic Cycle.

If there are numerous problems under a

dynasty, the people would believe the

ruler lost the mandate of heaven.

Zhou Burial

Notice that chariots were deliberately buried with their rulers. What does this tell you about Zhou civilization?

Summary Questions1. How did geography influence the Indus river valley civilizations?2. How did geography influence the Yellow river valley civilizations? 3. In your own words, explain the mandate of heaven and dynastic

cycle.

Key VocabularyDeccan PlateauDynastic CycleGanges RiverGobi DesertHarappaHimalayasHindu KushHuang RiverIndus River

Mandate of HeavenMohenjo-DaroMonsoonsMt. EverestOracle BonesShang DynastyTerrace FarmingYangtze (Yellow) RiverZhou Dynasty