P05_HUS Progressive Era-A Time for Change

P05_Progressive Era- A Time for Change

The activity will cover a period of time from ~1877 (End of Reconstruction) to 1920 (advent of the ‘Roaring Twenties). Of course, there may be a few exceptions that reache to an earlier or later date.

The period marks another watershed period for the nation. The successes and failures of the Recontruction policy of the Federal government established the foundation for the succeeding era: The Gilded Age. The age is marked by an economic expansion partially energized by a developing Business-Government partnership. For more than a quarter-century that partnership witnessed the rise of national corporations with an economic dominance we’ve come to associate with trusts/ monopolies. This growing power over the economic engine of the nation creates an atmosphere where laws, or any semblance of ethical conduct, is set aside for increased profits. The Business-Government partnership is not conducive to a self-regulating economic system.

The accumulation of wealth into the hands of a small, economically elite, fraction of the population contributes to a ‘Have and Have Not’ social picture. Philanthropy becomes an increasingly benevolent product of this disparity, but it’s unable to level the playing field for the ‘Have Nots’. Civil unrest, peaceful and deadly, pushes the nation’s leadership to reconsider the Gilded Age partnership with ‘Business’. Those leaders, from the larger than life characters (Teddy Roosevelt) to unionizing coal miners who lost their lives in shoot-outs, were integral in asking for reforms and executing ‘Calls to Action’ that created “The Progressive Era.”

This era in our nation’s history is labeled ‘The Gilded Age *** Progressive Era’ in our United States History Research Primer.

Phase I

1. Please open the P05_The Progressive Era mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.

2. The mindmap contains branches that provide guidance for the completion of the research project. One branch identifies the general topic areas to focus our research investigations. The list of topic areas appears below.

01 Labor
02 Environment
03 Law: US Constitution & Federal Statutes
04 Foreign Affairs
05 National Finance
06 Prohibition

3. Organize your groups.

A. Choose a group leader. That group leader will be given a score reflecting their ability to successfully guide the group to a successful completion of the project. Group leader positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

B. Choose a speaker. That speaker will be given a score reflecting their speaking performance during the presentation. Speaker positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.

C. Setup a communication system so that group members can communicate outside of classroom.

D. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V (full access). If you decide to use Google, you must create a ‘Team Drive’ and share that with Mr.V (full access). This segment of the project is not normally evaluated since it is a practical application of skills previously taught and practiced. However, under certain conditions, it may impact the group’s grade when a member’s contributions must be assessed for other reasons: Attendance/ tardiness issues, erroneous content presented as facts, etc. 

Phase II

1. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in the researching of your assigned topic area. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V. The History Research Primer: Sources and Guidance is also recommended for use.

2. Avoid the temptation to begin constructing the presentation. You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. The construction of the presentation file is primarily an administrative task that can, and should, be done out-of-class. You will have no more than 5 class periods to perform this phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase III

1. Begin the analysis of your accumulated source documents.

2. The gathering of data has to come to an end or you run the risk of never finishing. The analysis phase requires that you read, listen to (audio source), or view (video source) the content you’ve amassed. Keep the relevant materials and discard what proves to be unhelpful materials.

As you do this, your computer monitor should be split into two windows that allow you to analyze your source and take notes on that source. The notes you create should be available for members of your group to see and comment on in Mindmeister/ Google Drive. It’s important that ‘your’ notes bear ‘your’ name (Mr.V needs to be able to trace the notes to its creator).

You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.

Phase IV

1. Mr.V will have distributed to all group leaders, by now, a rubric outlining how the project will be evaluated. Use that rubric, and the P05_Progressive Era project mindmap to guide your analysis of the sources.

2. Construct and submit the presentation file in accord with the guidance provided by Mr.V.

3. On the first class day after submitting your presentation file, Mr.V will allow you one final opportunity to edit the file after viewing it on the large screen. If the edits are substantial, submit a new file before 7PM that evening.

Consider the following as you prepare the presentation:

Be sure to…
-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.

-Did you provide the content your research was intended to reveal? Was it delivered in a manner that the audience can understand?

-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at and assimilate it’s data?

-Time limit for the presentation.

–Sources properly credited/ cited.

P05_The Progressive Era Presentations

Below are the links to the presentations created by all the research groups within our US History course. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research that supports their presentation.

01. Labor (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

02. Environment (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

03. Law: US Constitution & Federal Statutes (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

04. Foreign Affairs (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

05. National Finance (Period 2, Period 10)

06. Prohibition (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)

Pu03c_The Mongols

Pu03c_The Mongols

East – West
2. Lacking a tomb culture, this was a form of burial for peoples living on the steppes. (2 words)
4. A government whose top political figure is a ‘Khan’. Initially, these were sections of the larger Mongol Empire. Eventually, they broke away and became independent.
6. The ‘given’ name of the 12th – 13th C. unifier of the nomadic peoples of the steppes.
8. An action meant to be of short duration for the purpose of stealing property from a neighboring people. Historically common among nomadic peoples of the world.
9. Mongol for “Leader” or “Ruler”.
12. Served as a physical dividing line between the nomadic lifestyle of the North and West, and the sedentary lifestyle of the South. (2 words)
13. Stretches of dry (arid) grasslands in central and eastern Asia. Often the homes of nomadic peoples who depend on the grasslands to raise livestock (sheep, horses, camels, goats, etc…).

North – South
1. Her life is example of the influence and authority women exerted in Mongol society.
3. Today, it identifies a Turkic ethnic group in Russia. Formerly, and erroneously, extended to include nearly all Central Asian, Turkic, and Mongolian ethnic groups.
5. Mongol for ‘Meeting’ or ‘Assembly’ of tribal chieftains. This is a cultural trait of Central Asian steppe peoples.
6. Mongol ‘Sky’ god.
7. The lifestyle that dominated the steppes north and west of the Great Wall.
10. This animal was absolutely pivotal to the peoples of the steppes. Though not often a food source, it was indispensable for survival.
11. Though not a food source, this creature was important as a pack-animal. Another species of this creature roams the arid areas of the Middle East and North Africa.

A03_HGS-An Age of Exchange and Encouter 500 – 1500 (Ch.12 – Ch.15)

A03_HGS-An Age of Exchange and Encounter 500 to 1500 CE (Ch.12 – Ch.15)

Purpose

Along with class lessons and activities, these assignments for Ch.12 – Ch.15 will help us address these essential questions…

• How did the development of kingdoms and empires in East Asia help spread religions, culture, trade, and technological innovations?
• What political and economic systems emerged in the Middle Ages and how was the Church a unifying force?
• What religious, economic, and political events led to the development of Western Europe?
• How did early African societies develop from hunting-gathering groups into empires?

Themes

• Religious & Ethical Systems
• Empire Building
• Cultural Interaction
• Power & Authority
• Economics
• Interaction with the Environment

Given

Use the World History: Patterns of Interaction (POI) textbook to complete the assignment below.
Refer to the course calendar to acquire due dates and other instructions.

Task

We will be using a Cornell Notes Template to gather notes from assigned readings. If you would like a quick introduction to the method, please read ‘Student Note-Taking’ under the ‘Admin’ tab in the upper-left menu bar.

The notes you compile (as Cornell Notes) from your reading will augment your class notes and the Auxiliary Notes provided by Mr.V. You are being provided with a list of ‘Key’ vocabulary from each section of the chapter to help you focus and compile notes efficiently. Your notes should focus on the historical significance of the vocabulary term.

These notes are your “Homework” assignments. They must be uploaded as a PDF file to the ‘Assignments’ folder in our shared Dropbox folder. The files are due in Dropbox before the class period on the due date indicated in the course calendar.

The vocabulary listed below are divided into their respective sections. Your notes should be compiled for each section and submitted as separate assignments.

Example: Your first reading assignment will cover A03c Section01. We label the file that your assignment is in as  A03cS01 (Assignment Unit03, c = chapter 12, Section01). Therefore, for this first chapter, you have five separate sections to submit into your Dropbox ‘Assignments’ folder in Cornell Notes format.

Label each submitted file in the format 2-digit Pd#_LastNameFirstName-A03cSection# (Example: 09_SmithJohn-A03cS01). In this example 9th period student, John Smith, submitted his Cornell Notes for A03cS01. Remember, when labeling files, an ‘O’ is NOT a Zero ‘0’. ‘O’ is a letter and Zero ‘0’ is a number.

When submitting this assignment as a digital file, be sure to follow these steps:
-If you hand-wrote the assignment, scan the paper and convert to a digital file (PDF).
-If you are typing, convert the file into a PDF file using the same program you typed with.

A03c (Ch12)
Empires In East Asia (600 to 1350 CE)

Terms, Names, Phrases

Section01

-Tang Taizong
-Wu Zhao
-Movable Type
-Gentry

Section02

-Pastoralist
-Clan
-Genghis Khan (Chinggis San)
-Pax Mongolica

Section03

-Kublai Khan
-Marco Polo

Section4

-Shinto
-Samurai
-Bushido
-Shogun

Section05

-Khmer Empire
-Angkor Wat
-Koryu Dynasty

A03d (Ch.13)
European Middle Ages 500 – 1500 CE

Terms, Names, Phrases

Section01

-Middle Ages
-Franks
-Monastery
-Secular
-Carolingian Dynasty
-Charlemagne

Section02

-Lord
-Fief
-Vassal
-Knight
-Serf
-Manor
-Tithe

Section03

-Chivalry
-Tournament
-Troubadour

Section04

-Clergy
-Sacrament
-Canon law
-Holy Roman Empire
-Lay Investiture

A03e (Ch.14)
The Formation of Western Europe 800 – 1500 CE

Terms, Names, Phrases

Section01

-Simony
-Gothic
-Urban II
-Crusade
-Saladin
-Richard I (the Lion-Hearted)
-Reconquista
-Inquisition

Section02

-Three-field system
-Guild
-Commercial Revolution
-Burgher
-Vernacular
-Thomas Aquinas
-Scholasticism (Scholastics)

Section03

-William the Conqueror
-Henry II
-Common law
-Magna Carta
-Parliament
-Hugh Capet
-Philip II
-Estates-General

Section04

-Avignon
-Great Schism
-John Wycliffe
-Jan Hus
-Bubonic plague
-Hundred Years’ War
-Joan of Arc

A03f (Ch15)
Societies and Empires of Africa – 800 to 1500 CE

Terms, Names, Phrases

Section01

-Patrilineal/ Matrilineal

Section02

-Ghana
-Mali
-Mansa Musa
-Ibn Battuta
-Songhai

Section03

-Swahili

P02d_MM02d- African Civilizations 1500 BCE – 700 CE

Proj02d_MM02d- African Civilization (1500 BCE – 700 CE)

While we were away in Rome and Constantinople, the African continent was still practicing it’s ancient role as a nurturer of unique cultures and civilizations. The continent’s natural resources will create the conditions for civilizations to develop. While its geographic diversity will shape many societies particularly as they intermingle and culturally diffuse.

I. Purpose: To explore the diversity and development of Africa’s societies within it’s distinct geographic zones.

II. Given:

A. Three societies will be investigated:
-Nok
-Bantu
-Kingdom of Aksum (Axum)

B. Five (5) ‘Areas of Study’ will guide our investigation within each society. For each of our societies, your group must select three (3) of the items below to further investigate. It doesn’t matter which items you select for each of the three societies listed above, as long as one of those items is Context.

-Context: Time, Place, Circumstance.
-Migration
-Commerce
-Religion
-Innovation/ Accomplishment

All class groups should organize themselves accordingly and employ Mindmeister to complete the task.

Consider: Who?, What?, Where?, When?, Why?, How? questions.

B. The due date is Sunday, 15 Jan., but refer to the course calendar to be certain that changes have not been made.

III. Task:
Your group is tasked to create a Mindmap rich in content that will reveal to any viewer how African peoples and the societies they developed were a continuation of the continents ancient role as incubator for unique/ diverse cultures and advanced civilizations.

Label the Central Idea: Pd#_African Peoples and Civilizations 1500 BCE to 700 CE-Grp# (Ex.: 08_ African Peoples and Civilizations 1500 BCE to 700 CE-03. Which means Period 8, assigned the African Peoples and Civilizations 1500 BCE to 700 CE, and Group #3. In addition, ensure that the same title appears in the map’s profile. That profile can be accessed via an icon (letter ‘I’ within a circle) appearing in the upper-left corner of your Mindmap screen.

Citations, links, assign tasks, etc. in accord with previous projects. Images/ graphics should be used judiciously. Avoid inclusion if the image does not contribute relevant and substantive content. Examples of poor image choices would include historical figures. Examples of good image choices would include maps, charts, tools, etc. with an explanation of it’s historic value.

IV. Evaluation
These instructions provide you with guidance, but your experience should shape your final product. Previous standards remain in force.

Sources & Resources: I encourage you to seek out additional sources for a deeper contextual understanding of the topic. Here are some to start you off.

World History: Patterns of Interaction. (published by Holt-McDougall, 2012)

Mr.V’s Course Website Resources

Footnotes: NA

Pr02a_Ancient Greece’s Environment (Slide by Slide Description)

To view the presentation that accompanies the slide descriptions below, please navigate to Pr02a_Ancient Greece’s Environment

(Cover) Slide #1: The Parthenon

Slide #2: Satellite image with the section of interest encircled in the Mediterranean Sea.

Slide #3: Closeup image of the area in the previous slide. Take note of the mountainous terrain, numerous islands (archipelago), and the two peninsulas that makeup the southern area of the Balkans, where Greece resides. These topographical conditions will influence the development of any people who decide to reside there.

Slide #4: Let’s Make a Prediction. By analyzing the previous map for terrain features, relative location to other land masses, and climate you may be able to predict one or more traits for any societies that ultimately develop there. Discuss this with your class neighbor and see what you can agree on.

Slide #5 & #6: This area has been a terminus for migrations and travelers. Peoples have entered the area from the South (Crete, Egypt), East (Asia Minor), and the North (Europe). The Mycenaeans may be the descendants of Indo-European migrations into Europe. The area was a “melting pot” of cultures.

We’ve spoken a bit about the Greek Dark Age before. It appears that the Dark Age period coincided with the arrival of the Dorians; a nomadic people with a lifestyle centered around warfare (Chariots being an important part).

The map on slide #6 shows key features: two peninsulas that makeup the heart of Greece, key city-states, and the Greater Greek world of the Aegean Sea basin.

Slide #7: Here we see a ruin from the island of Crete. This is a colorful remnant of a palace that most-likely belonged to the King of the Minoan civilization. The Minoans proximity to the Greek islands and Ancient Egypt allowed them to be a middleman in the exchange of ideas between the three civilizations. This and the following images depict traits of Minoan culture that the Greeks adapt later on, but many others may have been previously influenced or introduced from Egypt by way of Crete.

Slide #8: The Minoans were among the earliest of civilizations in the Mediterranean. Outside of Mesopotamia, they have developed one of the earliest languages in the region. Being relegated to an island, it makes sense that they will depend on the sea for travel and trade. The wealth that sea commerce generated funded a rich tradition in the arts. Here we see an amphitheater carved-out of the rocky ground.

Slide #9: Sports played an important-enough role in daily life that it was preserved in this wall painting (Pugilists => Boxers). Notice that the contestants are naked.

Slide #10: This mountain image is a reminder that the region is geologically active. The forces that produce mountains and the same that cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It’s highly likely that the Minoan civilization came to quick end from a cataclysmic natural event.

Slide #11: An aerial image of Mycenae showing the city as a fortified area (Walls with ramparts). The mountain serves to protect the side of the city. The mountainous conditions of the Greek archipelago suited the establishment of City-States, like in Mesopotamia. Mountains make communication difficult and hemmed people into small tightly-packed spaces. Of course, the numerous islands that comprise the archipelago helped with that as well.

Slide #12: Mycenaean tunnel. Notice the early ‘arch’ design forming the tunnel roof. The arch was a very important architectural development. Granted, this triangular arch will be overshadowed by the innovative ‘curved arch’ many centuries later. But, it is a start.

Slide #13: Athens and its acropolis (political and cultural center of an ancient city. Often marked by many stone buildings). Notice the Amphitheatre in the foreground? This is physical evidence of the Greek theatrical arts.

Slide #14: Greek vase depicting a maritime scene.

Slide #15: An artist rendition of a Greek merchant vessel. Square sails were the norm in the ancient European world.

Slide #16: A cross-section of the previous vessel. Notice the absence of a prominent keel.

Slide #17: Amphorae. Clay vessels commonly used in the Mediterranean during the classical period. They would carry olive oil, wine, and grain. They were shaped like this because they were inserted into slots on shelves in the ships. Proper loading of these amphorae were important in keeping the ship stable in the water. Improperly loaded cargo can capsize the merchant vessel.

Slide #18 – 22: Sources and outline maps

AN02a_New Directions in Government and Society- Ancient Greece’s Environment (Ch.05)

AN02a_New Directions in Government and Society- Ancient Greece’s Environment (Ch.05)

Timeline: 20th C. – 4th C. BCE
FQ: How did Greece’s geography contribute to the foundation of a unique civilization?

Main Idea:

Like many (great) civilized societies, before and since, the ancient Greeks were impacted by the conditions under which they lived and worked (context). The roots of Greek culture can be traced to the interaction of the Mycenaean, Minoan, and Dorian cultures. Interaction among these cultures, a unique environment, and the circumstances of daily life shaped what was to become the seed of ‘Western’ civilization.

I. Context

A. Time = 20th C.- 5th C. BCE

B. Place = Balkans, Peloponnese peninsula, ~ area of modern Greece.

C. Why Important? = Impact on Western world.
“Western” refers to those cultures that are significantly influenced by the civilization of ancient Greece and Rome. Among Western societies today, we would include much of Europe, portions of the Mediterranean basin, the Americas, and Australia, among others.

II. Geography
A. Seafaring People (Easy Access to Water)

1. Maritime Fleet Develops.
2. Communication expands beyond Greek lands.
3. External Commerce Thrives.
4. Military Expansion is Possible.

B. Mountains keep Greeks Divided

1. Many politically independent City-States.
2. Limited arable land can only support relatively small population densities.

C. Moderate Climate

1. Increased Outdoors Activities
2. Increased interpersonal communication and interaction.
3. Public/ Civic life is immensely important.

D. Lack of Mineral and Agricultural Resources

Resources:
* World History: Patterns of Interaction, Ch.05. (Published by Holt-McDougal)
* Student Maps
* Pr02a_Ancient Greece’s Environment
Pr02a_Ancient Greece’s Environment (Slide by Slide description)

 

FilmQ01b2_Beginnings of Civilization: River Valley Civilizations (Ancient Egypt: The Gift Of The Nile)

Timeline: 4th-2nd Millennium BCE (Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age)
FQ: How did environment and religion permeate ancient Egyptian daily routines?

Main Idea
Much of what remains of ancient Egypt is dripping with religious significance. Is it possible that this society placed so much emphasis on the importance of faith that it dedicated huge quantities of resources and human labor to ensure that traces of its faith was preserved for all eternity? Themes addressed in this lesson (geography, political systems, and culture) will remain important when studying the river valley societies of Mesopotamia, the Indus, and the Huang He.

I: The Nile River
A. Ancient Egypt was referred to by Herodotus as “the gift of the Nile”. How would you describe the Nile’s importance to Egypt based on this reference? Be prepared to offer evidence in support of this description.

B1. News accounts of a flood often instills a sense of sadness because of the loss of life and property damage that may result. Why was the flooding of the Nile river rarely viewed in such a manner?

B2. Didn’t people living along the banks lose their homes?

B3. Unlike the Tigris-Euphrates rivers, the Nile observed a natural ‘routine’ that contributed to Egyptian civilization. Identify this special characteristic. Ponder how it contributed to the greatness of Ancient Egyptian civilization. (1)

C. What do the terms ‘Upper’ and ‘Lower’ Egypt refer to?

II: Kingship (Monarchy) (2)
A. The Narmer Palette is an artifact that helped archaeologists (Egyptologists) reveal ‘secrets’ of the Egyptian view of Kingship. (3)

How did the palette’s images offer an account of the formation of an Egyptian kingdom we’ve come to know?

B. Recent archaeological finds notwithstanding, there is a record of 31 Egyptian dynasties that spanned ~3000 years. Identify the three chronological divisions historians use to categorize these dynasties. (3)

III: Pyramids & the Passage into Eternity
A. All ancient Egyptians are believed to have adhered to a universal concept. The concept explains how all things coexist in a ‘harmonious order’. Identify the term used to represent this concept.

B. How might you explain the divinity of the Pharaoh? How did this monarch acquire that trait?

C. Which concern may have contributed to the use of pyramids as tombs and then their eventual abandonment? (4)

D. Why were tombs filled with valuables and supply of daily necessities if the monarch was dead?

E1. Describe what the Ka is and its role in Egyptian religious beliefs.

E2. What are the requirements to keep the Ka from being ‘lost’.

E3. Why would the need for mummification be a logical ‘parallel belief’ in an Egyptian faith that holds the concept of ‘Ka’ and ‘Maat’ as important? (5)

E4. By the 16th C. Egyptian mummies became targets of looters. How did looters reap wealth by desecrating these corpses? (6)

F. How did a stone pyramid evolve from a single mud-brick Mastaba? (7)

G. Why were the tombs in the Valley of the Kings as appropriate as tombs placed in pyramids?
——————————————————————————————————–

Vocabulary
1. Ponder: To think about and consider the importance of a thing or idea.
2. Kingship: That which makes one a king. Qualities or roles that is befitting a monarch.
3. Within the decade of the 1990s, archaeological finds in Egypt indicate that there may have been a king (Pharaoh) of a unified Egypt that predates Narmer.
4. By familiarizing yourself with the ancient Egyptian creation myth (Ex.: Atum), you’ll be introduced to the significance of the ‘pyramidal shape’ as a divine symbol.
5. The myth of Osirus is an example of how myths answer questions concerning matters lost to time.
6. Looter: In this context, anyone who enters a tomb (‘breaking in’) for the purpose of stealing items of material or spiritual value.
7. Mastaba: Arabic for ‘Step’ or ‘Bench’.

Resources
● Handouts: Stars Said to Tell Age of Pyramids and assorted myths.
● PBS Video: PYRAMID, hosted by David Macaulay. ©1988. A Unicorn Projects, Inc. Production. [~30 min. for edited version]

AN01b4_Beginnings of Civilization- River Dynasties in China (Ch.02)

Timeline: 3rd – 1st Millennium BCE (covers the years ~3000 – 250 BCE)

FS: River Dynasties in China- From Legendary Chinese Dynasties to the Foundation of Modern Civilized Life.

Main Idea
China’s modern dynastic history, as we have come to understand it, begins with the Qin. However, there is a uniform cultural thread that had its origins before the Qin and continues to this very day. The origins of Chinese civilization and culture bring us to the Huang He river valley and the ‘legendary’ dynasties.

The three legendary dynasties contribute and refine the elements of Chinese civilization to produce what could arguably be labeled as the longest-lasting, continuous, civilized society.

I. Overcoming and Exploiting Environmental Conditions

The peoples of the Huang He river settlements are believed to be the ancestors of the Han. The Han have traditionally been the largest ethnic group within the area of historical China (which lies in the Northeast of modern China, centered on the North China Plain).

A form of kingship develops here with striking similarities (and differences) to that which developed in Egypt.

A. Challenges

1. Topography
Significant topographic barriers and distance lie between the early peoples of the Huang He river valley and other ancient civilizations (Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Indus Valley). The Huang He peoples were in a position to cultivate a civilization with distinct characteristics fostered by the topographic barriers that surrounded them: Tibetan Plateau and Taklamakan desert are to the West; Gobi desert and Mongolian Plateau are to the North; Himalayan mountain range and the South China sea lie to the South; and The Yellow and East China seas are to the East. This condition meant that trade was largely restricted to the region. Also, while daunting, these topographic barriers were not impenetrable. Outsiders did enter the region and people could similarly leave it.

2. River Systems
Three river systems that roughly parallel each other (West-East). The Huang He, while literally meaning “Yellow River” (1), had also acquired the label as “China’s Sorrow”. The second is the Chang Jiang (Yangtze River) and the third is the Xi Jiang.

B. Benefits

A significant portion of China’s arable land falls within the area between the Huang He and Chang Jiang. This area, the North China Plain, is the heartland of Chinese civilization. It remained the center of Chinese civilization for most of it’s dynastic history.

II. The Legendary Dynasties (2)

A. The earliest civilized society coming from the settlements of the Huang He peoples was the Xia Dynasty (~2000 BCE)

1. Located on banks of Huang He
2. Built Irrigation systems
3. Limited number of artifacts recovered.

B. Shang Dynasty (~1700 – 1027 BCE)

1. Walled Cities
2. Indications that government had access to huge labor force.
3. Frequent warfare increases need for professional soldiers (ie. Chariot training).
4. Foundation of Chinese Cultural Values Emerge
5. Self-identification as “Middle Kingdom”
6. ‘Family’ is society’s building block.
7. Male-dominant social values.
8. Social classes divided into an aristocracy (Warrior-Nobles) and peasantry (Farmers). Relationship between the aristocracy and the Shang king was Feudal (3) in nature.
9. Filial Piety (4) and Oracle Bones. (5)
10. Development of a written language. Did not reflect the variety of spoken languages; many who could not communicate orally could still communicate in writing.

C. Zhou Dynasty (~1027 – 256 BCE)

1. Adopted many cultural traits of the Shang
2. Justification for their conquest of the Shang contributed to the view of the “Mandate of Heaven”.
3. Loss of the Mandate of Heaven triggers the Dynastic Cycle.
4. A larger territory leads the Zhou to depend on an increasingly rigid feudal system for control.
5. Technological and Commercial Expansion
6. Road and Canal Construction.
7. ‘Coin’ as a medium of exchange.
8. Iron-producing furnaces.

III. A New (Violent) Era Emerges

Under the Zhou’s feudal system, local land-owning nobles (lords) became increasingly independent of the ruler. In addition, the lords became increasingly antagonistic towards each other. As the productivity of land contributed to the wealth of the lord, neighboring lords would covet the land of another.

Weakening the Zhou further were the raids conducted by northern and western peoples. Relocating the capital city (near the banks of the Huang He) did nothing to prolong the dynasty. Chinese territory shattered into competing kingdoms led by warlords/ local kings. “The Warring States Period” had begun.

Footnotes
1. “Yellow” meaning the color of the silt carried by the river. “Sorrow” because of the devastating floods.
2. ‘Legendary’ because of their ancient historical setting and separation from modern Chinese dynastic history which was 3rd C BCE – 20th C. CE.
3. Dependent on land ownership. Tribute went from noble to king in return for the privilege of local control.
4. Reverence for ancestors by offering prayer and respect to ancestral spirits.
5. A method of communication with the divine. Requires heating of animal bone or tortoise shell then interpreting the resulting cracks.

Resources
– World History: Patterns of Interaction
– CONVERT PREZI TO A SLIDE PRESENTATION IF BENEFICIAL
– Watch a “Prezi” presentation for this lesson at
– Pr01b4

AN01b3_Beginnings of Civilization- Indus Valley (Ch.02)

Timeline: 3rd Millennium – 2nd Millennium BCE (~2300 – 1750 BCE)
FS: Evidence of Planned Cities found on the Indus River

Main Idea
Of the great river valley civilizations from antiquity, the Indus Valley people (Harappans) may represent the most prosperous and developed. If we accept the remains of cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro as examples of what these people could do, then they may have reached a level of development that neither Mesopotamia nor ancient Egypt witnessed.

The geologic record shows that the rise and fall of the civilization was influenced by the environment, as has its cultural heritage. Topographic features that might usually be viewed as obstacles, suggest an isolated region. Yet, history presents a long list of invaders that worked their way through the Indus valley. If you add the impact of the Monsoons, you are left with many challenges for a society to address.

I. Achievements

A. Structured, Well-Planned Cities

1. Grid layout of streets
2. Multi-storied structures constructed of uniformly-shaped (baked) brick.
3. Municipal water management: sewage, indoor pipes.

B. Environmental Interaction

1. Earthen works (levees, walls) to control river water: flood control, irrigation.
2. River aided transportation, commerce, and provided raw materials.

II. Challenges

A. Environment

1. Topographic obstacles may have impeded expansion and travel, though evidence of extensive communications with areas as distant as Mesopotamia abound. Ex.: Thar Desert in the Northwest.
2. Mountains from the Northwest to the Northeast.
3. Geologically active area. River course may have reversed according to the archaeological record due to a massive earthquake.
4. Monsoon winds reverse direction from Winter to Summer. Alternating Dry – Wet seasons with unpredictable severity.

B. Foreign Invaders
Despite the mountainous terrain in the northwest, the Indian subcontinent has had a history full of foreigners entering through this sector.

Facilitating that advance are mountain passes. These passes are gaps that act as corridors within the mountain range. One well-known pass is called the “Khyber Pass”.

Then, as now, these passes have permitted mountain herders and armies to move between the Asian continent and the Indian subcontinent.

The list of foreign invaders of the Indian subcontinent reads like a list of “Who’s Who of the Ancient World”. Among these, we would include:

1. Aryans: A nomadic Indo-European language group migrated into this area ~1500 BCE. Historians have revealed that the earliest elements of the Hindu faith were contributed by this group. Other findings suggest they lacked a written language and introduced wartime machines (ie. Chariot) to the region.
2. Persians: The armies of Darius I enter the subcontinent in the 6th C. BCE. They remain in control of the northwest sector for ~200 years.
3. Macedonians: In the late 4th C. BCE, the combined Macedonian-Greek armies of Alexander the Great enter the subcontinent. Unlike the Persians, who Alexander conquers, the Macedonians move further East within the Indo-Gangetic plain. ‘Western’ contact with peoples of the northern plain contributes to the rise of an Indian empire that succeeds the Macedonians after Alexander’s death.

C. Where to Escape to?
The archaeological record indicates that the Indus Valley people abandoned their cities. Where could they have gone as the challenges mounted? (Assuming, of course, that they simply did not disappear)

Resources
– Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 6 Dec. 07
– World History: Patterns of Interaction
– Deciphering the Indus Language.
– Collapse of the Indus Valley Civilizations Explained May 2012
– Pr01b3

Pr01b1_City-States Rise in Mesopotamia (Text-based narration)

Pr01b1_City-States Rise in Mesopotamia (Text-based narration)

To pair the following narration with the relevant slides in Pr01b1 (presentation), setup your screen so that half the screen shows this narration and the other half shows the presentation. Please help your classmates who may not know how to do this.

Introduction: The journey of Neolithic man brought him to many points in the Eastern hemisphere. However, the Tigris-Euphrates was one of several regions that sustained conditions that would change Neolithic Man’s lifestyle forever. This region became the cradle for the Mesopotamian civilizations.

NOTE: We are using the Ancient Egyptian civilization as our case study. You should be able to identify many of the foundational elements of a civilized society in this region (Mesopotamia) that were also evident in Ancient Egypt. Like myths, many common forces (natural and artificial) produce similar societal responses.

Slide 01: Cover slide of presentation. An artist’s rendition of a Ziggurat.

Slide 02: A composite satellite image of the world. The region of Mesopotamia is highlighted.

Slide 03: Closeup Satellite image of the region.

Slide 04: The same image as the last slide. However, some annotations are included. Be sure your personal map of the region shows this data.

Slide 05: This slide has the name of many of the towns/ cities that currently exist in this region. You can see that the region is heavily inhabited in the areas around the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers. The desert areas have a low population density.

Slide 06: The satellite image is annotated with the names of city-states during the birth of the first civilizations. The area encircled in the South is ‘Sumer’. This area is the homeland of the first Mesopotamian civilization. Thus, it has the oldest city-states.

City-States become the preferred political organization partially because the environment does not ‘encourage’ unity between distant settlements. The city-state of Ur, in Sumer, is one of the most famous from this period. That city has a rich archaeological/ biblical background.

The terrain that dominates Sumer is flat and subject to unpredictable flooding. The flat, open terrain also doesn’t do much to block possible invaders. The surrounding desert, however, does offer some buffer.

Over time, the Sumerian civilization diffuses North along the Tigris-Euphrates and influences future city-states. Among those future city-states we must include Babylon and Nineveh.

Slide 07: An aerial view of an archaeological site showing the remains of a Ziggurat. Much of Mesopotamia falls within the borders of modern-day Iraq. A Ziggurat is a typical large scale monument that has become a hallmark of all civilizations since Sumer. Think of Ancient Egypt and the United States. Large monuments become legacies of civilizations.

Slide 08:  A compilation of images (artist renditions, dioramas, US Soldiers in Iraq climbing the steps of a Ziggurat).

Slide 09: Babylon, further North of Sumer, develops much later than the city-states of Sumer. However, it becomes one of the first civilizations to attempt the building of an empire. Empire building is difficult because of the vast distances within the borders of the empire as well as the different cultures that the empire now rules over. In response to these new challenges, legal codes (codes of conduct) were developed. The most famous and earliest of these was Hammurabi’s Code. In this slide you see that King Hammurabi chose to inscribe the code on stone stelae. Then he scattered the stelae throughout the Babylonian Empire.

Slide 10:  A list of Semitic languages that came from Mesopotamia.

Slide 11: The Mesopotamian Family Tree. Remember, Sumer is the ‘Mother’ civilization of Mesopotamia. It influenced all the others that came later. Sumerians were Mesopotamian. But, not all Mesopotamians were Sumerian.

Slide 12: Another image of a stone Stelae with Hammurabi’s Code inscribed on it.