The Beginnings of Civilization

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The Beginnings of Civilization

• The Neolithic Period, 9,000 5,000 BCE
• Fertile Crescent (Tigris and Euphrates Rivers)
• Indian subcontinent (Indus River Valley)
• China (Yellow and Yangtze River valleys)

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Early Cultures

• Hoabinhian Culture
• 8,000 BCE, perhaps much earlier
• Northern Vietnam
• Peiligang Culture
• 7,000 BCE 5,000 BCE
• Central-northern and Northwestern China

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Early Cultures

• Hoabinhian Culture
• Peiligang Culture
• Yangshao (Painted Pottery) Culture
• 5,000 BCE 2,000 BCE
• Banpo site
• Longshan (Black Pottery) Culture
• 3,000 BCE 2,000 BCE
• First cities
• Bronze
• Oracle bones

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Early Cultures

• Hoabinhian Culture
• Peiligang Culture
• Yangshao (Painted Pottery) Culture
• Longshan (Black Pottery) Culture
• Korea
• Agriculture by 2,000 BCE
• Iron by 200 BCE
• Japan
• Settled 40,000 YA
• Jomon Culture, 10,000 BCE
• Yayoi Period, 300 BCE 250 CE

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The Early Chinese Dynasties

• The Five Emperors
• The Yellow Emperor (Huang Di)
• Xia Dynasty
• First Dynasty, 2,100-1,600 BCE
• Bronze Age

The Yellow Emperor (Huang Di)
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The Early Chinese Dynasties

• The Five Emperors
• The Yellow Emperor (Huang Di)
• Xia Dynasty
• First Dynasty, 2,100-1,600 BCE
• Bronze Age
• Shang Dynasty
• 1,600-1,100 BCE
• Zhou Dynasty
• 1,022-226 BCE
• The Mandate of Heaven

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The Chin (Qin) Dynasty

• 221 BCE 206 BCE
• Emperor Qin Shi Huang

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The Great Wall
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The Terracotta Warriors of Xian
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Han Dynasty, 206 BCE 220 CE

• Liu Bang
• Rule by Merit
• Confucianism (sort of)
• Growing influence of Taoism

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Han Dynasty, 206 BCE 220 CE
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Han Dynasty, 206 BCE 220 CE

• Liu Bang
• Rule by Merit
• Confucianism
• Impressive achievements
• Population growth
• Culture
• Technology

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Han Dynasty, 206 BCE 220 CE

• Liu Bang
• Rule by merit
• Confucianism
• Impressive achievements
• Population growth
• Culture
• Technology
• Wu Di, 141 87 BCE
• Decline
• Environmental pressures
• Political corruption
• Oppression of the peasants
• Yellow Turban Rebellion, 184 - 205 CE
• The Period of Disunity, 220 - 581 CE
• Three Kingdoms, 220 280 CE

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Sui Dynasty, 581-618

• China Reunified
• Similar to the Chin Dynasty

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Tang Dynasty, 618-907

• Prosperity and Urbanization
• Golden Age 710 - 755
• Rise of Buddhism
• Political developments
• New administrative system
• Tax Code
• Only female empress, Tse-tien, 690-705
• Increasing political chaos

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The Five Dynasties, 907-960

• Political Disunity
• Technological Advances
• Gunpowder
• Paper currency
• Translucent porcelain
• Decline of Buddhism
• Increasing restrictions on women
• Foot-binding

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Song (Sung) Dynasty, 960-1279

• Two periods
• Northern Song (earlier)
• Southern Song (later)
• Political stability
• Technological advances
• Shift from Buddhism toward Confucianism
• Militarily weak

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Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty, 1279-1368

• Genghis Kahn and Kublai Kahn
• Marco Polo, early 14th Century (?)

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Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty, 1279-1368

• Genghis Kahn and Kublai Kahn
• Marco Polo, early 14th Century (?)
• New governmental policies
• Centralized political power
• Mistrust marginalization of native Chinese
• Commerce travel difficult
• An isolated improvised society
• Growing resentment
• Peasant revolts Chu Yuan-chang (Emperor
  Hung-wu), 1356, 1368

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Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644

• Modeled on Han and Tang Dynasties
• Period of rebuilding
• Cultural and Technological advances
• Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, and Novels
• Paper Money
• Rebuilding the Great Wall
• Imperial Palace (Forbidden City), 1406-1421

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Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644

• Overseas trade and exploration
• The eunuch admirals
• Zheng He
• Gavin Menzies, 1421

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How much unity is too much?