Ancient Italy: Geography, Etruscans and Roman Republic

• The Italian Peninsula resembles a boot and has many mountains.
• The Po River is in the north, and the Tiber River is in the center, providing fertile land for farming.
• The Greek built more than 50 city-states, influencing local culture by introducing grapes, olives, stone construction, and the Greek alphabet which became the Latin language.
• The Etruscans settled in northern Italy around 800 B.C.
• The Etruscans conquered the Latin people in central Italy.
• Etruscan rule led to the development of Rome from a Latin village after marshes were drained.
• Etruscan kings were often cruel, leading to a Roman rebellion and the establishment of a republic.
• The republic's government was similar to Athens, with citizens voting on issues.
• Rome established an indirect democracy where representatives were elected.

Roman Society

• Society was divided into patricians (wealthy elites) and plebeians (common people).
• Initially, only patricians could hold political office.
• Plebeians were excluded from the Roman Senate.
• Between 494 and 287 BCE, plebeians gained access to new political offices, including consulship.

Early Roman Government

• Dictators were leaders with absolute power, appointed for only six months during wartime.
• Consuls held the power of a king, but only for one year.
• The Senate (300 men) advised the consuls and could appoint a dictator during war.
• Tribunes represented the plebeians and advocated for their rights and law changes.

Roman Citizens

• Citizens were divided into patricians (wealthy landowners) and plebeians (farmers and commoners).

Early Roman Constitution

• The Roman Republic had no written constitution.
• It was a set of guidelines and principals passed down and it established separate branches of government with checks and balances.

Ancient Roman Jobs

• Rome's complex society required various job functions and skills.
• Farmers grew wheat, the main crop for bread.
• Soldiers were needed for the large Roman Army, and service provided wages and land.
• Merchants traded items throughout the empire, contributing to its wealth.
• Craftsmen produced goods from dishes to jewelry, often as slaves in large workshops.

Early Roman Economy

• Rome's economy was based on labor-intensive agriculture.
• Wealthy Romans bought bankrupt farms during wars, creating large estates called latifundia.
• Owners of latifundia switched to high-value crops like olives and grapes.

Life in the Roman Republic

• The father was the head of the Roman household with unquestioned authority.
• Family possessions belonged to the father, and were inherited by the oldest son.
• Women cared for the home and children.
• Poor families had wives working in shops or fields.
• Patrician boys and girls went to school together.
• Girls typically married by 13, while boys stayed in school longer and married around 20.

Punic Wars

• After 23 years, Rome won the first Punic War.
• In 218 B.C., Hannibal led an army with elephants across the Alps, surprising the Romans.
• The Romans attacked Carthage forcing Hannibal to return home.
• Rome won the second Punic War in 202 B.C.
• The third Punic War began in 149 B.C., resulting in the destruction of Carthage by Roman forces.
• The first Punic war (264-241 B.C.) to the taking for the Mediterranean Sea.
• Roman soldiers and warships attached Carthage.
• The second Punic war (218-201 B.C.) to the control of the Mediterranean Sea, Carthage against agreement resulting from the Second Punic War.
• The third Punic war to the control of lands in Spain.
• The results to war Romans won war Sicily

Early China

• Chinese civilization developed along the Huang He River by 1750 B.C.
• China's physical features included the Pacific Ocean to the east, and deserts and mountains surrounding the rest.
• Early Chinese people were isolated and unaware of the Egyptians and Sumerians.
• Like the Egyptians and Sumerians, they learned to use the river to help them.
• The Huang He River provided water for crops and fertile soil, in addition to forming pottery and constructing tools, containers, and decorative objects out of Bronze.

First Cities

• The earliest Chinese cities were Yangshao & Longshan along the Huang He River.
• The Huang He River often flooded, washing away villages, giving it the name "China's sorrow."
• Yangshao people used local clay to make red pottery.
• The Longshan lived farther down the river, with used different type of clay and known for the black pottery.

Shang Civilization

• The Shang civilization was more advanced than Yangshao and Longshan, formed around 1750 B.C.
• Tang was the first leader of the Shang dynasty.
• They created bronze objects, including cooking pots and wine containers, along with tools and weapons.
• The Shang grew wheat and millet and raised pigs, sheep, and other animals.
• They developed picture writing with thousands of symbols, used to tell the future.
• Kings were buried with items they might need in the next life.

Zhou Dynasty

• The Zhou Dynasty stayed in control for 200 years.
• The people believed their gods put the family in charged and held the power, it was called MANDATE OF HEAVEN.
• Zhou rulers acted as if all the land belonged to them, giving land to relatives/army leaders.
• The Zhou created many small kingdoms that obeyed Zhou king.
• These kingdoms had to pay money to the king and provide solders.
• In 771 B.C., the Zhou lost the Mandate of Heaven.
• Leaders in the little kingdoms didn't liked the harsh rule of the Zhou.
• Because of the wars, angered people and outside invaded, the took the land and killed their king.