Ancient China & Medieval Europe History PDF

Ancient China #### Physical Features of Ancient Society - **Rivers/Seas**: Clean water, fertile soil, fishing integrated into culture, maritime exploration. - **Mountains**: Strategic military advantage, trade in valuable stones, religious significance. #### Role of Key Groups in Society - **Law &...

Ancient China #### Physical Features of Ancient Society - **Rivers/Seas**: Clean water, fertile soil, fishing integrated into culture, maritime exploration. - **Mountains**: Strategic military advantage, trade in valuable stones, religious significance. #### Role of Key Groups in Society - **Law & Religion**: - **Legalism**: Strict laws, harsh punishments. - **Confucianism**: Moral integrity, social harmony in governance. - **Daoism & Buddhism**: Emphasized harmony with nature and compassion. - **Social Structure**: Dynasty-led; emperor (head of state) passed power hereditarily, ruled with mandate of heaven. - **Classes**: Shi (scholars), Nong (peasants), Gong (artisans), Shang (merchants), with distinct roles and statuses. #### Everyday Life - **Men**: Farmers in simple homes, working fields. - **Women**: Subservient; various roles; foot-binding ritual. - **Children**: Gendered education; boys prepared for scholarly paths while girls were trained in domestic skills. #### Warfare & Customs - **Internal Conflicts**: Peasant rebellions, strict laws led to dissent. - **External Conflicts**: Expansionist campaigns (e.g. Han dynasty), reluctance towards warfare influenced by Confucian ideals. - **Death Customs**: Believed in afterlife, required offerings in graves. #### Contacts & Consequences - **Silk Road**: Crucial trade route; cultural diffusion, increased wealth. - **Cultural Legacies**: Inventions (paper, silk, etc.), art (porcelain, architecture). #### Significant Individual - **Qin Shi Huang Di**: Unified China, standardized laws, measures, and currency, initiated significant building projects (Great Wall, Terracotta Army), and repressive measures against dissent. Medieval Europe #### Way of Life - **Feudal System**: Land exchanged for loyalty and military service, creating a strict hierarchy: Kings, Nobles, Knights, Peasants. - **Kings**: Controlled land, maintained peace. - **Nobles**: Landowners who wielded significant power and control. - **Knights**: Provided security, participated in tournaments, became less central with warfare advancements. #### Everyday Life - **Men**: Farmed or crafted based on social status. - **Women**: Managed households; noblewomen oversaw estates. - **Children**: Boys learned trades; girls focused on domestic responsibilities; high mortality rates. #### Notable Developments - **Crusades**: Increased cultural exchange. - **Architecture**: Large cathedrals and castles built for protection. - **Crime & Punishment**: Harsh penalties, public shaming, inconsistent legal application. Spanish Conquest of the Americas #### Pre-Columbian Life - **Social Structure**: Nobility (emperor, city rulers), commoners (farmers, artisans), and slaves (not hereditary; had some rights). - **Military**: Central to society; Jaguar and Eagle Warriors held elite status. - **City Life**: Nobles lived in luxury, managed land, while commoners focused on agriculture and craftsmanship. #### Beliefs & Religion - **Cosmology**: Worship of numerous gods (e.g., Huitzilopochtli for war), emphasized rituals and sacrifices to maintain cosmic balance. - **Temples**: Central to religious life; sacrifices viewed as essential for survival.