Early Civilizations - 6 Criteria

Cities: Mohenjo Daro and Harappa

Water: Indus River and Arabian Sea

• Egyptians

• Israelities

• Indus Valley

• Shang and Zhou

• Olmec

Cities: Jerusalem, Gaza, and Lachish

Water: Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea

• Olmec

• Shang and Zhou

• Indus Valley

• Israelites

• Egyptians

Cities: Memphis, Akhetaten, Abydos, and Thebes

Water: Nile River, Red Sea, and Mediterranean Sea

• Egyptians

• Israelites

• Indus Valley

• Shang and Zhou

• Olmec

Cities: San Lorenzo, LaVenta, Tlatilco, and Etlatongl

Water: Gulf of Mexico

• Olmec

• Shang and Zhou

• Indus Valley

• Israelites

• Egyptians

Cities: Changan (Xi’an), Luoyang, Anyang

Water: Huang He (Yellow River) and Yellow Sea

• Egyptians

• Israelites

• Indus Valley

• Shang and Zhou

• Olmec

Gov't: King

• Egyptians

• Israelites

• Indus Valley

• Shang and Zhou

• Olmec

Gov't: Bureaucracy (Old Kingdom); Kingship/pharaoh = divine institution/absolute power

• Olmec

• Shang and Zhou

• Indus Valley

• Israelites

• Egyptians

Gov't: Divine assistance

• Egyptians

• Israelites

• Indus Valley

• Shang and Zhou

• Olmec

Gov't: Aristocracy – wealthy landowners rule

• Olmec

• Shang and Zhou

• Indus Valley

• Israelites

• Egyptians

Gov't - No one person ruled alone. Priests and religious leaders also were thought to have had a high position in the gov’t (strong ties between gov’t and religion)

• Egyptians

• Israelites

• Indus Valley

• Shang and Zhou

• Olmec