Compare and Contrast Classical Greece and Han China Essay

From 600 BCE to 600 CE, known as the classical period, Greece and Han main(prenominal)land China began to develop. These pudding st adepts were extremely grave and successful. However, disdain their success, Greco-Roman Greece and Han China had major similarities and differences in their semipolitical, technological and economic/environmental views. These societies were similar in the feature that they emphasized sure buildings being built, such(prenominal) as urban centers, or universities. Both built administrations to make certain aspects of life easier as well. The Greeks built aqueducts and the Chinese built a transcription of roadstead within their hostelry. They were both besides similar in the fact that both civilizations experienced population growth during the classical period, which led to expansion. Although they had two-fold similarities, these societies had their differences as well.Politically, Greece was non unified they were divided into separate city- states, where as China was unified. Technologically, The Greeks tensenessed more on building up their army and staying strong, turn the Chinese worked on products that could improve their everyday lives, and had less to do with the trade protection of their civilization. Also, they differed economically/environmentally. Greeces main items of trading were grapes and wine, Chinas main export was silk. Although they had many a(prenominal) similarities, innocent Greece and Chinas differences outweighed these similarities.Politically, these societies had major differences. Greece was not unified, and was separated into separate city-states. Each city-state was called a Polis. Each Polis included an urban center and its rural territory, an acropolis, agora, public buildings/establishments and fortified walls. Each Polis was besides strange and different because they developed independently. Things in each Polis such as traditions, economies,religions and political systems were dif ferent. A different person was the ruler of each Polis. Poliss excessively had a different, distinct form of government as well.In Han China, they were not divided China was unified by Shi Huang Di. Since the empire was unified, they were able to focus on bigger and more important political advancements. The entire empire followed Confucian philosophy, which believed that deep down, humans were capable of doing good deeds. They had a regularise currency for trade, which make it easier for trading to take place. The empire even had a Civil Service system which wasnon-existent in Greece.The Civil Service system was put in charge of duties that regulated the rules of order and kept it in balance. They also conducted the Civil Service Exams, which a citizen could take in put together to move up in society. This was Chinas form of amicable mobility. However, these civilizations had slight similarities. Both societies stressed the importance of having certain buildings constructed, s uch as urban centers and universities. These buildings were highly important for these civilizations because they helped the societies carry out the values that were important to them. Urban centers offered a place to meet, while universities were a site where one could go to become more knowledgeable.Technologically, these civilizations were also different. The technologies that they were able to develop or that were important to them was based primarily on their location geographically. In Classical Greece, they foc apply on building up a strong forces base to fend off the surrounding civilizations of Egypt, Persia (Turkey) and Rome. They did this by developing their technologies in things such as ship building, training skilled sailors, and developing their navy blue for trading and fighting. However in Han China, they were far less concerned just about their military/army base because they only had to worry about their roving neighbors They had time to develop technologies s uch as the cross-bow, the first seismograph (the tool that is utilize for predicting earthquakes), they built A LOT of roads, specialized in paper making, and they also popularized silk.The popularization of silk was very important because it was the main product that China used for trade The Chinese even made their paper out of woodwind instrument bark, which is partly how we make ours in like a shots society This shows how technologically advanced Han China really was. Despite these immense differences, Classical Greece and Han China had a few similarities. Both societies built certain systems that made life easier for their society.In Classical Greece, they built aqueducts, which were brick water pipes. These pipes were used to head water throughout the society. In Han China, a system of roads was built. These roads made it easier to transport goods for trade, and had other uses as well. Although the actual technologies may allow been different, the one goal that they shared was similar- to make life easierFrom the economic/environmental point of view, Greece and Han China had some major differences. Geographically, Greece was a peninsula. They had access to many natural harbors, and Han China did not, a dogged the Silk avenue of Han China, people often died of thirst. Greece was also wasnt far from societies such as Egypt, Persia and Rome. Being so coterminous allowed for cultural diffusion to be present in Greece. Classical Greeces major trade products were grapes and wine. They often traded these to get the goods that they needed. Greece even had events such as the Olympic Games.The Olympics even brought the divided city-states together for a brief time, patronage rivalries they might have had In Han China, their society was based on agriculture. However, in Greece, the land wasnt fertile enough to farm. This was a major difference since agriculture was such an important part to Chinas society Another big difference between the two was the Silk pa thway. It was Chinas source of trade, and they often traded their main export, silk on the Silk Road. Despite all of the products the Silk Road gave China, such as horses (Chinas most desired product), it also came with a down side.Many diseases were spread on the Silk Road from Europe This resulted in diseases coming back to Han China, they didnt just stay on the Silk Road Despite their major differences economically/environmentally, there were some similarities. One of these similarities was that both civilizations experienced population growth, which led to expansion. The Han period in China was by and large a period of population growth, expansion, and migration This was the same for Greece. These societies were doing so well in terms of trade, and being able to support the population and become more advanced led to this population growthIt is a great performance that these civilizations were able to last so long despite all of the hardships they were face with such as disease and invasions. Yet, they were so advanced for their time that they seemed unprocurable Greece and Han China were mostly different despite their civilizations lasting so long and being so successful.Their ways politically, technologically, and economically/environmentally worked for whatever problems that they were undetermined to where they lived, which is what made them prosper. Their views also shaped the legacy that they would leaveon the being Especially in terms of things that we use today such as road systems and paper making These advancements are the things that are so important, and hush up have us learning about Classical Greece and Han China today