History7 Lesson 10 Essay

One of the civilizations we studied was Ancient America. The oldest American civilization were the Olmecs. They began in 1200 BC and ended in 400 BC. They flourished along Mexico’s Gulf Coast. They are best known today for their giant colossal heads. People today think that they made the colossal heads to represent their rulers because of how large and intricate they are. Fourteen heads so far have been discovered. Ten were found in San Lorenza and four in La Venta. The largest head found yet is located in La Cobata. It is ten feet tall and weighs about 40 tons which equals eighty thousand pounds. Andrzej Wiercinski, who is a philosopher, claims that some of the Olmecs were African. 

Ancient China was one of the oldest and longest lasting civilizations in history. The history of Ancient China can be traced back over 4,000 years. It is located on the eastern part of the continent of Asia, today China is the most populated country in the world. Ancient China contributed for gunpowder, paper, printing, and compasses. Kites were originally used as a way for army signaling. Umbrellas were used as protection from the sun. Ancient China produced silk. The process of making silk was very profitable. They also made the Great Wall of China which can be seen from outer space. They made the Terracotta army as well. The Terracotta Army was built for Qin Shi Huang to protect him in the afterlife. There are about eight thousand soldiers in the Terracotta Army. 

One of the differences between Ancient America and Ancient China is where they are. They are on opposite sides of the earth so if someone from China put a piece of bread on the ground and someone from America did the same thing, they would make an Earth sandwich. Another difference is the culture. Ancient Chinese culture is five thousand years old. Ancient American culture is about three thousand years old. There was also a difference between the religions. The Ancient Chinese cultures were Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The Ancient Americans were polytheistic, henotheistic, animistic, shamanistic, and pantheistic. 

One of the similarities is that they were both innovative. They both also built temples. They both had governments.