1 Record of a Non-Western Civilization I. Overview of the project: One of your tasks in this class will be to keep track of a non-Western civilization of your choice (pick one from the list below!) in terms of its major features (location, resources, economic activities, cultural and religious makeup) and developments within and without its boundaries. Each time when readings will be assigned that pertain to that civilization, or when the civilization is mentioned in lectures, it will be your responsibility to enter the appropriate data in your record. NOTE 1: This assignment does not require you to do any extra research. The information that you will be recording should come from the textbook, lecture presentations and primary sources. Make sure you give the page number (in case of the textbook) and the title (in case of a primary source). NOTE 2: This assignment is part of your portfolio. It must be typed to receive credit for it. II. List of civilizations: - China - Japan - India - Russia - Persia (modern Iran) - Ottoman Empire (modern Turkey) III. Topics to consider in your report: A. Influence of Geography 1. Location and environment - Has geography isolated the civilization, or, on the contrary, has it facilitated its contacts with the larger world (via wars, trade, missionaries, diplomatic relations etc.)? Does the civilization have access to the ocean or is it landlocked, and how has this affected its history? Is the civilization located by a body of water (river, sea), in a flat region, or in a mountainous area? Is it in the proximity of other powerful civilizations? - Is the environment agriculture-friendly (are there fertile lands)? What is/are the main crop(s) cultivated there? Have they been enough to sustain the population? - If agriculture is not possible (e.g. desert area, swamps), what other economic activities have allowed the civilization to survive (herding, fishing, sea trade, etc.)? How have these activities influence progress and technological advancement? 2. Main natural resources - What are the local “riches” (gold/silver mines, coal, oil, iron, timber, fertile lands, grasslands, waters teeming with fish, silk, cotton, tea, coffee etc.?), and has their exploitation assist the civilization in gaining regional predominance? On to the next page Natalie Sherwan – HST 103 Instructions on the NWC report 2 B. Influence of Religion 1. Religious beliefs, practices and values NOTE: Religion is by default the most significant factor that gives a civilization its identity, its core notions of “good” and “evil,” its set of moral standards, customs and ideals, its major writings, art and architecture. Pay close attention to the role played by religion in shaping the civilization you are studying. - What is/are the religion(s) defining your civilization? What are its main tenets? - What type of society has it created (i.e. str ...

1. 1
Record of a Non-Western Civilization
I. Overview of the project:
One of your tasks in this class will be to keep track of a non-
Western civilization of your
choice (pick one from the list below!) in terms of its major
features (location, resources,
economic activities, cultural and religious makeup) and
developments within and without its
boundaries. Each time when readings will be assigned that
pertain to that civilization, or when
the civilization is mentioned in lectures, it will be your
responsibility to enter the appropriate
data in your record.
NOTE 1: This assignment does not require you to do any extra
research. The information that
you will be recording should come from the textbook, lecture
presentations and primary sources.
Make sure you give the page number (in case of the textbook)

2. and the title (in case of a primary
source).
NOTE 2: This assignment is part of your portfolio. It must be
typed to receive credit for it.
II. List of civilizations:
- China
- Japan
- India
- Russia
- Persia (modern Iran)
- Ottoman Empire (modern Turkey)
III. Topics to consider in your report:
A. Influence of Geography
1. Location and environment
- Has geography isolated the civilization, or, on the contrary,
has it facilitated its contacts
with the larger world (via wars, trade, missionaries, diplomatic
relations etc.)? Does the
civilization have access to the ocean or is it landlocked, and
how has this affected its
history? Is the civilization located by a body of water (river,
sea), in a flat region, or in a

3. mountainous area? Is it in the proximity of other powerful
civilizations?
- Is the environment agriculture-friendly (are there fertile
lands)? What is/are the main
crop(s) cultivated there? Have they been enough to sustain the
population?
- If agriculture is not possible (e.g. desert area, swamps), what
other economic activities
have allowed the civilization to survive (herding, fishing, sea
trade, etc.)? How have
these activities influence progress and technological
advancement?
2. Main natural resources
- What are the local “riches” (gold/silver mines, coal, oil, iron,
timber, fertile lands,
grasslands, waters teeming with fish, silk, cotton, tea, coffee
etc.?), and has their
exploitation assist the civilization in gaining regional
predominance?
On to the next page
Natalie Sherwan – HST 103
Instructions on the NWC report

4. 2
B. Influence of Religion
1. Religious beliefs, practices and values
NOTE: Religion is by default the most significant factor that
gives a civilization its identity, its
core notions of “good” and “evil,” its set of moral standards,
customs and ideals, its major
writings, art and architecture. Pay close attention to the role
played by religion in shaping the
civilization you are studying.
- What is/are the religion(s) defining your civilization? What
are its main tenets?
- What type of society has it created (i.e. stratified/ egalitarian?
open/closed to outsiders?
with rigid boundaries between men and women/ believers and
unbelievers/ the rich and
the poor? etc.)
- Did it create a specific art, architecture, body of literature?
- Did the religion originate in that civilization? Was it brought
by outsiders (missionaries,
merchants, armies)? Did it have a difficult time being accepted

5. by the authorities/ by the
people?
- Was the religion state-supported? Has state support ceased in
the modern era?
C. Major Historical Developments
1. List here the events (political, social, economic, cultural) that
you consider crucial in the
development and expansion of the civilization you have
selected.
2. All civilizations listed as part of this project created empires
at some point in their history.
What type of empire had the civilization you have picked, and
how did its rulers justify their
expansion? How did they treat the people included by force in
their state? When and why did
they give up their empire?
3. What is the current form of government? What are some of
the pressing issues that your
civilization faces?
D. Major Encounters with the West

6. 1. Pre-19
th
c. contacts
- What were their goals? Who initiated them?
- Were these initial contacts peaceful/hostile/successful? Did
they change overtime? Why?
- Was there anything gained/lost through these exchanges?
2. Contacts in the 1800s, 1900s, 2000s
- How has the rising of the West to global dominance impacted
your civilization?