Impact Of Chariot

Denis Twitchett, Michael LoeweDuring the time period 3500 B.C.E. – 200 C.E. a complex metropolitan web developed in East Asia. It was centered on the banks of the Huang He, where the Chinese civilization formed and developed its classic form. Interactions with other human societies on the web were initially limited, but several major inventions led to the establishment of a firm route, through which ideas, technological inventions and various goods were exchanged. Many of these inventions were related in certain ways to military warfare or to the governing methods of the leaders. However, they took on a unique shape in the Chinese system, in part due to the lack of differentiation between a political and spiritual leader. The increasing population …show more content…
This occurred in Mesopotamia in the second millennium B.C.E. and with a delay of several centuries overran the civilizations of East and Southeast Asia. This shows an important linkage between several major spots on the web. The chariots quickly became the key part of every army due to their unprecedented speed and offensive power. The possibility of placing an archer on it further magnified its impact in battle. Several drawbacks, however, prevented it from continuing its dominance after the invention of iron metallurgy in 1200 B.C. Firstly – the chariots were lacking in mobility, despite their speed which limited their usage after the initial charge. And second – they could only be utilized on relatively flat battlefields due to the impossibility of maneuvering on more rocky terrain. Thus when iron weapons and armor spread around The Old World Web, chariotry became obsolete since maintaining an infantry force armed with iron was significantly cheaper. According to McNeill and McNeill ores were so abundant, that many farmers could afford iron plowshares, hoes and sickles, which made cultivation of heavy clay soils much easier than before. This widespread availability of iron ore and skilled blacksmiths explains the revolution in …show more content…
Bureaucratic principles derived from the society in Mesopotamia held together the imperial economy in a tight grip. The vast network of canals built for flood control, was used by canal boats for tax collection which allowed a concentration of tax income at the imperial court. (McNeill and McNeill 66) These innovations allowed the power and wealth accumulation of the state to increase significantly. A steady growth of population ensured the longevity of the economy and the man power to defend the empire from external