AP World History
October 10, 2013
Mr. D Antonio
DBQ Essay Having water has always been a basic necessity for all of humanity since the beginning of life itself. Ways to get it have become more and more advanced as time went on. Without the enhancement of tools and the skill of the workers building these large projects we as a society would still use large pots to draw water out of the river. The Han and Roman Empires often addressed the necessity to create an easier way to access water during periods of expansion, due to this the idea of using workers for their skill rather than their labor emerged; as a result the quality of farming tools and larger projects such as aqueducts decreased bringing up the question of how great these empires actually were. Through out time the feelings toward having an easier access to water were not changed. In the Han and Roman empires all wanted a more efficient way access to this precious liquid. Document 8 stated that all aqueducts were at different elevations when entering the city. Therefore these water routes gave an opportunity to all citizens to use for pleasure, public, or their own private use. All of the structures built inside of Rome to release this water were projects that made this essential element much easier to maintain and use. This writer’s opinion could have been swayed by the fact that he was a water commissioner. Being prideful in what he does he would not want to talk down to his own work which would take away his credibility to how efficient his work actually was?
Document 1 is a request for a water conservation office to be put in each district. Each waterway should be inspected as well as the walls of the city, the dikes, the rivers, etc; supply enough workers to repair any damage. Building these dikes and canals sets up a way for the people to maneuver the water anyway they want. Building artificial rivers makes it easier for the farmers to water their crops and bring nutrients to the soil. Filling small pools can make a public bath. This would be a casual way to entertain people on a daily basis. In doing these big projects the Hans could manipulate the water to their own desires, in other words making it easier to access water. The point of view from this document is effected by the writer being a government official. This is because of the desire to do what is best for his government and society rather than himself. This Han government official wanted to control flooding; conserving the farming land and making a beneficial start to the control of water.
Document 3 also posed a short but great point. Although most of it stated the newly invented tools would increase productivity, it also stated that the power of water would increase 100 fold being as it was more beneficial to use. Using water as an energy source came to be a most efficient way to reach a power source. In finding this more citizens with small rivers and canals next to their homes would build water wheels. In doing so the drawing of water out of the river became easier. The more and more people that found out about this new invention of power the more artificial rivers were built. This spread the water all across the land making it easier for farmers to tap into the rich nutrients and flow of H2O. The point of view is from a philosopher. These types of men ask why until they reach the absolute truth. Observing the article is not enough because one does not know weather or not the power of water had been made yet. Was it philosophical idea at the time or did it actually exist?
This evidence reveals that even without these men realizing it they built ideas and formed more efficient ways to access water. Weather it be through aqueducts of simple artificial canals, these men helped society in more ways that one. Like the philosopher Tu Shih invented a water powered blowing engine. This can be seen in document 4. I implicated this document