Final answer:
The Shang Dynasty's hegemonic rule founded on violence and sacrifices led to discontent, contributing to its fall. The Zhou Dynasty's rise was aided by their advantageous geographic location, which promoted agricultural advancement and iron utilization, but they eventually fell due to external pressures and internal conflicts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The geographical factors played a crucial role in the rise and fall of the Shang and Zhou dynasties. The Shang Dynasty prospered through acts of warfare and the established hegemonic rule, building extensive city walls for defense and controlling disparate Neolithic cultures, which later unified under a common culture. However, their reliance on human sacrifices and constant warfare led to discontent and may have caused the dynasty's collapse as they were perceived as corrupt.
On the other hand, the Zhou Dynasty, initially vassals to the Shang, rose to power due to their strategic geographic position in a fertile basin in north-central China, protected by mountains. This location was advantageous for advancing agricultural practices that supported population growth. Furthermore, the discovery of iron and the development of iron-smelting techniques, a thousand years before Europe, marked their transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age. Geography again played a role as their ability to spread outwards and absorb other cultures into Zhou culture was due in part to their feudal system. These geographic and technological advantages allowed the Zhou to extend their political influence and maintain long-term power until external pressures and internal strife ultimately led to their decline.