river dynasties in china

To explain the effects of geography on cultural development in China

To describe the growth and structure of the Shang Dynasty

To describe Shang family structure, religion, and technology

To summarize the rise and fall of the Zhou Dynasty

Label the following: Oceans

Pacific Indian

Mountains Himalayas

Rivers Indus Ganges Huang He (Yellow) Yangtze

Questions: What geographic

features might have prevented trade between China and the Indus Valley?

What area of China was weak to invasions? What physical features were located there?

Long distances and physical barriers separated it from Egypt, the Middle East, and India

This isolation led to the belief that China was the center of the earth and sole source of civilization

Regions:

China’s Heartland:Huang He (yellow) river, and the Yangziriver supported the largest populations

Xinjiang and Mongolia are harsh and rugged

Mainly nomads and subsistence farmers At times invaders from these regions

conquered China Genghis Khan and the Mongols

Chinese history starts in Huang He valley

Called “yellow” river because of the loess that turns the river yellow

Called “China’s Sorrow” because of the constant flooding

Peking Man- Homo erectus

skeleton discovered near Beijing

on the Yellow River, settled 500,000 yrs ago

Myth: 2000 B.C.E. first civilization arose Mythic ancestor of Chinese:

P’an Ku A leader named Yu tamed

Huang He river No written records

Fact organized state rose

around 2000 B.C.E. with irrigation of Hwang He river

By 1000 B.C.E. Used pottery, Rode

horses Used Bronze, Introduced

Iron Writing developed Scientific advances Interest in music

1532 B.C. E.Shang controlledHuang He valley

Invaders? Dominated until 1027 B.C.E.

Decline due to Invasion Characteristics:

First to leave written Records constructed

impressive tombs and palaces

Oracle bones: animal bones or turtle shells on which priests wrote questions to ancestors or gods’

by interpreting the cracks in the bone, they answers were provided

4,000 years ago Each character represented a word or

and idea Over 10,000 characters Calligraphy was an art form Writing was a unifying force since not

everyone spoke the same language.

1027 B.C. overthrew the Shang Lasted until 256 B.C. To justify overthrowing the Shang, the

Zhou promoted the idea of Mandate of Heaven, or divine right to rule

Explains the dynastic cycle Floods and famine were a sign that the

dynasty was out of favor with the gods.

Zhou rewarded supporters with land Feudalism: system of government in

which local lords governed their own land but owed military service to ruler

Eventually feudalism became more powerful than the dynasty

Iron-making leads to more food production

New crops and irrigation systems

Commerce expanded, use of money

New roads and canals Led to increase in

population

771 B.C.E. – nomads sacked the Zhou capital of Hao and murdered the monarch A few family members escaped and ruled from

new capital for 500 years Powerless, couldn’t control noble families Warlords claimed to be “kings” of territory Led to “warring states” period

Warring States Warfare changed, no longer honorable Peasants main force on battlefield New weapons such as a crossbow Central values changed

No longer order, harmony, and respect for authority…. Now chaos, arrogance and defiance