Chapter 2-Section4

River dynasties in China

Still in existence today

Mesopotamia-gone! Ancient Egypt-history! Indus valley-just a memory!

Chinese civilization still thrives today

Natural barriers

Rivers Oceans Mountains

All serve to isolate China

Two major rivers Huang He (Yellow

river) Chang Jiang(Yangtze) Yellow river is most

polluted in the world today

LOESS-yellow colored silt deposited by yellow river

Challenges of this location

Yellow river flooding can be disastrous-wiping out whole villages at a time

People had to supply all they needed-no trade

Invaders attacked again and again Only 10% of land good for farming

Civilization begins Fossil remains found

dating to 1.7 million years ago

Near Beijing-Homo-erectus skeleton found

Called”Peking Man” Area settled 500,000

years ago

First Dynasty

XIA (say shy-ah) Dynasty Leader- Yu Engineer Mathematician Flood controller

Second Dynasty

Shang dynasty 1700B.C.-1027B.C. First written records Elaborate palaces Magnificent tombs

Are we in Egypt?

Wife of a king,her tomb contained: 16 other people 6 dogs 460 bronze items 750 jade items 7000 shells

Early city Anyang-capital of

Shang dynasty Built of wood Earthen walls Upper-class-inside Lower-class-outside Constant wars-led to

need for protection

Culture develops Not Chinese?- then you must be a barbarian! Group>individual Respect your elders! Family main focus Elder men control land/decisions Women inferior (finally!) Arranged marriages Obey your father

Classes of people Sharp divide between

upper/lower Ancestors not gods,

but helpful spirits Helped you consult

w/SHANG DI Oracle bones

Language Understood by all You could read it but not know how to write it Many characters for every sound If you knew 1500 symbols, you were barely

literate! Smart? Then you know at least 10,000 characters! Writing usually reserved for the nobles Peasants,not so much

“ Mandate of heaven”

Shang dynasty ends, replaced by Zhou dynasty

New dynasties from now on will take over by saying,” our royal authority comes from heaven.”

This will become how all Chinese people will see government

“ Dynastic Cycle”

Explains: Rise Decline Replacement This will apply to all dynasties

Zhou Dynasty 1027B.C.-256B.C. Empire now very large Zhou has to give

control to the nobles Rise of feudalism

Feudalism King Gives land to noble/lord Peasants(who else?) work the land Nobles then owe loyalty,military service to the

king Nobles/lords become stronger Become less dependent on king Begin to fight for more power/land

Zhou technology Roads/canals Coins-make trade

much easier Furnaces hot enough

to make iron Iron makes

weapons/farming tools better

Zhou dynasty in decline

Lords fighting all the time for more power/land

Values collapse They begin to lose power Cycle ends

Things to remember

This civilization still exists! Complex language Iron Coins Mandate of heaven