river dynasties in china
DESCRIPTION
River Dynasties in CHINA. Objectives. 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. Map. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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