Ancient China The Middle Kingdom

Geography isolated by natural barriers mountains, jungles, deserts led to belief that China was center of Earth, sole source of civilization some contact w/ traders and invaders

Geography Huang He (Yellow) River loess = fine yellow soil carried in the river loess settles, water level rises dikes built to keep river from overflowing

Huang He River

Religion polytheistic Shang Di: leader of the Gods “ancestor worship” believed gods wouldn’t respond to mere mortals ancestor spirits of could influence gods, help or harm the living Gave offerings of wine and food, and sometimes human sacrifice

Religion: What did the king do? Shang kings were closely involved with the religion Shang people believed that the king had power to rule because he had powerful ancestors King used oracle bones to ask ancestor’s advice Questions were written on tortoise or other animal bones and pierced with a hot needle so they cracked The pattern of the cracks revealed the answer

Oracle bone Insert picture of Oracle bone here.

Afterlife Belief in the afterlife Shang kings were buried with weapons, ornaments, pottery, sculptures, and chariots

Shang Tomb

Accomplishments: Writing oldest examples found on oracle bones combination of pictographs (images that stand for objects) & ideographs (symbols that stand for words or ideas) over 10,000 characters developed calligraphy the same writing system united China where people spoke different language

Accomplishments: Bronze Weapons One of the earliest peoples to figure out how to make bronze from copper and tin

Accomplishments: Army Large army made up of foot soldiers, archers, cavalry (soldiers on horseback), elephants, and chariots

Accomplishments: Calendar The king issued pronouncements as to when to plant crops based on the Shang calendar 360-day year of 12 months of 30 days each based on lunar cycle Chinese characters for “moon” was—as it remains—that also for “month.” Based on solar year as well, the calendar added in extra short months to account for the extra 5 days in a solar year

Politics: Xia Dynasty Xia (Shyah) ruled during the late Neolithic Era Earliest dynasty Settled around rivers Developed flood control & irrigation Use of bronze for weapons Not very unified which led to its demise

Politics: Shang China c.1750 – 1045 BCE Around the same time as Hammurabi & the Babylonian Empire in Mesopotamia Middle/New Kingdoms in Egypt End of the Harrapan culture in India centered on Huang He dynasty = ruling family kings ruled a small area, loyal clans held the rest

Politics: Shang Led by a powerful king Smaller kingdoms were setup under his male family members Power passed to brothers or sons of the king when he died

Politics Shang kings used their armies to keep them in power Constantly at war with neighboring clans Used war as a way to gain land and slaves

Politics: Capital Capital at Anyang

Anyang Archeologists discover in 1928 Palace, temple, houses

Economy Used cowries shells for money

Economy Main income came from farming or the harvest of crops Many farmers also knew how to cultivate the silkworm and weave its tread into beautiful cloth which would be used for clothing Silk later became China’s main export Many artisans manufactured weapons, ritual vessels, jewelry, and other items of interest

Social Structure Nobles were the second most important people after the Royal Family They served in the army and as “warlords” they helped to govern the kingdom’s territories

Other Social Classes Craftspeople: bronze and jade workers, potters, and stonemasons & traders Farmers: largest social class Did not own their land, it belonged to the king and they gave all their extra crops to the king and nobles Slaves: usually people captured in wars, they build tombs and palaces When their masters died, slaves were sometimes killed so that they could serve their master in the afterlife