Section 1: Geography and Early China Ancient China Section 1: Geography and Early China

China’s Physical Geography Geographical features separated groups of people within China. Others separated China from the rest of the world. China covers an area of nearly 4 million sq. miles (about the same size as the US) The Gobi Low-lying plains Cover most of eastern China One of the world’s largest farming regions The Pacific Ocean The country’s eastern boundary

Weather and temperature patterns vary widely across China The Plateau of Tibet Southwest Qinling Shandi Separates northern China from southern China Weather and temperature patterns vary widely across China Northeast – cold and dry Northwest – deserts are very dry Eastern plains – heavy rains Tropical southeast – wettest region Monsoons

Two great rivers Huang He (Yellow River) Chang Jiang (Yangzi River) 3,000 miles across northern China Often floods; leaves behind a layer of silt Can be very destructive – called China’s Sorrow Chang Jiang (Yangzi River) Cuts through central China Flows from the mountains of Tibet to the Pacific Ocean Longest river in Asia

Civilization Begins China first settled along rivers Farmed, built villages and forms a civilization Separate cultures developed in southern and northeastern China These included the Sanxingdui and Hongshan peoples Little is known about them Features of China’s earliest settlements: Used potter’s wheels, dug wells, homes in villages buried partly underground, strawcovered roofs, animal pens, storage pits, cemeteries, walls to protect settlements from flooding and hostile neighbors

China’s First Dynasties Xia Dynasty A series of kings rules early China One of them, Yu the Great, is said to have founded the Xia Dynasty Tales claim that Yu created some of China’s major waterways because of terrible floods Archaeologists have not yet found evidence that the tales about the Xia are true Shang Dynasty The first dynasty for which we have clear evidence is the Shang Strongest is the Huang He Valley Ruled broad area of northern China

The royal family and the nobles were at the highest level Artisans were at a middle level of importance Made beautiful bronze containers for cooking and religious ceremonies Axes, knives and ornaments from jade (hard gemstone) Farmers ranked below artisans China’s first writing system Military developed war chariots, powerful bows and bronze body armor Calendar based on the cycles of the moon