Dynasty: ruling family China’s history can, in part, be seen as a series of dynasties.

Mandate of Heaven: the divine right to rule was given by God

The Chinese thought that the dynasties came in cycles. Dynastic Cycle: explains the rise and fall of dynasties

Part A: Vocabulary 1. The Huang He deposits loess when if overflows its banks. 2. A Chinese priest would scratch a question for the gods on Oracle Bones. 3. The idea that royal authority came from Heaven is called the Mandate of Heaven. 4. The overthrow of an old dynasty was part of the Dynastic Cycle.

Part B: Using the textbook 1. What environmental challenges did China’s early civilizations face? Limited farmland Floods Geographic isolation invaders

Part B: Using the textbook 2. How did the Shang protect their cities? Made massive earthen walls

Part B: Using the textbook 3. What was the main advantage and disadvantage of the Chinese writing system? Advantage: -unified and easily spoken Disadvantage: -# of characters -only nobles learned to write

Shang Dynasty: ( BC) earliest dynasty in China used oracle bones to forecast the future developed a system of writing using Chinese characters

Zhou Dynasty: ( BC) developed the idea of the Mandate of Heaven (justified the removal of the Shang dynasty) Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism developed during this time Discovered how to make silk from the silkworm

Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty: First dynasty to unify China Ruler described himself as Shi Huangdi- “First Emperor” Huangdi (a legalist) kept strict control of learning, persecuted Confucian Scholars, and burnt the Analects Developed a system of weights and measures Built a large section of the Great Wall- built as a defensive barrier