Neolithic period Agricultural society Importance of the Yellow River –Cradle of Chinese civilization –Loess- yellow clay dust Neolithic period followed by dynasties

What is a dynasty? A line of rulers from the same family

Xia Dynasty BC Little is known about this period Legendary King Yu – BC –Master of Flood Control Organized system of irrigation canals to relieve the flood waters –Started dynastic rule –Strong moral character

Shang Dynasty BC –Legendary Battle of Mingtiao The Shang’s bravery caused the Xia to retreat Developed earliest Chinese writing Worshipped many gods –Ancestor worship- believed their ancestors became like gods when they died King Tang of Shang

Zhou Dynasty BC Kings claimed a “mandate of heaven” to rule A system of feudalism developed –Divided into 6 states –A period of fighting, known as The Warring States, led to the fall of the dynasty –The strongest and strictest state the Qin eventually took power

Early Chinese Writing Pictographs- characters used to represent objects Written on oracle bones –Oracle bones were used to predict the future –Over 4,000 characters have been discovered but only half have been deciphered Ancient Chinese writing on a turtle shell

Sun

Moon

Mountain

Water

Wood / Tree

Person

Eye

Bird

Turtle

Goat

Horse

Chinese Dragon