1. Chinese Dynasties

2. Chinese civilizations began along rivers
Huange He (Yellow River): Cereals
Chang Jiang (Yangzi River): Rice

3. Shang Dynasty: 1500’s until 1100BCE
Huang He Valley
First writing system
During Bronze Age
Oracle Bones
Calendar based on the moon
Ancestor worship
Polytheistic
Shang Dynasty Video

4. Zhou Dynasty (1100 – 771BCE)
Rebels from W China overthrow the Shang ruler in the 1100’s
Mandate of Heaven
Emperor takes control over Chinese society
Many lords refused to fight when invaders attacked in 771BC and the emperor was overthrown

5. Qin Dynasty (221 – 206BCE) 221BC China is unified under Shi Huangdi
Expansion of China
Xi’an new capital
Did not share power with lords
System of law promoted equality
Common currency and writing system
Roads and canals built
Great Wall
Terra-cotta warriors
Dynasty begins to fall apart after his death
Terra Cotta Army Video
Great Wall Video

6. 205BCE – 220AD

7. Liu Bang Peasant that rose to power after the fall of the Qin dynasty
Earned the Mandate of Heaven through gaining people’s loyalty and trust
Lowered taxes for farmers and made punishments less severe
Relied on educated officials to help him rule

8. Emperor Wudi (140BCE)
Created a stronger government by taking land from lords, raising taxes, and putting the supply of grain under state control. He basically undid everything Liu Bang did.
Emperor Wudi made Confucianism the official government philosophy

9. Han Social Classes (ugh, this again)
Peasants were the largest class (making up 90%) and were given second class status because they made goods. Artisans were third class because they manipulated goods made by others. Merchants did not actually make anything, so they were the lowest class.

10. Peasants of the Han Dynasty
90% of the 60 million people living in China were of the peasant class
Peasants were very poor and worked long hours. Merchants (a lower class) were often much more wealthy.
During the farming months they grew millet or rice, and they were forced to work on government building projects in the winter.
Eventually, heavy taxes forced most farmers to lose their independent farms.

12. Family Life Under Confucianism
Respect for elders
Roles for father, mother and children
Honoring of dead relatives
Value placed on boys, not girls

13. Family Shrine

14. Sundial

15. Seismograph

16. Paper

17. Acupuncture

18. Period of Disunion
Several rival kingdoms exists and they were ruled by military leaders
Chinese culture continued to spread though despite constant wars

19. Sui Dynasty
Yang Jian from northern China conquers southern China
Short-lived but significant due to the building of the Grand Canal

20. Grand Canal

22. Tang Dynasty 618 - 907 Considered a Golden Age and an age of expansion
Advancements in art and law
Only female ruler, Empress Wu

23. Song Dynasty
China reunified after a brief period of disorder (Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms)
Period of great achievements

24. Achievements through the Tang and Song Dynasties
Cities grow
TANG: Chang’an (now called Xi’an) had over a million people from many different parts of Asia and Europe and was known as a religious/ philosophical center
SONG: Kaifeng (also a million)