1. Ancient China
BCE

2. They felt they were the center of the universe – understandable as they had no contact with any other large civilization

3. Geography – Natural Barriers
East – Pacific Ocean
West – Taklimakan
SW – Himalaya Mountains
North – Gobi Desert

4. Geography - Huang He River & Yangtze River
China’s early civilization will form on the North China Plain in between these two rivers.
Unpredictable and destructive floods – known as “River of Sorrows”
Loess – fine yellow silt, very fertile
Rivers were the center of the ancient Chinese civilization

5. Loess deposited in the lower reaches of the rivers

6. First Civilization Xia Dynasty – 1st dynasty (Around 2000 BCE)
Led by an engineer and mathematician named Yu
Major Achievements
Flood control and irrigation projects
Led to more and better farmland which allowed for the expansion of the population

7. Shang Dynasty ( BCE)
First Chinese rulers to leave written records
Built elaborate palaces and tombs
Earliest cities
Anyang – one of the capitals – built mainly of wood
Surrounded by walls for protection

8. Shang Dynasty Achievements
Horse drawn chariots
Leather and bronze armor
Silk
Pottery
Jade and Ivory statues and jewelry
Lacked strong leaders

9. Zhou Dynasty (1027-256 BCE) Claimed they had the right to rule
Mandate of Heaven – a just ruler had divine approval
Central to Chinese government
Feudalism
Dynastic cycle – pattern of rise, decline, and replacement of dynasties

11. Dynastic Cycle of China Role of Mandate of Heaven
Strong dynasty establishes peace and prosperity; it is considered to have Mandate of Heaven
In time, dynasty declines and becomes corrupt
Disasters such as floods, famines, peasant revolts, and invasions occur
Old dynasty is seen as having lost Mandate of Heaven; rebellion is justified
Dynasty is overthrown through rebellion and bloodshed; new dynasty emerges
New dynasty gains power, restores peace and order – claims to have Mandate of Heaven
Dynastic Cycle of China
Role of Mandate of Heaven

12. Innovations under Zhou Rule
Roads and canals stimulated agriculture and trade by making it easier to travel
Coined money – improved trade
Iron – made stronger weapons and tools

13. The “Warring States Period”
The later period of the Zhou dynasty in which the individual warrior nobles claimed to be the kings of their respective territories
During this period, warrior-nobles were replaced in war by professional soldiers

14. Social Classes King Warrior-Noble Peasants
Feudalism – political system in which nobles, or lords, are granted the use of lands that legally belong to the king. In return the nobles owe loyalty and military service to the king and protection to the people who live on their estates

15. Chinese Culture Worshipped ancestors – MULAN! Religion – polytheistic
Family – central to Chinese society
Important virtue – respect for one’s parents
Chief loyalty throughout life was to to the family. Beyond this, people owed obedience and respect to the ruler of the Middle Kingdom.
Worshipped ancestors – MULAN!
Shang kings consulted the god using oracle bones – animal bones and tortoise shells
Religion – polytheistic

16. Writing Chinese characters Writing does NOT match the spoken language
Advantage: all Chinese could learn same system of writing which helped to unify the nation
Disadvantage: there was a large number of characters to memorize