1. Warm-Up Questions Week 24 pg. 144
Monday – Which of the philosophies we learned about do you agree with most? Why?
Tuesday – What was one effect the Silk Road had on the dynasties in Ancient China?
Wednesday - What was the “Mandate of Heaven”?
Thursday – How did the Dynastic Cycle negatively impact Ancient China?
Friday - What were three products from the Silk Road that were traded to or from China?

2. Shang, Zhou, and Qin Dynasties

3. First “proven” Chinese dynasty Shang government lasted 3,500 years
Shang Dynasty: to 1027 BC
First “proven” Chinese dynasty
Shang government lasted 3,500 years
This was a farming civilization.
Social classes were formed.
First Chinese calendar was created
Well developed writing system
Bronze working was common

4. Mandate of Heaven The Shang dynasty was overthrown by the Zhou family.
This family believed that the emperor, or ruler,
was chosen by the gods to rule.
If the gods were pleased with the ruler, they
sent good harvests and victory in war.
If they were not pleased, they were believed to cause floods and famine. (Famine is a time with
no food.)
This belief was used to explain the changing of dynasties for many years.

5. Mandate of Heaven

6. The kingdom began to fall apart; and there were many wars.
Zhou Dynasty: to 256 BC
China’s first written laws
First use of money in economy rather than
trading
Iron tools were created and ox-drawn plows
made farming easier
One of the Zhou rulers was killed by invaders.
The kingdom began to fall apart; and there were
many wars.
In this dynasty, Confucianism and Taoism
were “born”.

7. Qin Dynasty: BC
Wars were ended and China united under the harsh rule of Huang Di. He believed that strict laws were needed to maintain order.
Written language became standardized (uniform across the country)
Many roads, canals, and much of the Great Wall was built during this short dynasty. Workers were forced to work on these projects.
Improved transportation meant the emperor could move troops quicker to control the people.

8. The Great Wall Reason for building the walls: In order to
ward off invasion (keep out invaders)
Total length of over 4,500 miles
Terra Cotta Soldiers: Found in tomb near the wall.
Qin Emperor chose them to protect his tomb.