1. Ancient
China

2. Neolithic
China

3. Sinanthropus pekinesis
“Peking Man” (750,000 – 500,000 BCE)
Sinanthropus pekinesis

4. Yellow River Civilization

5. Neolithic Pottery
3000 BCE to 2000 BCE

6. The 4 Old-World River Valley Cultures

7. “Zhōngguó” (The “Middle Kingdom”)

8. Shang Dynasty
BCE

9. Bronze Age Empires

10. Shang: BCE

11. Oracle Bones
The bones would be written on and then heated. The cracks were then interpreted.

12. Oracle Bones Calendar

13. The Evolution of Chinese Writing during the Shang
Pictographs
Semantic-Phonetics
This allowed people who could not speak the language to learn to read it because you needed to learn symbols not words

14. Turtle Mountain Person

15. Ceremonial Dagger – 1028 BCE
Axe Scepter – 1100 BCE - jade
Ceremonial Dagger – 1028 BCE

16. Shang Urn

17. Shang Bronzes

18. Ritual Wine Vessel – bronze, 13c BCE

19. Sanxingdui (China’s Greatest Bronze Age Culture

26. Zhou Dynasty
BCE

27. Western Zhou: BCE

28. Eastern Zhou: BCE

29. Ritual Food Vessel, bronze 11c BCE (Western Zhou)

30. Ritual Wine Vessel – 4c bronze, silver, gold, copper

31. Zhou Coins - bronze

32. “T’ien Ming” The Mandate of Heaven
The leader must lead by ability and virtue.
The dynasty's leadership must be justified by succeeding generations.
The mandate could be revoked by negligence and abuse; the will of the people was important.
Developed by the Zhou dynasty. Suggested that the emperor was only allowed to rule through the gods permission.

33. Tiānzǐ The Son of Heaven
Title given to Chinese emperors because their rule was dependent on the gods and divine favor

34. The Symbol of Power

35. The Dynastic Cycle Start here A new dynasty comes to power.
The emperor reforms the govt. & makes it more efficient.
Emperor is defeated !!
Lives of common people improved; taxes reduced; farming encouraged.
The Dynastic Cycle
Rebel bands find strong leader who unites them. Attack the emperor.
Problems begin (extensive wars, invasions, etc.)
Poor lose respect for govt. They join rebels & attack landlords.
Taxes increase; men forced to work for army. Farming neglected.
Droughts, floods, famines occur.
Govt. increases spending; corruption.