2. The Geography of China
Ancient Chinese civilization developed in the valleys of two rivers in China:
the Huang He or “Yellow River” (rich, yellow silt)
the Chang Jiang or “Yangtze River.”
Only 12 percent of China can be used for agriculture.
Mountains and deserts cover much of the remaining land.

3. POLITICAL Organized as Dynasties
Dynasty: a family of rulers whose right to rule is passed on within the family (remember Egypt and Menes?)
Order of early Chinese Dynasties:
Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, & Han
Chinese Dynasties Song:

4. The Mandate Of Heaven
The Mandate of Heaven was a political-social philosophy that served as the basic Chinese explanation for the success and failure of monarchs. Whenever a dynasty fell, the reason invariably offered by China's sages was that it had lost the moral right to rule which is given by Heaven alone. In this context heaven did not mean a personal god but a cosmic all-pervading power. 

5. ECONOMIC Traded with India and other nearby countries using the “Silk Road” and ships

6. ECONOMIC
Silk
Paper
Porcelain
(China)

7. RELIGIOUS
General Characteristics: Belief in life after death Ancestor worship Supernatural forces Oracle bones Specific religions: -Confucianism -Taoism -Buddhism

8. Brief Overview
Confucianism: based off teachings of Confucius, key principals were duty and humanity, political and ethical philosopher not spiritual
Daoism: taught by Laozi, put forth proper forms of human behavior
Legalism: proposed that humans are evil by nature so strict laws must be created and enforced, harsh and cruel rulers

9. SOCIAL STRUCTURE King Aristocracy – Wealthy Landowners
Peasants – farmers on the aristocracy’s land
Merchants & Artisans (very small in number)
Slavery also existed

10. SOCIAL STRUCTURE General Characteristics:
Filial Piety: the needs of everyone in the family come after the needs of the father
WOMEN:
-Stay home & care for family
-No positions of authority
MEN:
-Patriarchal (male-dominated)
-Provided food
-Physical labor

11. INTELLECTUAL
Pictographs – picture symbols to represent objects Ideographs – combination of pictographs to represent an idea Public schools – males only

12. ARTISTIC Great Wall Royal palaces Terra Cotta Warriors Paintings Jade
Bronze objects

13. TECHNOLOGY
Silk Great Wall Water mills Irrigation Paper/textile production Sailing ships with rudders Terra cotta soldiers Crossbow

16. LEADERSHIP
QIN SHIHUANGDI
CONFUCIUS
LAOZI

17. CONFLICT
Great Wall was built to protect from invaders from the north Civil wars Clashes of wealthy families and creation of new dynasties (China was ruled by a family dynasty until 1911 CE)