1. Chapter 8: Ancient China
Lesson 1 Geography Shapes Life in Ancient China

2. Blah blah blah. This matters because . . .
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Blah blah blah. This matters because . . .

3. MAIN IDEA
Geography Natural barriers isolate China’s fertile river valleys from other parts of Asia.
Geography Yellow River drainage basin is the birthplace of Chinese nation.
Geography As the largest water system in China, Yangtze River is historically, economically and culturally important. 2. 3.

4. California standards
1. Locate and describe the origins of Chinese civilization in the Huang-He Valley during the Shang Dynasty.
2. Explain the geographic features of China that made governance and the spread of ideas and goods difficult and served to isolate the country from the rest of the world.

5. Geographic Features of China
EQ: What effect did the physical features of China have on its early development?
Isolated by Barriers
• Chinaʼs eastern border: Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Pacific Ocean
• Geography made it difficult to spread ideas, goods to China
Two River Systems
• Two major river systems flow toward the Pacific Ocean: Yangtze & Huang He (Yellow) River
• North China Plain (between the rivers) is the center of Chinese civilization

7. summary & so what …
Summary
River valleys supported the rise of Chinese civilization, while some geographic features helped to isolate China from outside contact.
The Huang He (Yellow) River is the mother of Chinese civilization.
The Yangtze River supports the economic life of China.
So What . . .
China produces many goods that are brought to port along the major rivers and shipped around the world.