1. Aim: Comparing China’s River Dynasties

2. 2 River Systems 1) Huang He 2) Chang Jiang Environmental Challenges
1) Huang He floods destroyed villages
2) Because of China’s isolation, settlers supplied with own goods
3) Natural boundaries didn’t completely protect settlers from outsiders 2

3. Developments Under Shang
Family
Central to Chinese society
Elder men controlled family’s property and made decisions
Women treated as inferiors
Social Classes
Society divided between nobles and peasants
Ruling class governed by a king
Religious Beliefs
Family closely linked to religion
Believed that spirits of ancestors had power to bring good fortune or bad 3

4. Development of Writing (Shang)
No link between China’s spoken and written language
Advantage to writing system
People in all parts of China could learn the same system
Disadvantage of writing system
Enormous number of written characters needed to memorize
1500 Characters 4

5. Advancements Under Zhou
Mandate of Heaven
Justified Zhou rulers right to rule
Ruler had divine (godly) approval
Feudalism
Zhou ruled land beyond Huang He
To govern large area, Zhou gave control of regions to members of family
Trade/Technology
1) Roads & canals built to stimulate trade
2) Blast furnaces produced cast iron
3) Coined money introduced for trade 5