1. Feudal Structure of the Zhou Dynasty.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010
AIM:
Students will be introduced to the Social Structure and Politics of the Zhou Dynasty
FOCUS QUESTION:
What was feudalism?
MINI-LESSON:
Feudal Structure of the Zhou Dynasty.
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE:
Zhou Dynasty Feudalism
SHARE:
Why did the Emperor and Lords need so much wealth?
What choice did the peasants have?
Why did this system work?
HOMEWORK:
in your notebooks, write a description of feudalism in Zhou Dynasty. Also make an inference about why the Chinese used this system.

2. MINI-LESSON: FEUDALISM
RULES:
Roles are assigned at random
You may not eat or touch the M&M’s until the end of the lesson
Each person gets 10 M&M’s to start

3. MINI-LESSON: THE ZHOU The Zhou lived in the Wei Valley
The Shang kings employed the Zhou to patrol their country’s borders, guarding against invaders from the west.
The Zhou eventually became tired of the Shang kings. The Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty in 1050 B.C.E.

4. MINI-LESSON: Religion of the Zhou
The Zhou were polytheistic-- meaning believed in many gods.
Their supreme god was known as Tian, or Heaven.
Tian demanded that all people display right and good behavior, especially the king.
If a king was a good and just ruler then he would receive Tian’s support or the “Mandate of Heaven”. If the ruler was evil, he would not have Tian’s support, and would be overthrown.

5. MINI-LESSON: Feudalism
Zhou developed a new social structure called feudalism.
Feudalism: the Emperor owns all the land and others could work it in return for food given to the Emperor.

7. MINI-LESSON: The Emperor
Top of the social structure
Controls all of China.
Owns all the land of China

8. MINI-LESSON: The Lord Second highest group
Given large pieces of land by the Emperor
In exchange, the lord would send soldiers to fight if the Emperor was in danger.
Lord had absolute power over his land. .
Finally, there were independent craftsmen and merchants who often lived outside of the nobles’ or king’s walled cities producing and selling their goods and services.
The leaders of different clans were continually waging war with each other, and warriors were always in high demand. Warriors were knights in bronze armor who went to battle in horse-drawn chariots made of wood and bronze. They wore bronze helmets, and carried daggers, spears, and axes. Each chariot had a driver, a spearman, and an archer. Behind them came the foot soldiers, who were usually peasants, forced to leave their fields to fight for the nobles.
Most people in the Zhou dynasty were farmers, or peasants. Their life was very hard. Farmers lived in nearby villages in very simple homes made of mud and straw. In the summer, peasants lived on the land near their fields, and in the winter they moved back to their permanent homes in the villages. They would farm small plots of land with primitive stone and wood tools. They did not own the land, but rented it from the nobles in exchange for a percentage of the food they grew each year.
Merchants and craftsmen were one social group that outside the social pyramid of the Zhou feudal state. Since this group did not produce food and were not part of the nobility, they were considered to be outside of the class structure. Like slaves, they were hardly considered men. In times of war, when the city was attacked, they were not taken inside the protective walls, but were left to fend for themselves as best they could.

9. MINI-LESSON: The Lord
The nobles lived in large, brick homes with tiled roofs with fancy furniture
Homes were protected by large stone walls.
The leaders of different clans were continually waging war with each other, and warriors were always in high demand. Warriors were knights in bronze armor who went to battle in horse-drawn chariots made of wood and bronze. They wore bronze helmets, and carried daggers, spears, and axes. Each chariot had a driver, a spearman, and an archer. Behind them came the foot soldiers, who were usually peasants, forced to leave their fields to fight for the nobles.
Most people in the Zhou dynasty were farmers, or peasants. Their life was very hard. Farmers lived in nearby villages in very simple homes made of mud and straw. In the summer, peasants lived on the land near their fields, and in the winter they moved back to their permanent homes in the villages. They would farm small plots of land with primitive stone and wood tools. They did not own the land, but rented it from the nobles in exchange for a percentage of the food they grew each year.
Merchants and craftsmen were one social group that outside the social pyramid of the Zhou feudal state. Since this group did not produce food and were not part of the nobility, they were considered to be outside of the class structure. Like slaves, they were hardly considered men. In times of war, when the city was attacked, they were not taken inside the protective walls, but were left to fend for themselves as best they could.

10. MINI-LESSON: The Lord, Responsibilities and Benefits:
Gets:
Gets large plots of land from the Emperor 10 M&M’s
50% of all food produced by peasant
Gives:
King 50% of food produced (5 M&M’s)
Warriors 10% of food produced, shelter and weapons (1 M&M each)
Peasants small plots of land to work and live on in exchange for food.
Must:
Make sure everyone on land does the work-- does not do any

11. MINI-LESSON: Warriors
Third highest group.
Warriors wore bronze armor and went to battle in horse-drawn chariots made of wood and bronze.
Each chariot had a driver, a spearman, and an archer.
Behind them, came the foot soldiers, who were usually peasants, forced to leave their fields. Foot soldiers wore tunics and trousers.

12. MINI-LESSON: The Warrior, Responsibilities and Benefits:
Gets:
Weapons from the craftspeople
Food from the peasants and the Lord
Gives:
NOTHING
Must:
Go to war anytime the emperor or the lord asks
Must make sure that the lord’s home is safe

13. MINI-LESSON: The Peasants
Fourth highest group.
Lived very difficult lives
Did not own the land they worked. Forced to give a portion of the food they produced to the lord.
Forced to give gifts to lord
Were not paid for their work for the lord.
Worked in fields, building roads, houses or anything else the lord wanted.

14. MINI-LESSON: The Peasants
Lived outside of the lord’s walls, but were protected by the lord’s soldiers during times of war.
Lived in simple mud homes in the summer near the fields
In winter, moved back to permanent homes.
Worked with simple tools

16. MINI-LESSON: The Peasant, Responsibilities and Benefits:
Gets:
A place to live from the lord
Protection from the soldiers
Gives:
50% of food (5 M&M’s) to the lord
10% of food (1 M&M) to the soldiers
Must:
- Do anything the emperor or the lord asks

17. MINI-LESSON: Merchants and Craftsmen
Lowest social group -because they did not produce food and were not nobility.
Like slaves, they were hardly considered men.
Not protected by the soldiers during war, had to defend themselves the best they could.

18. MINI-LESSON: The merchant and craftsperson, Responsibilities and Benefits:
Gets:
Money from the soldiers and lord when they buy from them
Gives:
20% of food (2 M&M’s) to the lord
10% of food (1 M&M) to the soldiers– You want to get protection even though the soldier might not choose to defend you.
Must:
- Protect and provide for yourself. The lord will not help you unless he wants to

19. SHARE: Why did the Emperor and Lords need so much wealth?
What choice did the peasants have?
Why did this system work?