1. History of China
Humans have been living in China since at least 19,000 BCE
Farming of grains begins approx 7,000 BCE, with rice and soybeans at 5,000 BCE.
Chinese history begins along the Yellow River (3,000 BCE).
Cultural Hearth for East Asia

2. Early civilization Earliest form of writing dates back to 5,500 BCE.
Pictographic
Later used in Chinese character symbols

3. Early States of China
Most early Chinese governments were Dynasties (ruled by a select few or royal family).
Xia- ( BCE) Probably oldest, but poorly recorded or understood.
Shang Dynasty- ( BCE)
Known for keeping records on Oracle Bones

4. Development of Chinese Pictograms

5. Shang Dynasty Fought constant wars with nomads of the steppes
Developed bronze as a metal
Shang Zhou is the last Emperor- faces rebellion, commits suicide.
Lost the “Mandate of Heaven”- fell out of favor with the Gods and could be replaced by the Gods.

6. Zhou Dynasty- (1027-221BCE) Longest of the Chinese Dynasties
Tended to weaken over time; rival warlords and governors created chaos and disorder
Kung-fu Tzu ( BCE)
Philosophy based on Relationships (Filial Piety)
Proper rituals time the day
Known as Confucianism

7. Rise of Daoism Sometimes spelled Taoism Developed by Lao Tzu (600sBCE)
Means “the Path” or “Way”
Focus on nature, and living in harmony with nature
Man is unhappy because he is unbalanced
Live in moderation, simplicity, compassion
Belief in spirits and many gods.

8. Qin Dynasty ( BCE)
Brutal warlords that unite much of northern China
Legalism- EVERYTHING must be put into law, under the power of the Emperor.
Qin: Ying Zheng became Shi Huangdi after uniting China- possibly crazy, built both the Great Wall of China and a Terra Cotta Army.
Wanted to be immortal, and burned books and banned any ideas other than Legalism.

9. Qin Accomplishments

10. Han Dynasty (202BCE-220CE) Continue to unify China
Open the Silk Route to the West.
Confucianism becomes the dominant Chinese philosophy.

11. The Silk Road

12. Buddhism arrives in 1st Century
Heated debates as to whether Buddhists should be allowed into China
Granted in the 400’sCE.
Becomes the dominant religion during the 600’CEs.

13. Rise and fall of Chinese Dynasties
Various families take control of China from
Mongols invade in
Ming Dynasty (1300’s-1644)are vast builders-
Canals connecting the Rivers
Completed the Great Wall
Built a huge military Navy and Army.
“Forbidden City”

14. Ming Dynasty Construction

15. Forbidden City

16. The Ming Navy-
Set out under Admiral He to explore the Indian and Pacific Oceans in 1403
Visited and traded with Africa, India…and North America!

17. So..why didn’t China colonize America?
Think about and this and share with the class.

18. So, why don’t we speak Chinese?
After the death of Admiral He, money is diverted to other projects
Conquest of Vietnam draws off troops and funds
Court distrust of men like He (he’s Muslim)
Mongol invasions in the North

19. Results: Chinese ships pulled out of water; allowed to rot.
Court records about He’s expeditions are burned.
All trade with the outside world was cut.
Canals were allowed to be filled.
Other Ming innovations ended.

20. End of the Ming Dynasty Europeans arrive in 1513
Reign of Wan Li ( )
Emperor withdraws into studying Confucianism
Earthquakes, plagues, crop failure and economic collapse
Manchu soldiers revolt; overthrow the Emperor

21. Manchu Qing Dynasty (1644-1912)
Will rule China until overthrown in the 20th Century
“Queue Order”- get a haircut- on pain of death!
Writing heavily censored
Reigns are marked with serious rebellions
Growing outside control of China

22. Europeans gain control of China
1793- China refuses to buy European goods; only wants silver, gold
1838- Opium War
1842- China surrenders; Treaty of Nanking open ports to Europeans
Europeans divide China into Mandate areas

23. “Boxer Rebellion” ( )

24. Monarchy Overthrown (1911)
Revolution is led by Dr. Sun Yat-Sen
Republic of China declared
Republic begins to dissolve into warlordoms
Power passes to Nationalist and Communist Rivals

25. Chinese Civil War Fought between 1927-1950
Stopped during WWII ( )
Fought between General Chang Kai-Shek (Nationalists)
Mao Tze Dung (Mao Zedong)- leading the Communists

26. China & WWII (1937-45) Invaded by Japan in 1937
Major war crimes committed by Japanese
Liberated by Russian forces, 1945
Allied nation during the War
Member of the United Nations Security Council

27. End of the Chinese Civil War
Chang Kai-Shek’s Nationalists are defeated after WWII
Flee to Formosa (Taiwan)
China becomes a Communist People’s Republic of China
Fights in the Korean War against the United Nations/United States

28. China in Korean War

29. Images of the Civil War

30. Modern China China remains divided between Taiwan and Mainland China
Chinese Communist Party remains in control of China
Communism abandoned in the 1990’s- moving toward market economy
Major industrial and financial leader today
Own’s over half of the United States Debt.

31. Modern China The world’s most populous country.
In the 1870’s there was a terrible drought. Crops failed and people began to starve.
10 million die of starvation.

32. Modern China
In the 1980’s, China became the first country to reach 1 billion people.
Feeding a huge population is challenging.
China is working to achieve a zero population growth. This happens when a the number of births match the number of deaths each year.

33. Modern China
China is working to achieve a zero population growth. This happens when a country’s population stops growing.
One-Child Policy implemented by Mao Zedong.
Families receive benefits, including cash, for having just one child.