1. 10/23 Focus –The Chinese Civilization developed in the Huang He and Yangtze river valleys –Geography isolated the Chinese culture more than it did other civilizations Important Terms: Isolation, Ethnocentrism Do Now –What was the Neolithic Revolution? –Why did people settle in river valleys?

2. River Valley Civilizations China

4. Neolithic Revolution in China Farming in China first appears in the Huang He River Valley Favorable geographic conditions allowed for the development of civilization

5. Geography Major Geographic Influences –Mountains –Deserts –River Valleys –Plains

6. Mountains High mountains served a barrier to the movement of people Himalayas in the West –separate China from India

7. Deserts Gobi Desert –Large desert in the North –Forms a barrier between China and Mongolia –Very Rocky; few sand dunes

8. Deserts Taklamakan Desert –Western China –Very difficult to cross Taklamakan meant “Go in and you won’t come out” “Sea of Death”

10. Effect of Natural Barriers Mountains and deserts in China: –protection from invasions in the west –Isolation Chinese civilizations developed without outside influences Limited cultural diffusion –Ethnocentrism The belief in the superiority of one’s race or ethnic group Chinese believed that people outside of their world were inferior Chinese viewed outsiders as barbarians

11. River Valleys The Huang He (Yellow River) –Flows to the east from Tibetan Plateau –Located in Northern China –Loess Fine, dusty desert soil Carried by winds and deposited in the river Deposited by annual flooding Created fertile flood plains –Flooding was unpredictable and could be very destructive

12. River Valleys Yangtze (Chang Jiang) –Flows east from Tibetan Plateau –Located in southern China –Warm climate with abundant rainfall

13. Plains Importance of fertile plains –Only 11% of land in China can be farmed –90% of farming occurs on plains between Huang He and Yangtze rivers –Most people live near the plains and in eastern China (along coast)

14. Closure Identify the two major natural barriers that influenced the development of Chinese civilization. How did these barriers influence the Chinese view of themselves and other groups?

15. Review China is isolated by its geography. This leads to Ethnocentrism – they thought that they were better than other people This is why they called themselves the Middle Kingdom and considered others to be barbarians.

16. The Shang Dynasty 1650 B.C. Shang gain control of N. China Government –Ruled by Kings –Establish first dynasty A ruling family

17. The Shang Dynasty Religion –Polytheistic –Worshiped ancestors –Used oracle bones to try to communicate with them Bones inscribed with pictographs Priests could read them for messages from ancestors –Offered ancestors gifts for the afterlife

18. The Shang Dynasty written language –used pictograms symbols that represent pictures –Ideograms symbols that represent ideas. used on the Oracle Bones, but only few people learned how to read and write

19. The Shang Dynasty Early class systems small warrior class ruling over the peasants Patriarchal Society Male dominated

20. The Shang Dynasty Technology/Achievements/Developments: –Bronze production for weapons and ceremonial vessels (not tools) –Army had horse drawn chariots –Silk production –Irrigation systems