2. Early Dynasties of China Marsha Stovall Burns Middle School

3. The Shang Dynasty 1750 B.C. – 1045 B.C. Archaeologists have found huge walls, royal palaces, and royal tombs from the Shang Dynasty. These remains show that the Shang might have built China’s first cities.

4. China’s First Capital This dynasty was located along the Huang He River valley. Anyang was China’s first capital located on the river.

5. Shang Society The people of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. The most powerful group was the king and his family.

6. The Aristocrats The king, the warlords, and the royal officials made up the upper class, known as the aristocrats. The aristocrats passed their land down from one generation to another.

7. The Farmers Most of the Chinese people were farmers who worked the land that belonged to the aristocrats. They grew millet, wheat, rice, and raised cattle, sheep, and chickens.

8. The Shang Military Armies used bronze weapons and chariots to control the Huang He valley. Armies also controlled the kingdom’s borders.

9. Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshipped gods and spirits. People also honored their ancestors, or departed family members.

10. Telling The Future The duty of the Shang king was to contact the spirits before making important decisions. They used oracle bones. The priests would scratch questions on the bones. They then heated them until they cracked. They interpreted the cracks for answers to their questions

11. The Chinese Language Early Chinese writing used pictographs and ideographs. Most characters represent whole words. Shang Dynasty

12. Shang Artists Silk was produced to create beautiful clothes.

13. Shang Artists Shang artisans made vases and dishes from fine white clay. They also carved objects from ivory and jade

14. Shang Bronze The Shang are best known for their works of bronze. Shang bronze objects included sculptures, bells, vases, and urns.

15. End of the Shang During the rule of the Shang, a great gap existed between the rich and the poor. In 1405 B.C. an aristocrat named Wu Wang led a rebellion. After defeating the Shang, Wu began a new dynasty called the Zhou.

17. Zhou Dynasty In 1405 B.C., an aristocrat named Wu Wang led a rebellion against the Shang Dynasty. Wu began a new dynasty known as the Zhou.

19. The Zhou Government The Zhou king was the head of the government. Under him was a large bureaucracy. The Zhou king was in charge of defending the kingdom.

20. Mandate of Heaven The Chinese considered the king their link between heaven and earth. His chief duty was to carry out religious rituals.

21. Mandate of Heaven According to Zhou rulers, a heavenly law gave the Zhou king the power to rule. The people expected the king to keep the gods happy. A disaster or failed crops was a sign that he failed in his duty. People could then overthrow the king.

22. Farming Tools During the Zhou dynasty the Chinese developed an irrigation system. The farmers could grow more crops than ever before

23. Farming Tools Iron plows were used to break up land that had been too hard for farming. Crop production increased, leading to a rise in population

24. Silk Trade An important trade item was silk.

25. The Zhou Empire Falls Over time the local rulers became more powerful and would not obey the king. They set up their own states and in 403 B.C. fighting broke out. This is called the “Period of Warring States.”

26. The Warring States The warring states used large armies of foot soldiers. The armies fought with swords, spears, and crossbows.

27. Chinese Inventions The Chinese invented the saddle and stirrup. This allowed the soldiers to use spears and crossbows while riding horses.

28. End of the Zhou In 221 B.C., the ruler of Qin, one of the warring states, defeated the other states and set up a new dynasty.