1. Early Civilization in China

2. What Makes China Unique? Geographic Barriers Outsiders attempted invasion (distrust of outsiders) Settlements along rivers (Huang He & Yangtze River) Need to control rivers led to the rise of strong governments Notice how all of the dynasties of China overlap in the same general area

3. Shang Dynasty ~ 1650 B.C.E King = head of clan Shang Di - Chief God ◦ King had direct connection ◦ Ancestors of families got gifts from the gods Most people = peasants ◦ Worked the fields all day Yin and Yang ◦ Balance of the universe ◦ Yin = Earth; Yang = Heaven

4. Zhou Dynasty ~ 1027 B.C.E Overthrow of Shang Dynasty was justified by “Mandate of Heaven” ◦ Cruel king lost favor of the gods ◦ Explained the rise & fall of dynasties ◦ As long as government is good & lives by Confucian ideals, it will keep the Mandate of Heaven. ◦ If the government becomes weak or corrupt, Heaven will withdraw its support & open the path for a new dynasty to rise up.

5. Natural disasters were seen as a sign that the Mandate of Heaven was lost!

6. Early Chinese Achievements Writing (Shang) ◦ Oracle Bones – kings questioned the gods, heated the bones until they cracked & looked for answers in the patterns. Silk Making (Shang) ◦ Only royals could afford material ◦ Most valuable export Astronomy (Han) ◦ Helped make calendar

7. Economic Growth ~ 700-500 B.C.E Ironworking ◦ More farm production ◦ Irrigation systems ◦ More food = greater population Commerce expanded through use of money ◦ Trade made easier ◦ Feudal lords expanded lands

8. What was the importance of silk to China? Silk (started in 1000 BCE) ◦ Thread spun from cocoons of silkworms ◦ Major trade good ◦ Guarded secret (remained so until the 1200’s) ◦ Started the Silk Road trade route