5.1- Geography of Ancient China 5.1 The Geography of China’s River Valleys Huang River

5.1- Geography of Ancient China

5.1 The Geography of China’s River

Valleys

5.1 The Geography of China’s River

Valleys

Huang River


1. Monsoon 1. Seasonal winds that bring dry and wet seasons •Northern China = Monsoon winds bring a brief, but intense summer rainy season. The rest of the year it is mostly dry

•Southern China = Monsoon winds from the S. China Sea bring heavy rains from March to September. Light rains fall the rest of the year


2. Huang River (Yellow River/ China’s Sorrow)

2.

China’s first civilization began along this river

•Second longest river in China & muddiest river in the world

Yellow River- called this b/c of the yellow-brown soil in its waters

China’s Sorrow-called this b/c destructive floods killed many and ruined lands


3. Loess 3.

Yellow-brown soil that is very fertile

(Loess Plateau in China)


4. Dike 4.

A protective wall that holds back the waters to help control flooding.


5. What did the Chinese do to control flooding?

5.

They built dikes along the banks of the Huang river.


6. Shang Dynasty 6. -The first RECORDED civilization in China beginning around 1760B.C.

-Shang people built the first cities (walled cities were built for kings and warriors)

-Produced bronze work (tin + copper = bronze)

-Made the first Chinese writing system

-Lasted for 600 years until the Zhou people emerged


Shang Dynasty

A Shang dynasty turtle shell shows one of the earliest examples of Chinese writing


7. Zhou Dynasty

7. -The territory of the Zhou people bordered the Shang people for some time (lived in peace at times & fought each other over borders at times)

•Finally conquered the Shang around 1122 B.C. (King Wen & his son Wu)

•Ruled for almost 1,000 years (Eastern & Western parts) LONGEST LASTING CHINESE DYNASTY!!

•End of this dynasty = Warring States Period (small kingdoms fought each other for control... until the Qin dynasty took over)

Zhou Dynasty


8. Mandate of Heaven

8.

•A Chinese BELIEF that rulers came to power because it was their destiny, or fate.

•This Mandate supported a leader’s right to rule his people

•It also gave a father authority over his family


9. Family/ Extended Family

9. Family was the center of early Chinese society:a.) Considered more important than the individual or nation

b.) a person’s first responsibility was to the family

c.) was the source of each person’s well-being

Chinese households might contain 5 generations living together at one time

(Uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, sisters, brothers, etc.)=EXTENDED FAMILY


10. Oldest Chinese Male

10. Was the center of authority in the family:

•Had the most privileges and the most power in the family

•Would decide who his children and grandchildren would marry

•Punished disrespectful children severly

If oldest male died, his lands were divided among the sons who would start their own household


11. Chinese Women

11. Considered to be of lower status than men

Bound to three obediences…

1.) to obey their fathers in youth

2.) to obey their husbands in marriage

3.)to obey their sons in widowhood (if their husband dies)

Four virtues guided women’s behavior…

1.) morality 2.) modesty

3.) proper speech 4.) domestic skills


12. Family Names

12. In Chinese society, the family name comes first...

Ex.) George Washington would be Washington George in China)

THIS SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT THE FAMILY WAS IN CHINA!

This tradition dates back to China’s earliest times.

What would yourname be if you lived in China?


13. What factors determined a person’s status within early Chinese families?

13.

The status of each person depended on his or her AGE and SEX.

Documents

5.1- Geography of Ancient China 5.1 The Geography of China’s River Valleys Huang River