Chapter 5 Section 1 Ancient World

Geography of China’s River valley

The Chinese DragonA respected spirit, and a friendly beast that brought good luck.

Responsible for the rains that made the fields fertile.

1

Dragon Rain Ceremony

Climate of North China Plain

• Short, but intense, rainy season brought on by the monsoon winds.

• Remainder of the year is very dry

2

Climate of Southeast China

• In the south it is warm and wet

• Monsoons from South China Sea bring heavy rains from March to September

• Light rains the rest of the year.

2

The Middle Kingdom

• Mountains and seas separated China from the other great civilizations of Egypt, Rome, Greece etc.

• Chinese saw themselves as the center of the world and called themselves the Middle kingdom.

3

Civilizations along Rivers

• Why did early civilizations in China arise along rivers?

• China’s rivers overflowed and brought rich topsoil to the land.

• Topsoil called Loess

4

The Forbidden City

The Chang River (Yangtze)

Longest river in China and third longest in the world.5

The 2nd longest river in China

The Huang River ( Yellow River)

6

Huang River

Grain crop of The North China Plain

Millet - Gluten-free with a slightly nutty flavor 7

China’s SorrowWhen the Huang floods it can kill millions of people

Flooding is controlled by a system of Dikes

The build up of Loess (silt), has caused the river bottom to rise above the surrounding land in some areas.

8 & 9

Loess Plateau is Shaded

Highly erosion-prone soil

The Huang valley

• Farming began in the Huang valley around 5,000 years ago.

10

The Shang Dynasty

• Dynasty - A series of rulers from the same family or ethnic group.

• Arose around 1760 B.C.• Built China’s first cities• Produced fine bronze work• Produced the first Chinese system of

writing. (Written language the same even though there are many different languages.)

11& 12

Turtle shell showing one of the earliest examples of Chinese writing.

Bronze wine vessel from the Shang dynasty

The Zhou Dynasty

• Conquered the Shang Dynasty about 1122B.C.

• Ruled for almost 1,000 years• The Qin took over China after the Zhou

Dynasty• Mandate of Heaven - Chinese believed

that rulers came to power because it was their destiny.

13 & 14

Chinese Families

• More important than the individual or nation

• The extended family was the norm. As many as five generations lived together.

• How does this compare to American families today?

15

Nuclear Family

• a woman and/or husband and dependent children

16

Extended Family

• A family consisting of parents and children, along with either grandparents, grandchildren, aunts or uncles.

16Most common in ancient China.

Chinese Family Authority

• Age and sex determined status

• Oldest man had most power

• He decided who his children and grandchildren would marry.

• He punished disrespectful children

• Upon his death his land was divided among his sons

18 & 19

Women in Early China

• Considered of lower status than men.• Were bound by three obediences.

– Obey their fathers in youth– Their husbands in marriage– Their sons in widowhoodGuided by four virtues. Morality

proper speechmodestydomestic skills

20 &21

Family Names

• Some common family names are Mao, Chan and Lu

• In China the family name is spoken first followed by your first name.

• For example: Thomas Jefferson would be Jefferson Thomas.

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