How Geography Affected Early Chinese

Ancient China

Geography Earliest Civilization Xia Dynasty Shang Dynasty

Travel and communication was limited due to the Gobi and Taklimakan Deserts to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the east, and the Himalaya Mountains to the southwest

The river valleys were ideal for farming because the floods of the Huang He River and Chang Jiang River left silt to fertilize the soil

Chinese Civilization began along the Huang He River also known as the Yellow River

According to ancient stories Yu the Great was the founder of the Xia Dynasty

First dynasty to have been proven by evidence

Huang He

• Also called the Yellow River

• Nearly 3,000 miles long across northern China

• Often floods, and has been referred to as “China’s sorrow” because of the destruction

Chang Jiang

• The longest river in Asia; also called the Yangzi River

• Flows across central China from Tibet to the Pacific Ocean

Two Rivers of China

Farming

Early Settlements

• Frequent flooding made the land fertile around the Chang Jiang and Huang He rivers.

• Along with farming, the Chinese people hunted, fished, and domesticated animals.

• Small villages grew into larger cities.

• Findings at burial sites suggest that the ancient Chinese believed in an afterlife and had a complex social order.

Civilization Begins

The Xia dynasty might have been founded around 2200 BC, by Yu the Great.

Tales say that Yu dug channels to drain floodwaters and created the major waterways of North China.

Archaeologists have no firm evidence that tales about the Xia dynasty are true.

Xia dynasty

Shang Dynasty

1500 BC First dynasty to have been proven by evidence

The King was the center of Shang political and religious life

Attacked neighboring lands and expanded territory.

Priests used oracle bones to make predictions

Society: royal family and nobles at highest level artisans at middle level farmers and slaves at lower level

Achievements: writing system, use of bronze, calendar, war chariots, and bows

Oracle Bones

What’s the importance of oracle bones for people living in China today?

Shang Bronze

Why would artisans have a higher social status in early Chinese civilization?

The Zhou Dynasty Create a chart in which identify the

characteristics of the Zhou Dynasty:

Government The Mandate of Heaven

Warring States Period Structure of SocietyFamily RelationshipsEconomy and TechnologyCultural Life

Qin DynastyUnited the Warring States

of ChinaGave himself title of Shi

Huangdi (“First Emperor”)Created the Great Wall to

defend from nomadic tribes in the North

Created standards that unified China’s economy and culture

Established a single language and characters.

Produced uniform coins to be used as currency.

Qin DynastyEstablished a central

governing system. 36 different provinces that

reported to the EmperorTo prevent rebellion, he

moved noble families to the capital.

Created harsh rules Adopted idea of Legalism

Strong leader and strong legal system needed to create social order.

Censored ideas he found dangerous

Implemented harsh laws

Fall of the Qin DynastySucceeded in creating

a united China but dynasty collapsed fast.

Rebellions started because of the dynasty’s harsh laws.

China came back to chaos, with kingdoms fighting each other again.

Han Dynasty Strong Central

GovernmentExpansion of ChinaCivil Service

System of government employees mainly selected for skills and knowledge

Silk RoadTrade RouteExchange of goodsSafer route to trade

Newscast Qin and Han Dynasties

Qin Dynasty Han DynastyDefending the Empire

Uniform Standards and the Organization of the Empire

Rule of the First EmperorLegalist GovernmentHarsh LawsThought Control

The Fall of the Qin Dynasty

Reuniting and Expanding China

The Structure of Government

Civil Service

The Silk Road