River Dynasties in River Dynasties in ChinaChinaChapter 2 Section 4 pg. 46Chapter 2 Section 4 pg. 46

Geography of ChinaGeography of China

Natural barriers isolate China from other Natural barriers isolate China from other civilizationscivilizations

East- Pacific OceanEast- Pacific Ocean West- Taklimakan desertWest- Taklimakan desert Southwest- Himalaya MountainsSouthwest- Himalaya Mountains North- Gobi DesertNorth- Gobi Desert

Pacific Ocean, Taklimakan Pacific Ocean, Taklimakan Desert, Himalayas, and Gobi Desert, Himalayas, and Gobi Desert Desert

Rivers Rivers

2 major rivers flow 2 major rivers flow from the mountains from the mountains west to the Pacific west to the Pacific OceanOcean

Huang He (hwahng-Huang He (hwahng-HUH) in the northHUH) in the north

Yangtze (yang-SEE) Yangtze (yang-SEE) in Central Chinain Central China

Mountain ranges dominate 2/3 of China’s Mountain ranges dominate 2/3 of China’s landmasslandmass

90% remaining land that is suitable for farming 90% remaining land that is suitable for farming is in the small plain between the 2 riversis in the small plain between the 2 rivers

Chinese viewed Chinese viewed those outside of those outside of Chinese civilization Chinese civilization were barbarianswere barbarians

Own name for China Own name for China was the Middle was the Middle KingdomKingdom

China’s 1China’s 1stst civilization developed in a civilization developed in a river valley- the Huang He means “yellow river valley- the Huang He means “yellow river”river”

Deposited huge amounts of yellow silt Deposited huge amounts of yellow silt when it overflowed its bankswhen it overflowed its banks

Silt is actually fertile soil called loess that Silt is actually fertile soil called loess that is blown by wind from the desertis blown by wind from the desert

Huang He’s floods could be generous or Huang He’s floods could be generous or ruinousruinous

One great flood killed nearly 1 million One great flood killed nearly 1 million people in 1887people in 1887

Due to geographic isolation, early settlers Due to geographic isolation, early settlers had to supply own goods rather than had to supply own goods rather than trading with peopletrading with people

Natural boundaries didn’t always protect Natural boundaries didn’t always protect from invasionsfrom invasions

Invasions from the west and north Invasions from the west and north occurred again and again in Chinese occurred again and again in Chinese historyhistory

Civilization Emerges in Civilization Emerges in Shang TimesShang Times

Even before Sumerians Even before Sumerians settled in Mesopotamia, settled in Mesopotamia, Chinese cultures Chinese cultures building along the building along the Huang HeHuang He

Around 2000 B.C. turned Around 2000 B.C. turned into China’s first citiesinto China’s first cities

China’s first Dynasty China’s first Dynasty emerged at this time, the emerged at this time, the Xia (shyah) DynastyXia (shyah) Dynasty

First DynastiesFirst Dynasties

Leader of Xia named Leader of Xia named YuYu

Controlled flood and Controlled flood and irrigation projects irrigation projects and helped tame and helped tame Huang He and its Huang He and its tributaries so tributaries so settlements could settlements could growgrow

Shang DynastyShang Dynasty

Lasted from 1532 to 1027 B.C.Lasted from 1532 to 1027 B.C. First family to leave written recordsFirst family to leave written records Built elaborate tombs and palacesBuilt elaborate tombs and palaces

Oldest and most important Shang city Oldest and most important Shang city was Anyangwas Anyang

Built mostly of woodBuilt mostly of wood Higher classes lived in timber-framed Higher classes lived in timber-framed

houses with walls of clay and strawhouses with walls of clay and straw Surrounded cities with massive earthen Surrounded cities with massive earthen

walls for protectionwalls for protection

Social ClassesSocial Classes

Divided between nobles and peasantsDivided between nobles and peasants Governed by ruling class of warrior-Governed by ruling class of warrior-

nobles headed by a kingnobles headed by a king Professional warriors underwent lengthy Professional warriors underwent lengthy

training to learn the techniques of driving training to learn the techniques of driving and shooting from horse-drawn chariotsand shooting from horse-drawn chariots

Chariot was a major tool of warChariot was a major tool of war

Origins of Chinese Origins of Chinese CultureCulture

People very loyal to 2 important authorities- People very loyal to 2 important authorities- their family and their king or emperortheir family and their king or emperor

Family was central to Chinese societyFamily was central to Chinese society Important aspect was respecting parentsImportant aspect was respecting parents Elder men in family controlled property and Elder men in family controlled property and

made all decisionsmade all decisions Women treated as inferiors, expected to obey Women treated as inferiors, expected to obey

husband, father, and eventually own sons.husband, father, and eventually own sons.

Girl would marry between 13-16 to arranged Girl would marry between 13-16 to arranged partner and move into house with husbandpartner and move into house with husband

If she gave her husband a son, her status may If she gave her husband a son, her status may improveimprove

Religious beliefsReligious beliefs

Believed that spirits of Believed that spirits of family ancestors could family ancestors could bring good fortune or bring good fortune or disasterdisaster

Didn’t treat them as Didn’t treat them as gods, but gave them gods, but gave them respectrespect

Worshiped a supreme Worshiped a supreme god, Shang Di as well god, Shang Di as well as many lesser godsas many lesser gods

Shang kings consulted gods through Shang kings consulted gods through oracle bones- animal bones and tortoise oracle bones- animal bones and tortoise shells on which a priest would scratch shells on which a priest would scratch questions for the gods, then a priest questions for the gods, then a priest applied a hot poker to it causing it to applied a hot poker to it causing it to crackcrack

The priests interpreted the cracks to see The priests interpreted the cracks to see how the god answeredhow the god answered

……kinda like a Magic Eight kinda like a Magic Eight Ball Ball

Real Oracle BonesReal Oracle Bones

Development of WritingDevelopment of Writing

Chinese method of writing each character Chinese method of writing each character stands for an idea, not a soundstands for an idea, not a sound

Advantage: people in China could learn the Advantage: people in China could learn the same system of writing even if languages were same system of writing even if languages were very differentvery different

Disadvantage: enormous amount of written Disadvantage: enormous amount of written characterscharacters

Person needed to know over 1,000 characters Person needed to know over 1,000 characters to barely be literate, a true scholar needed to to barely be literate, a true scholar needed to know 10,000 charactersknow 10,000 characters

Shang technology and Shang technology and ArtistryArtistry

People who were skilled in crafts made People who were skilled in crafts made up a separate class in societyup a separate class in society

Like other commoners, they lived outside Like other commoners, they lived outside the walls of citiesthe walls of cities

Made weapons, jewelry, religious itemsMade weapons, jewelry, religious items Could also make silk cloth 1000 years Could also make silk cloth 1000 years

before Europe and the rest of world couldbefore Europe and the rest of world could

Zhou Bring New IdeasZhou Bring New Ideas

1027 B.C. people called Zhou (joh) 1027 B.C. people called Zhou (joh) overthrew Shang and established own overthrew Shang and established own dynasty, and adopted much of Shang dynasty, and adopted much of Shang cultureculture

Justified takeover by declaring Shang Justified takeover by declaring Shang King was such a bad leader that the gods King was such a bad leader that the gods had taken away the power and given it to had taken away the power and given it to the Zhouthe Zhou

Justification over Justification over time became time became developed into view developed into view that royal authority that royal authority came from heavencame from heaven

Ruler who had divine Ruler who had divine approval known as approval known as the Mandate of the Mandate of HeavenHeaven

Mandate of Heaven Mandate of Heaven Dynastic Cycle in ChinaDynastic Cycle in China

Floods, riots and other disasters might be signs Floods, riots and other disasters might be signs that the ancestral spirits were unhappy with a that the ancestral spirits were unhappy with a king’s ruleking’s rule

Control through Control through feudalismfeudalism

Zhou dynasty controlled large amounts of Zhou dynasty controlled large amounts of land, governing the area became a land, governing the area became a challengechallenge

Gave different regions of land to different Gave different regions of land to different royal family members and trusted noblesroyal family members and trusted nobles

Established system of feudalism Established system of feudalism

FeudalismFeudalism

Political system where nobles, or lords, Political system where nobles, or lords, are granted the use of lands that legally are granted the use of lands that legally belong to the kingbelong to the king

The nobles owe loyalty and military The nobles owe loyalty and military service to the king and protection to the service to the king and protection to the people who love on the estatespeople who love on the estates

Gradually the lords grew stronger as Gradually the lords grew stronger as small towns grew into cities and small towns grew into cities and expanded into neighboring territoryexpanded into neighboring territory

Local lords became less dependent on Local lords became less dependent on the king and fought among themselves the king and fought among themselves with neighboring lords for wealth and with neighboring lords for wealth and landland

Improvements in Trade and Improvements in Trade and Technology by the ZhouTechnology by the Zhou

The Zhou built roads and canals to The Zhou built roads and canals to supply growing citiessupply growing cities

This stimulated trade and agricultureThis stimulated trade and agriculture Introduced coined moneyIntroduced coined money Developed blast furnaces that allowed Developed blast furnaces that allowed

them to produce cast iron 1,000 years them to produce cast iron 1,000 years before Europeansbefore Europeans

Used iron to create weapons and toolsUsed iron to create weapons and tools

Ancient Blast FurnaceAncient Blast Furnace

Modern Blast FurnaceModern Blast Furnace

Warring StatesWarring States

The Zhou ruled from 1027 to 256 B.C. The Zhou ruled from 1027 to 256 B.C. Nomads from the north invaded and Nomads from the north invaded and

murdered the Zhou monarchmurdered the Zhou monarch Surviving members moved capital to Surviving members moved capital to

Luoyang (lwoh-YAHNG) and pretended Luoyang (lwoh-YAHNG) and pretended to rule for another 500 years to rule for another 500 years

Lords claimed to be kings in own Lords claimed to be kings in own territory, and traditional values collapsedterritory, and traditional values collapsed

Assignment:Assignment:

On your note sheet, create your own writing On your note sheet, create your own writing system using only characters for this sentence:system using only characters for this sentence:

After school, students do homework, After school, students do homework, practice sports, or play video games.practice sports, or play video games.