China

Farming•Rivers: Huang He & Chang Jiang•Fertile soil for farming; fish; animals to hunt•Farming – 7000 B.C.•Began domesticating animals: pigs and sheep•Population grew

Characteristics of Civilization

•Food surplus•Specialization of skills•Government•Social Classes•Religion

•Cities•Writing•Arts/Architecture•Public works

Civilization Develops

•Settlements – villages – large towns•Walls around towns…

keep out flood waters and invaders

Earliest Cultures•Little known about these•Sanxindui & Hongshon•Eventually absorbed into other cultures•3000 B.C. – potters wheel, pottery, water wells•Increased population = spread of towns

Archeological FindingsFew artifacts…

Tombs in Burial Sites•Tombs are filled with objects and food…

suggests belief in afterlife•Some graves had more items than others…

suggests a social order had developed•Some had beautiful jewelry and objects out of jade (hard gemstone)

suggests specialization and wealth

Artifacts showed Chinese society

continued to grow more complex!

Xia Dynas

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Xia Dynasty•China’s first dynasty •2200 B.C.•Cut off from other civilizations•Founder: Yu the Great•Much of what we know comes from legends

Beginning of 1st Dynasty - Legend

•Terrible floods struck China•Yu dug channels to drain water to the ocean•Took 10 years•Yu – created major waterways of Northern China

Fact or Fiction?Early rulers were important to

ancient Chinese because…•Showed how kings helped people solve problems by working together•Explained geography and the impact it had on people’s lives

Shang Dynasty

The Shang Dynasty•1st evidence of a dynasty•1500’s B.C.•Huang He River Valley•Moved capitals several times…

-avoid floods-attack by enemies

Shang Social Order•City was arranged by social class•City home of wealthy, learned, & skilled•Most people did not live in the city •King – center of political & religious life•Nobles

Nobles•advisors or lesser government & religious leaders•royal family•owned much land•passed wealth & power on to sons•Large homes in city

Shang Nobles•Under king •nobles – people of high rank in a kingdom•Prepared for war•Fought against one another over land•United in times of rebellion from people who refused Shang rule

Shang Social Order•King – center of political & religious life•Nobles

•Warrior leaders•Artisans – lived in groups based on what they made (outside city walls)•Farmers – long hours; little money; heavily taxed•Slaves – important source of labor

The Shang

Advancements

Chinese Writing•1st writing system•More than 2000 symbols to express words or ideas•Chinese writing based on writing of Shang•Archeological evidence: Oracle Bones

Crack Readers•Oracles – predictors of the future•Turtle shells and cattle bones

Oracle Bones•Priest carved questions about the future on bones•Heated; Cracked•Priest believed they could “read” these cracks to predict the future

Other Achievements•Bronze containers •Jade – axes, knives, ornaments•Military – chariots, bows, bronze body armor•Astrology – lunar calendar

Shang Religion•Worshipped spirits (supernatural beings)•Spirits in mountains, rivers, & seas•Must please spirits

Shang Ancestors•Ancestors – those from whom one is descended•Influenced fortunes•Respect for family

Decline of the Shang•Gap between rich and poor•No loyalty towards each other

End of the Shang•1122 B.C.•Zhou invaded Shang•Shang were not united and could not hold off invaders•Civilization came to an end

Zhou Dynasty

Zhou Dynasty•1100s B.C.•Lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history•Claimed to have the Mandate of Heaven

Mandate of Heaven

•Heaven gave power to king / leader and no one ruled without heaven’s permission•Bad king = heaven supported a new leader

Zhou vs Shang•West of Shang•Offered protection of Shang’s western border •Believed Shang leaders became corrupt•Used Mandate of Heaven to justify rebellion against the Shang•Conquered Shang – 1122 B.C.•Expanded to Chang Jiang

Zhou Political Order•Brought order to China•Granted land in exchange for…

-loyalty-military support-other services

Zhou Social Order•King•Lords (people of high rank)

-land was given by kings-paid taxes and provided

soldiers•Peasants – farmers with small farms; farmed additional land for nobles/lord

Changes in Political Order•Lords passed rule to sons•Sons less loyal to king•Local rulers gained more power•Many refused to fight against invasions•Rejected the authority of the king

Legend - Decline of the Zhou

•King lit warning fires to entertain friend•Armies rushed to defend•Real attack – no one came

Decline of Zhou Dynasty•771 B.C.•Zhou were invaded•Zhou lost battle but survived

Warring States Period

•481 B.C. •A time of many civil wars•Lords began fighting each other•Lasted more than 200 years•Fighting – brutal & cruel; fighting for territory not honor

Internal Problems for the Zhou

•Changes in Chinese family structure (way something is set up or organized)•Family had been foundation of life in China

•Large families formed powerful groups•Loyalty weakened in small families•Eventually…•Families broke apart & became rivals•Sons plotted against each other & their fathers over inheritances

Result - Warring States Period

•China lacked a strong central government to stop power struggles within ruling class•Chinese society fell into a period of disorder