CHINA

TUESDAYActivation:

Map from the last unit. Add China, Huang River. If you lost your map, draw a rough sketch that shows all four ancient civilizations on it.

SSWH2: The student will identify the major achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from 1100 BCE to 500 CE.

c. Describe the development of Chinese civilization under the Zhou and Qin.

d. Explain the impact of Confucianism on Chinese culture; include the examination system, the Mandate of Heaven, the status of peasants, the status of merchants, and the patriarchal family, and explain diffusion to Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea.

TUESDAYEssential Question:

What role did rivers play in Chinese life? How did geography influence the development of Chinese culture?

TUESDAYInstruction:

Geographic and Cultural Influences: Physical Setting, Isolation

Work: Fill in the Blank Activity about Geography/Discussion of Activity

Assessment: completion of map, geography questions

ISOLATION

China was isolated from the other ancient civilizations because of its geography.

Mountains to the westGobi desertDistance

Developed a distinctive cultureInfluenced less by other cultures than any other ancient peoples

Strong identity, felt superior to others

RIVERS

Huang (Yellow)2900 miles across China to the Yellow SeaFertile soil (loess) gives the river a yellow tint.“China’s Sorrow” – often devastating floodsUnpredictable rainfall – floods or drought and famine.

Chang (Yangtze)3434 milesOcean-going ships can travel 600 miles upstream

Xi (Shee)Southern ChinaLarge commercial waterway

TUESDAYSummary/Closing Activity:

What role did rivers play in Chinese life? How did geography influence the development of Chinese culture?

WEDNESDAYActivation:

Chart on page 83: You will complete one section on calendars, economy, government, religion, or writing.You will be assigned which section

SSWH2: The student will identify the major achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from 1100 BCE to 500 CE.

c. Describe the development of Chinese civilization under the Zhou and Qin.

d. Explain the impact of Confucianism on Chinese culture; include the examination system, the Mandate of Heaven, the status of peasants, the status of merchants, and the patriarchal family, and explain diffusion to Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea.

WEDNESDAYEssential Question:

What were the main features of Shang religious beliefs?

WEDNESDAYInstruction:

organizerShang Dynasty

Work: Read about your topic, complete the graphic organizer, terms and matching

Assessment: Participation in discussion, gathering information on a topic, reading for facts

SHANG DYNASTY

• Invaded the Huang River Valley between 1750 and 1500 B.C.

• Introduced irrigation and flood control systems

Helped them control people of the region

• Stretched across 40,000 square miles

• Created a complex bureaucracy (government with different levels and tasks).

Ruled by hereditary king

Used war chariots and bronze weapons to defend itself

SHANG DYNASTY• Farming – millet and rice• Raised silkworms - spun thread

and wove cloth• Artisans worked jade, bone and

ivory• Potters worked kaolin, glazed • Solar and lunar calendars

Shang Silk Clothing

Shang Jade

ANIMISM[AN-UH-MIZ-UHM]

Believed spirits inhabited everything.

All-powerful, kind dragon lived in seas and rivers – could rise into clouds.

DRAGON as symbol of Chinese rulers.

Shangdi – god who controls human destiny and nature.

rulers offer sacrifices and ask ancestors to plead with Shangdi on their behalf.

Oracle bones: priests interpret messages from spirits of ancestors – bones heated and cracks are interpreted.

LANGUAGE AND WRITINGDeveloped a written language

Spoke many dialectsWritten language could be used for all dialects

Special symbols for words in languagePictographs an ideographsPhonetic sound signs told how to pronounce

Could invent new characters by Combining signs.Scribes kept recordsWriting became an art - calligraphy

WEDNESDAYSummary/Closing Activity:

What were the main features of Shang religious beliefs? If you had lived at that time, what would you have liked/disliked about the Shang religious beliefs?

ZHOU DYNASTY[CHIN]

Zhou = Began ruling China in 1050 B.C. The Zhou did not create a centralized government,

instead they granted territories to members of the royal family and their allies.

Zhou rulers believed that the god of heaven decided who should rule - “ MANDATE OF HEAVEN”.

************When a new group overthrew a dynasty they claimed that the previous group had lost the mandate of heaven.*********

ZHOU INVENTIONS• Invented the crossbow and

began to use cavalry in battle.

• Used iron plows and developed better irrigation systems.

• Built better roads, which allowed the empire to make contact with outsiders and to trade.

END OF THE ZHOU DYNASTYAn invading force destroyed the Zhou

capital in 771 B.C. The Zhou ruler fled and established a new capital. The Zhou dynasty lasted for 500 more years but lost a lot of its power.

New powers, known as the Warring States began to compete for power in China

One of the Warring states the Qin [chin], emerged as the leaders

QIN DYNASTYCame to power in 221 B.C. through its military

might.

The Qin ruler Cheng, founded their dynasty, he took the title Shih Huang Ti (first emperor).

They established an autocracy , in which the emperor held total power.

Officials who resisted his control were put to death, or sent north to work on the Great Wall.

QIN DYNASTY• The Great Wall of China was started during the

Qin dynasty Was about 1,500 miles long during Qin times. The Qin employed forced labor for public

projects like this, this angered many people.• In 206 B.C. a rebel army revolted against the

dynasty.• Qin died in 210 B.C. – dynasty fell shortly after. 1974 his tomb was discovered – 6,000 life size terra cotta soldiers, each with different faces (realism).• In that same year Liu Bang, an army general

overthrew the empire and established the Han dynasty.

HAN DYNASTY- Kept power for about 400

years.- Great influence over

development of China – some Chinese today call themselves “People of Han”.

- Established a civil service system to govern China – system of examinations rather than recommendation based on family connections alone.

- Leveling system – price controls to balance economic effects of shortages or surpluses.

HAN DYNASTYSilk RoadTrade route from China across Asia to the Mediterranean region.Sold jade, silk, and other Chinese goods to wealthy Greeks and Romans.

Brought gold, silver and wool back to China.For 2,000 years, this was the world’s longest road.Allowed spread of luxury items from China and the way for the positive influence of Buddhism to spread into China.

- Fall of Han dynasty followed by countless nomadic people coming through China.

PHILOSOPHIES OF ANCIENT CHINAZhou period was one of the most creative in the

area of Chinese philosophy.

At the root of many Chinese philosophies was an ancient Chinese belief regarding dualism, or two-sidedness of nature.

This idea states that everything in the world results from a balance between the two forces.

The force known as yin is female, dark, and passive.

The opposite force yang is male, bright, and active.

Yin and Yang are not in conflict with each other instead they depend on each other.

CONFUCIUS• Lived from 551 B.C. – 449 B.C. his followers collected

his ideas and teachings in a work called the Analects, his teachings became known as Confucianism.

• He taught the importance of family, respect for one’s elders , and reverence for the past and one’s ancestors.

• These three concepts form the basis of Confucius philosophy!!!!!

• He sought to end political disorder of his time.

• He was concerned with ideas about political and social unrest and how moral and ethical leadership could solve those problems (not concerned with purely religious matters)

CONFUCIUS

• His teachings were the most influential philosophy in Chinese life.

• He aimed to encourage strong, positive behavior from Chinese leadership.

• He had two ways to accomplish this:

Every person should willingly accept his or

her role in society and should perform the

duties of that role.

The government and its leaders

should be virtuous.

THURSDAYSummary/Closing Activity:

Write a paragraph designed to persuade readers that the achievements of the Han dynasty mark a cultural and economic highpoint in Chinese history. Consider the following in your answer:•The development of the civil service•Liu Ch’e’s policy of leveling•Trade along the Silk Road

DAOISM

Founded by Laozi.

He taught that people should withdraw from the world and contemplate nature.

that people should not strive for material wealth, he also shunned politics, he advised people not to seek power, rather they should work to bring themselves into harmony with the Dao.

Tao (Dao) “ The Way ”

DAOISM

Daoism and Confucianism = balance

Daoism came second in importance only to Confucianism in Chinese life.

It appealed to many peasants because of its focus on natural forces.

LEGALISMConcerned itself with politics.

Legalist believed in power – not virtue – and in harsh laws.

people were naturally selfish and untrustworthy.

Peace and prosperity could only be accomplished by threatening severe punishment if people did not obey the laws.

LEGALISM IN PRACTICEThe first Qin emperor Cheng followed

legalism, he succeeded in creating a very powerful empire.

The government of the Han accepted many of the legalistic ideas.

The Han rulers followed more moderate principles of Confucianism.

The Han found balance between legalism and Confucianism.

BUDDHISM IN CHINAMissionaries from India brought

Buddhism to china during the Han dynasty

When the Han dynasty fell many Chinese especially peasants turned to Buddhism, because it helped to explain the social unrest they were experiencing.

Buddhist temples provided a refuge from the turbulent times.

Mahayana Buddhism is what was popular in China.

Worship Buddha as saviorBelieve he is committed to helping all humans escape miseries of the world.

 

CHINESE FAMILYRevolved around

nuclear family – parents and children.

Hierarchical – father, eldest son, younger sons, mother, daughters.

Focus on duty, respect for ancestors, filial piety = needs of male head of family or ruler come first.

SOCIAL CLASSESBased on desire for order and harmony.

Landowners at the top

Peasants (90% of society) rank just below landowners - not at bottom as in most societies.

Merchants, shopkeepers, traders were the lower class.

Movement between classes wasn’t prohibited, but it didn’t happen often.

Chinese Peasant

FRIDAYSummary/Closing Activity:

How did these beliefs influence Chinese history?