Daily Opener 11/10 wk 14

1. What do you remember studying about China last year?

2. What continent is China located on?

Ancient China

Long, long ago, in a place far, far away…

The Story of Ancient China

Ancient China

• Geography• Early Dynasties

• Ancient Philosophies

• Early Chinese Inventions and Discoveries

Geography• The geography of China made it difficult to

spread ideas and goods to China.• As a result, Chinese civilization developed very

distinctly.

DesertsTaklimakan and Gobi

MountainsTian Shan, and Himalaya

GeographyTwo major rivers

Chang Jiang (Yangtze)Huange He (Yellow River)

In between these two rivers is the North China Plain where early Chinese civilization developed

Yellow River

Yangtze River

Geography• The geography of China made

it difficult to spread ideas and goods to China.•As a result, Chinese civilization

developed very distinctly.

Early Dynasties

Shang DynastyZhou DynastyQin DynastyHan Dynasty

Shang Dynasty• ruled China’s earliest civilizations• Shang kings controlled central part

of the North China Plain• Fought off nomads from the north and

west

• Shang Dynasty developed writing using pictographs• Similar to modern Chinese writing

Zhou Dynasty• conquered Shang Dynasty around

1027 B.C.• Zhou kings developed idea of Mandate

of Heaven• idea that good rulers had the god’s favor

• because of a lack of a strong central government, war lords fought constantly with led to the Time of the Warring States

Qin Dynasty• Shi Huangdi became first Qin Dynasty ruler• ended Time of Warring States by

conquering rival states• ruled with a strong central government • built Great Wall of China

Han Dynasty• civil war broke out at the end of

Qin Dynasty• General Liu Bang defeated Qin and

started Han Dynasty• set up bureaucracy

• government divided into departments

• expanded empire

Ancient Philosophies•Confucianism•Daoism•Legalism

•Buddhism (more on this later!)

Early Chinese Inventions and Discoveries• silk• paper• pottery

• porcelain

• agricultural improvements• better plows• collar harness• wheelbarrow• watermill

Reunifying China

Ch 7.1 page 213

Fall of the Han Dynasty

The Fall of Luoyang

Han Dynasty ruled for 400 yearsChaos and Conflict for over 350 yearsSui Dynasty ruled for 37 years

(only 2 rulers!)Tang Dynasty ruled for the next 300

years

NomadPerson who moves from place to place

Changes in Belief Systems

The Sui and Tang Dynasties Reunify China

Confucianism• based on the teachings

of Confucius• taught proper code of

conduct• respect was necessary

for peace and harmony• filial piety

• idea that parents must be treated with respect

Daoism • based on the teachings of Laozi• believed in a universal force called the Dao

(The Way)• yin (black)-cold, dark, mysterious• yang (white)-warm, bright

• all things live in harmony with Dao except humans who must find their own Way

• Doaists accepted things as they were, did not get involved in government or try to change things

Legalism• developed during the Time of the

Warring States• rulers should use legal system to force

people to obey laws• legalists believed human nature was

wicked and people must be forced to be good

• harsh punishments kept people afraid to do wrong