ANCIENT CHINA 2000 200 BCE They felt they

ANCIENT CHINA 2000 -200 BCE

They felt they were the center of the universe – understandable as they had no contact with any other large civilization

Geography – Natural Barriers • East – Pacific Ocean • West – Taklimakan • SW – Himalaya Mountains • North – Gobi Desert

Geography - Huang He River & Yangtze River • China’s early civilization will form on the North China Plain in between these two rivers. • Unpredictable and destructive floods – known as “River of Sorrows” • Loess – fine yellow silt, very fertile • Rivers were the center of the ancient Chinese civilization

Loess deposited in the lower reaches of the rivers

First Civilization • Xia Dynasty – 1 st dynasty (Around 2000 BCE) • Led by an engineer and mathematician named Yu • Major Achievements • Flood control and irrigation projects • Led to more and better farmland which allowed for the expansion of the population

Shang Dynasty (1532 -1027 BCE) • First Chinese rulers to leave written records • Built elaborate palaces and tombs • Earliest cities • Anyang – one of the capitals – built mainly of wood • Surrounded by walls for protection

Shang Dynasty Achievements • Horse drawn chariots • Leather and bronze armor • Silk • Pottery • Jade and Ivory statues and jewelry • Lacked strong leaders

Zhou Dynasty (1027 -256 BCE) • Claimed they had the right to rule • Mandate of Heaven – a just ruler had divine approval • Central to Chinese government • Feudalism • Dynastic cycle – pattern of rise, decline, and replacement of dynasties

New dynasty gains power, restores peace and order – claims to have Mandate of Heaven Strong dynasty establishes peace and prosperity; it is considered to have Mandate of Heaven In time, dynasty declines and becomes corrupt Dynastic Cycle of China Role of Mandate of Heaven Dynasty is overthrown through rebellion and bloodshed; new dynasty emerges Old dynasty is seen as having lost Mandate of Heaven; rebellion is justified Disasters such as floods, famines, peasant revolts, and invasions occur

Innovations under Zhou Rule • Roads and canals stimulated agriculture and trade by making it easier to travel • Coined money – improved trade • Iron – made stronger weapons and tools

The “Warring States Period” • The later period of the Zhou dynasty in which the individual warrior nobles claimed to be the kings of their respective territories • During this period, warrior-nobles were replaced in war by professional soldiers

Social Classes • Feudalism – political system in which nobles, or lords, are granted the use of lands that legally belong to the king. In return the nobles owe loyalty and military service to the king and protection to the people who live on their estates King Warrior. Noble Peasants

Chinese Culture • Family – central to Chinese society • Important virtue – respect for one’s parents • Chief loyalty throughout life was to to the family. Beyond this, people owed obedience and respect to the ruler of the Middle Kingdom. • Worshipped ancestors – MULAN! • Shang kings consulted the god using oracle bones – animal bones and tortoise shells • Religion – polytheistic

Writing • Chinese characters • Writing does NOT match the spoken language • Advantage: all Chinese could learn same system of writing which helped to unify the nation • Disadvantage: there was a large number of characters to memorize