Chapter 2 Section 4 River Dynasties in China

Chapter 2 Section 4 River Dynasties in China

The Geography of China somewhat isolated Yellow Sea East China Sea Pacific Ocean Taklimakan (Talk makan) Desert Plateau of Tibet Himalayas Gobi Desert Mongolian Plateau

River Systems Huang (hwan) He (Yellow River) Chang (chon) Jiang (g- ang) (Yangtze) Yellowish silt, or fertile soil, called loess (loss)

Environmental Challenges Geographic isolation China’s Sorrow Trading limited Invasions from the west and north

China’s Heartland Farming land = 10%

Civilization Emerges in Shang Times Fossils show ancestors 1. 7 mya Near Beijing, Homo erectus, Peking man, found

The First Dynasties • • • Before Sumerians, settlements along Huang He being built. 1 st dynasty = Xia Dynasty, led by Yu When, Meso. , Egypt and Indus were falling to invaders, the Shang (short a sound) came to power in China – First to leave written records

Early Cities Anyang, (on yawn) one capital of the Shang Dynasty Built of mainly wood Walls built for protection

The Development of Chinese Culture People outside of China were barbarians Group more important than the individual Chief loyalty lies with the family Obedience and respect owed to the ruler

Family Respect towards parents, the most important value Eldest man in control, women inferiors Marriages were arranged Improve status by giving birth to sons

Social Classes Nobles and peasants

Religious Beliefs Family linked to religion Spirits brought good or bad fortune Shang worshiped Shang Di and consulted him through oracle bones – how did they do it?

Development of Writing One character stands for one syllable or unit of language Almost no links between spoken and written language (2 + 2 = 4)

Development of Writing Continued Advantage: could learn same system of language no matter where they were from Disadvantage: large amount of characters to remember 1, 500 = literate 10, 000 = scholar 50, 000 Today

Zhou and the Dynastic Cycle Zhou (jow) overthrew the Shang They brought new ideas to the Chinese civilization Zhou Wen Wang 1131 - 1115 BC

Mandate of Heaven Zhou's justified their conquest – what did they say? This developed into the view that royal authority came from heaven

Mandate of Heaven Continued § Just ruler had divine approval § Non-just ruler lost the Mandate of Heaven and right to rule

Mandate of Heaven Continued This transferred to the view of government Natural disasters were seen as what? Pattern of rise, decline, and replacement of dynasties were called the dynastic cycle

Control Through Feudalism Zhou’s dynasty was large. To govern, control was given to royal families and nobles Feudalism developed

Control Through Feudalism Local lords at first submitted to Zhou rulers. Lords grew stronger and their dependency on the king became less Rebellions developed

Improvements in Technology and Trade Road and canals Coined money Blast furnaces to produce cast iron Used for weapons and farming tools

A Period of Warring States Empire generally peaceful Zhou monarch murdered by nomads Some family members escaped New capital set at Luoyang (lou-o-yan)

A Period of Warring States Zhou kings were not strong and couldn’t control lords who continued to fight each other Fighting brought an end to traditional values