China’s First Civilizations Chapter 5, Section 1

Did You Know?  Where are the Qinling Mountains?

Answer  They stretch far west to east and form the geographic line between north and south China.

China’s Geography  The Huang He is also called the what?  This river flows how many miles?  What did the flooding of the river bring?

Answer  Yellow River  It flows for more than 2,900 miles across China.  Flooding of the river brought destruction but also good farming conditions to China.

China’s Geography  The Chang Jiang is also called what?  How long is it?  Where is it?

Answer  It is also called Yangtze River.  It is about 3,400 miles long.  It flows across central China.

China’s Geography  Why does China has very little farmland?

Answer  China has very little farmland because much of the country is either mountains or deserts.

China’s Geography  When was the “Middle Kingdom” created?

Answer  The Middle Kingdom was created after the Chinese people united to form one kingdom.

Discussion Question  What effect did the mountains and deserts have on the Chinese people?

Answer  The mountains and deserts separated the Chinese from most other peoples.

The Shang Dynasty  Archaeologists believe the _______ was the center of Chinese civilization.

Answer  Huang He Valley

The Shang Dynasty  The first rulers were probably part of the_______. Little is known about them.

Answer  Xia dynasty

The Shang Dynasty  Archaeologists know much more about the next dynasty, _____. These kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. These kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. ______ was China’s first capital. It was built during this dynasty. ______ was China’s first capital. It was built during this dynasty.

Answer  Shang Dynasty  Anyang

The Shang Dynasty  Archaeologists believe the Hang He valley was the center of Chinese civilization.  The first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty. Little is known about them.  Archaeologists know much more about the next dynasty, the Shang. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. The king and his family were the most powerful group.The king and his family were the most powerful group. Warlords and other royal official were in the class below.Warlords and other royal official were in the class below. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. Traders and artisans were below aristocrats.Traders and artisans were below aristocrats. Most of the lower classes were farmers.Most of the lower classes were farmers. Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.

The Shang Dynasty  Archaeologists believe the Hang He valley was the center of Chinese civilization.  The first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty. Little is known about them.  Archaeologists know much more about the next dynasty, the Shang. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. The king and his family were the most powerful group.The king and his family were the most powerful group. Warlords and other royal official were in the class below.Warlords and other royal official were in the class below. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. Traders and artisans were below aristocrats.Traders and artisans were below aristocrats. Most of the lower classes were farmers.Most of the lower classes were farmers. Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.

The Shang Dynasty  Archaeologists believe the Hang He valley was the center of Chinese civilization.  The first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty. Little is known about them.  Archaeologists know much more about the next dynasty, the Shang. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. The king and his family were the most powerful group.The king and his family were the most powerful group. Warlords and other royal official were in the class below.Warlords and other royal official were in the class below. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. Traders and artisans were below aristocrats.Traders and artisans were below aristocrats. Most of the lower classes were farmers.Most of the lower classes were farmers. Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.

The Shang Dynasty  Archaeologists believe the Hang He valley was the center of Chinese civilization.  The first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty. Little is known about them.  Archaeologists know much more about the next dynasty, the Shang. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. The king and his family were the most powerful group.The king and his family were the most powerful group. Warlords and other royal official were in the class below.Warlords and other royal official were in the class below. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. Traders and artisans were below aristocrats.Traders and artisans were below aristocrats. Most of the lower classes were farmers.Most of the lower classes were farmers. Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.

The Shang Dynasty  Archaeologists believe the Hang He valley was the center of Chinese civilization.  The first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty. Little is known about them.  Archaeologists know much more about the next dynasty, the Shang. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. The king and his family were the most powerful group.The king and his family were the most powerful group. Warlords and other royal official were in the class below.Warlords and other royal official were in the class below. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. Traders and artisans were below aristocrats.Traders and artisans were below aristocrats. Most of the lower classes were farmers.Most of the lower classes were farmers. Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.

The Shang Dynasty  Archaeologists believe the Hang He valley was the center of Chinese civilization.  The first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty. Little is known about them.  Archaeologists know much more about the next dynasty, the Shang. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. Anyang was China’s first capital. It was built during the Shang dynasty. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. People of the Shang dynasty were divided into groups. The king and his family were the most powerful group.The king and his family were the most powerful group. Warlords and other royal official were in the class below.Warlords and other royal official were in the class below. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. They were aristocrats: nobles whose wealth came from the land. Traders and artisans were below aristocrats.Traders and artisans were below aristocrats. Most of the lower classes were farmers.Most of the lower classes were farmers. Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.Slaves captured during wars were the lowest class.

The Shang Dynasty continued  People in the Shang dynasty believed in many spirits and gods and honored ancestors with offerings. Shang kings believed they received wisdom and power from the gods, spirits, and ancestors. Shang kings believed they received wisdom and power from the gods, spirits, and ancestors. Kings asked for help from oracle bones.Kings asked for help from oracle bones.  Early Chinese writing used pictographs: characters that stand for objects Ideographs: are two or more pictographs joined to represent an idea. Ideographs: are two or more pictographs joined to represent an idea.  Artisans created many works of ivory and clay but are best known for their bronze objects.

Discussion Question  How does the Chinese language differ from the alphabet system used by Americans?  In the American alphabet, each letter represents a sound. The letters, or sounds, are put together to make words: ________  In the Chinese language, each marking, or symbol, represents a whole word: _________

Answer  Phonetic  Symbolic

The Zhou Dynasty  Wu Wang: and his followers rebelled against the ________ Dynasty and created the _______ Dynasty. The Zhou dynasty ruled LONGER or SHORTER than any other dynasty in Chinese history. The Zhou dynasty ruled LONGER or SHORTER than any other dynasty in Chinese history.

Answer  Shang Dynasty  Zhou Dynasty  Longer

The Zhou Dynasty ______ in the Zhou dynasty served at the head of the government. A ___________ (official who are responsible for different areas of government) served under the king.A ___________ (official who are responsible for different areas of government) served under the king. The Zhou kingdom was divided into smaller territories.The Zhou kingdom was divided into smaller territories. Each territory was lead by ___________. Each territory was lead by ___________. Zhou kings were thought to be the link between the ____ and ____.Zhou kings were thought to be the link between the ____ and ____. ______________ was a heavenly law that gave Zhou kings the power to rule. ______________ was a heavenly law that gave Zhou kings the power to rule. It also gave people the right to: ________________.It also gave people the right to: ________________. ________: was the proper way kings were to rule their people. ________: was the proper way kings were to rule their people.

Answer  Kings  Bureaucracy  An aristocrat  Gods and the people  The Mandate of Heaven  overthrow an evil ruler  The Dao

The Zhou Dynasty continued  Irrigation and flood-control systems were developed during the Zhou dynasty. Farm tools, such as the plow, were developed. Farm tools, such as the plow, were developed.  Silk was an important trade during the Zhou.  The “Period of Warring States” occurred before the fall of the Zhou dynasty. During this time, the local rulers began fighting with each other. During this time, the local rulers began fighting with each other.

Discussion Question  What innovative weapons and equipment were used during the Period of Warring States?  The Chinese used crossbows for fighting and invented the saddle and stirrup.