Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

Yellow River Civilization

CHINA Isolated Region of the world by Distance, Mountain, and Jungle Loess = Yellow soil, forms in Huang He River Valley ( The Yellow River)‏

The 4 Old-World River Valley Cultures

Bronze Age Empires

Shang: BCE

Shang Dynasty –People live in clans (group of families who claim common lineage)‏ –Peasant Society- lead grueling lives / live in pit houses dug into the ground (primitive heat / ac)‏

Religion »Shang Di = Supreme Being »Yin and Yang= opposing forces thst must balance »Yin= Earth, darkness, female »Yang = Heaven, light, male

Western Zhou: BCE

Eastern Zhou: BCE

Zhou Coins - bronze

“T’ien Ming” The Mandate of Heaven 1.The leader must lead by ability and virtue. 2.The dynasty's leadership must be justified by succeeding generations. 3.The mandate could be revoked by negligence and abuse; the will of the people was important.

The Dynastic Cycle A new dynasty comes to power. Lives of common people improved; taxes reduced; farming encouraged. Problems begin (extensive wars, invasions, etc.) ‏ Taxes increase; men forced to work for army. Farming neglected. Govt. increases spending; corruption. Droughts, floods, famines occur. Poor lose respect for govt. They join rebels & attack landlords. Rebel bands find strong leader who unites them. Attack the emperor. Emperor is defeated !! The emperor reforms the govt. & makes it more efficient. Start here 

Feudalism Gov't system in which local lords govern their own land, but owe military support and service to their ruler

Population rises – Iron working from Mesopotamia reaches China in 500 BC –Iron axes, plows = more food, better irrigation – Copper coins make trade easier –New roads, canals

Achievements »Silk – woven and dyed= clothes of the rich, wanted commodity around the world = “silk road” »Books- bound wood or bamboo together to make books »Calendar- 365 ¼ days