Coach Smith

China is a country in Asia. It is located in East Asia. Coach Smith

 Geographic features isolated China.  Mountains and deserts separated China from the rest of Asia.  The Himalayas separate India from China.  The Gobi desert lies in the north. Coach Smith

Mountains isolated China. Mountains separated China from parts of Asia. Coach Smith

The Gobi desert stretches for miles along the border of Mongolia and China. Coach Smith

Seas protected China’s east. Coach Smith

 China’s isolation helped it develop its own unique culture.  However, Chinese ideas and practices influenced other cultures.  Many Asian cultures were influenced by China’s culture. Cultural diffusion occurred. Coach Smith

Chinese ideas and practices like the use of chopsticks influenced other Asian cultures. Coach Smith

 China has many important rivers.  The Huang He or Yellow river floods and is called “China’s Sorrow”.  The Yangtze river is China’s longest and most important river. It is used for transportation. Coach Smith

The Huang He river is rich in silt. The silt is yellow in color. Coach Smith

The Yangtze river is the longest river in Asia and the third longest river in the world. Coach Smith

The Great Wall of China was built to protect China from invaders. Coach Smith

 Ancient Chinese rulers built the Great Wall of China to protect China from nomadic invasions.  Many Chinese died building the vast wall.  This defensive wall was built on the northern border. Coach Smith

The first known dynasty of China was the Shang dynasty. This dynasty united the people living around the Huang He and Yangtze river valleys.

The Shang dynasty emerged around 1760 B.C. It built the first Chinese cities. A system of writing developed Coach Smith

The Zhou Dynasty  Around 1027 B.C., the Zhou conquered the Shang.  The Zhou dynasty lasted longer than any other Chinese dynasty. It lasted from 1027 B.C. to 221 B.C.  Zhou rulers claimed the right to rule or the Mandate of Heaven.

Coach Smith The Zhou dynasty lasted longer than any other Chinese dynasty.

Coach Smith Mandate of Heaven  The Mandate of Heaven was the Chinese belief that the gods picked the emperor to rule but the gods could also remove a bad emperor from power.  The Mandate of Heaven can be viewed as the right to rule.  The ruler kept the Mandate of Heaven for as long as he ruled effectively.

Coach Smith Zhou rulers claimed the Mandate of Heaven or the right to rule. However, the gods could remove the ruler ’ s right to rule.

Questions For Reflection:  How did geography influence early Chinese civilizations?  How did Chinese culture take shape under the Shang and the Zhou?  What were key cultural achievements in early China?  Define the Mandate of Heaven.  How did the Chinese explain the rise of a new dynasty? Coach Smith