2. Zhou Dynasty ( BCE)
Established by Wu Wang after a rebellion in the mid 1000’s B.C.
Ruled under the Mandate of Heaven– idea that the right to rule came from Heaven
Justified conquest by declaring that the Shang king had been such a poor ruler that the gods had taken away their kingdom

3. Zhou Dynasty

4. Mandate of Heaven Belief that authority came from heaven
Good rulers kept their power
Poor rulers could lose theirs

5. Dynastic Cycle in China
2. Redistributes lands, appoints officers, rebuilds defense walls, roads, and canals
1. New dynasty claims Mandate of Heaven and restores peace
Dynastic Cycle in China
3. Over time, dynasty ages and becomes corrupt
6. Dynasty is overthrown and replaced by a new one
4. Disasters occur: floods, famines, peasant revolts and invasions
5. Dynasty loses Mandate of Heaven; rebellion justified

6. 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

7. Zhou Society & Religion Economy Adopted much of Shang culture
Polytheistic
Economy
Based on agriculture and trade
Introduced coin money

8. Zhou Accomplishments
Five Classics– series of books used to train scholars and civil servants
Kites– originally used as a military weapon
Built roads and canals to stimulate trade and agriculture
Used iron for weapons and tools

9. Military Kites

10. Zhou Decline
Invasions and fighting among nobles caused decline – known as the “Period of Warring States”

11. As the Zhou dynasty collapsed, three schools of thoughts emerged to help promote social stability

12. Qin (Chin) Dynasty
Founded by Shi Huangdi “First Emperor” in mid 200’s BCE
Unifies China and seizes the Mandate of Heaven
Strong Central government
Loved Legalism
210 BCE: Shi Huangdi dies and his son loses the throne

13. Hero or Jerk? Murdered hundreds of Confucian scholars
Burned Confucian books
“Strengthen the trunk to weaken the branches”
Forced 120,000 noble families to give up their lands and move to the capital
Made 36 of his own districts with his own officials
What system from the Zhou dynasty did he upset?

14. Hero or Jerk? Built over 4000 miles of roads => trade booms
Standardized writing, law, currency, and weights
Irrigation projects increased food
Great Wall of China
Why was the Great Wall of China built?
To protect from nomadic people from the north called the Xiongnu

15. Unhappiness High Taxes Little human freedom
People forced to “work on the wall or die”
Scholars angry about the loss of knowledge
Nobles angry about their land being taken

16. The Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty lasted over 400 years from 206 B.C. to 220 A.D.

17. Papermaking The Han probably made paper for the first time in 100 B.C.
The emperor found out about paper about 200 years later in 100 A.D.

18. Civil Service Honorable to serve in the government Very selective
Had to take a test
Promotions & appointments based on merit
What school of thought would have made it more popular for more men to take the civil service exam?

19. Han Art The Han also developed the arts.
Landscape and portrait paintings were advanced.
Developed some of the earliest porcelain, a type of ceramics
What is the commonly known nickname for this type of dishware?

21. Han Religions
The Han made Confucianism the official religion of China.
Han rulers also supported Daoism which teachers the key to happiness is accepting life as it is.

22. Chinese Trade
The Chinese product most in demand by other people was silk.
The trade route from China to Arabia and Europe takes its name from silk. It was called the Silk Road.
Traders traveled from China with silk.
They returned with lumber, horses, and other products the Chinese people needed.

23. Map of the Silk Road

24. The Silk Road The Chinese used the Silk Road to export their silk.
Export means that they sent their goods to other lands to be sold.
The Chinese also imported what they needed from other countries.
Import means goods that are brought in.
The Chinese made profits, or money gained, from their exporting on the Silk Road.
How is this pattern of trade different than earlier dynasties?

25. Spread of Buddhism How many years does it take to spread?
Where does it reach the furthest?