1. Geography of Ancient China
Mrs. DelGrosso
Ms. West

2. Prediction: China is called the “Land of Contrasts”
Prediction: China is called the “Land of Contrasts”. Why do you think China is given this nickname?
Jot down your prediction in your notebook
The Land of Contrasts

3. The Huang He River (also known as the Yellow River) flows across China for over 3,000 miles
It empties into the Yellow Sea
It gets its name from the rich yellow silt it carries
The Huang He is both a blessing and a curse
It is called “China’s Sorrow” because the floods kill many people and destroy homes
It also provides rich soil that helps farmers grow food
Huang He River

4. Loess is a fine yellow soil that is easily carried by wind and rain
It can be a blessing, because it helps make the land fertile
It can be a curse, because it is so light and fluffy that it can be easily carried by wind and rain in many directions
Loess

7. The second river in China is called the Yangtze River, or Chang Jiang
It is longer than the Huang He
It empties into the Yellow Sea
It leaves rich soil for farming
Yangtze River

8. China has rich soil, but about one tenth of the land can be farmed
Why do you think only part of the area can be farmed?
Farming

9. The North China Plain is located near the Huang He River, so it is a good place for people to settle and farm
Temperatures range from warm in the summer to cold in the winter
This region is sometimes called “Land of the Yellow Earth” – why do you think this area receives that nickname?
North China Plain

10. Towering Mountains and Vast Deserts
Himalaya Mountains are located in the Southwest (what does this remind you of?)
The Altay Mountains are also in the Northwest region
The Gobi Desert is a cold, rocky desert in the Northeast region
The Taklimakan Desert is a hot desert in the West
Towering Mountains and Vast Deserts

11. The Yellow Sea and Pacific Ocean were salt water sources
Ancient Chinese used these bodies of water for trading and transportation
Bodies of Water

12. China was isolated from the rest of the ancient world because of its geographic features
What problems do you think this isolation created for the people of China?
Isolation

13. Stop and Jot in your notebook
“Whoever controls the Huang River controls China” – spoken by a powerful Chinese ruler 4,000 years ago
What do you think this quote means? Why would controlling a river help you control an entire country?
Stop and Jot in your notebook