1. What were the achievements of the Shang Dynasty?
1700 BC BC

2. People’s Republic of China - 2019
4th largest country in terms of size
Only Russia, Canada, United States
Largest country in world (population)
Well over 1 billion people!
Located in both the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres

3. What are notable geographic features of China?
Huang River Valley - evidence of farmers 7000 years ago
Gobi Desert
Northern China (5th largest in the world)
rock/gravel vs. sand;
120 degrees in summer; -40 degrees in the winter!
Taklimakan Desert - western China
Himalayas - to the south of China
Pacific Ocean - eastern border
Various rivers - 2 main ones
Huang (Yellow) River and the Chang River (longest river in China)

4. II. How did the geography of China affect its development?
Winds - Gobi Desert blew dustlike material (loess) into Huang (Yellow) River
Causes river to become muddy/yellow hence the name
River overflow/floods - deposits loess on plains and makes soil fertile
Ability to farm (practice agriculture) maintain larger population
trade surplus
acquire resources
develop government
culture
civilization :)

5. III. How did China’s geography contribute to its isolation?
Natural barriers
Two deserts
Himalayas Mountain Range
Pacific Ocean
Made trade and travel to the country difficult/challenging
As a result will be cut off from other civilizations
Will develop its own traditions and way of life

6. IV. How did the Shang dynasty develop?
Farming villages
Controlled by chiefs, who would create kingdoms after conquering multiple villages
Similar to Sumer & Babylon during their control of city-states in Mesopotamia
1700 BC - Shang dynasty - ruling family that held onto power for nearly 6 centuries
Kept power - heredity - from brother to brother, then youngest brother to son
Farmers - clear and prepare new land for farming
Army - large powerful enough for the Shang to conquer/claim more land
Construction of large walled cities & dikes (walls to hold back water of Huang River)

7. V. How were records kept in the Shang Dynasty?
Oracle bones
Animal bones/turtle shells carved with written characters/questions
Cracked - answer interpreted by king or priest
Used to predict the future (very similar to today’s fortune cookie)
Also were used to record events related to question (w/o cracking)
Often used characters NOT an alphabet but pictograms representing words or ideas
In time 1000s of characters were created
Spoken languages used throughout China also varied (Mandarin & Cantonese as examples)

8. Answer to the aim - What were three of the achievements of the Shang Dynasty?
Expanded and maintained control over their empire for 600 years.
1st of many dynasties in China’s history.
Constructed dikes to help control flooding/irrigation.
Constructed walled cities to offer citizens protection from enemies/elements.
Created China’s first writing system through the oracle bones.
Noted for their work with bronze (pots, cups, weapons/armor)
Ancestor worship
Silk
Chopsticks?

9. Complete the following chart regarding the Ancient River Valley civilizations: