1. Dynasties of Ancient China

2. Dynasties of Ancient China
Xia Dynasty 夏朝
Shang Dynasty 商朝
Zhou Dynasty 周朝
Warring States Period 戰國時代
Qin Dynasty 秦朝
Han Dynasty 漢朝

3. Xia Dynasty 夏朝 ca BC
Pronounced “SHEE-YA”

4. What’s new with the Xia Dynasty ? - Get with your 3:00 appointment

5. Xia Dynasty 夏朝 ca. 2200-1800 BC Not a real dynasty ???
Agrarian (farming) society
Yellow River (Huang He)
terrible flooding
Yu the Great
canals
Bronze weapons

6. Xia Dynasty 夏朝 ca BC
Ruled by shamans (communicated with spirits)
According to legend, the dynasty ended when the cruel ruler was overthrown

7. Shang Dynasty 商朝 BC
Pronounced “SHONG”

8. What’s going on with the Shang ? - Get with your 6:00 appointment

9. Shang Dynasty 商朝 BC
Developed along the Huang He (Yellow) River
Social class system
Landowners
Peasants
Slaves
No strong central gov’t
Oracle bones and turtle shells

10. Shang Dynasty 商朝 BC
Worshipped ancestors and the god Shang Ti
Jade statues and jewelry
Alcoholism may have contributed to dynasty’s downfall

11. Zhou Dynasty 周朝 BC
Eastern Zhou
Western Zhou
Pronounced “JOH”

12. What do you know about the Zhou ? - Get with your 9:00 appointment

13. Zhou Dynasty 周朝 1050-221 BC Started where the Shang Dynasty left off
Developed and spread Shang culture
Strong military
Conquered a large area
Sent criminals to the front lines
Invented the crossbow
Iron
Weapons
Tools (plows, etc.)

14. Zhou Dynasty 周朝 1050-221 BC “Mandate of Heaven”
permission from the ancestors to rule

15. Warring States Period 戰國時代 722-221 BC

16. Warring States Period 戰國時代 722-221 BC
Zhou warrior states rebelled
Warlords conquered surrounding lands
Western Zhou states vs. Eastern Zhou states
Breakup of the Zhou Dynasty

17. Warring States Period 戰國時代 722-221 BC
Philosophy
Laozi and Confucius
Legalism
Buddhism
State of Qin wins the war and unifies China

18. Qin Dynasty 秦朝 BC
Pronounced “CHIN”

19. What’s the spin on the Qin ? - Get with your 12:00 appointment

20. Qin Dynasty 秦朝 221-206 BC 36 warring states united under one ruler
Qin Shi Huangdi
First emperor of China
Qin = home region
Shi = family name
Huang = personal name
Di = emperor & star god

21. Qin Dynasty 秦朝 221-206 BC 5000 miles of roads to connect empire
Standardization of coins, weights, and measures
Made Qin the official writing system (China is named after the Qin)

22. Great Wall of China 萬里長城
Terra Cotta Army 兵馬俑
The world's longest man-made structure 3,948 mi.
Qin Shi Huangdi’s tomb is guarded by a life-size clay replica of his entire army

23. Qin Dynasty 秦朝 221-206 BC Grew paranoid Executed scholars Burned books
Hid in his palace
Upon his death, civil war and chaos brought an end to the Qin Dynasty

24. Han Dynasty 漢朝 206 BC - AD 220

25. Han Dynasty 漢朝 206 BC - AD 220
The Han seized the empire during the civil war following the death of Qin Shi Huangdi
Government by Confucian ideas
Built Confucian schools to teach proverbs and sayings
Scholar bureaucrats chosen by exam (similar to Civil Service Exam)

26. Han Dynasty 漢朝 206 BC - AD 220 Stable, long-lasting government
Respect for tradition
Focus on education
Expanded China’s boundaries almost to where they are today
in Chinese, the country is called the “Middle Kingdom” 中國 (Zhōngguó)

27. The Silk Road 絲綢之路
Trade network that connects Chang'an (today's Xi'an), China, with Antioch, Asia Minor; extends over 8,000 km (5,000 miles)
A major part of the Han economy

28. Dynasties of Ancient China
Xia Dynasty 夏朝
Shang Dynasty 商朝
Zhou Dynasty 周朝
Warring States Period 戰國時代
Qin Dynasty 秦朝
Han Dynasty 漢朝