Geography And Early China

Ancient ChinaGeography and Early ChinaWine or Water Container for a g

le/800px-Gobi Desert.jpgPhysical Geography China has geographical featuresthat separate it from neighbors North China – mostly Gobi desertSouth China –Mountains/Highlands Himalayas – Mountains are morethan 26,000 feet!West China - Mountains And the rest of the worldSouthwest China – Plateau of TibetEast China – Farmland Some of the best in the worldhttp://www.igf.fuw.edu.pl/hill/image/HALP.jpg

History Textbook

Rivers of China Two major rivers in China Huang He 3,000 miles longFlooding – siltChina’s sorrowChiang Jiang Huang He (Yellow River)Chiang Jiang (Yangzi River)Longest river in AsiaRivers connected East and West China untain range of Qinling Shandi separatesNorth and South Chinahttp://www.cis.umassd.edu/ gleung/y river.html

Chinese Civilization Begins The Chinese began farming along Yellow andYangzi Rivers thanks to silt Grew rice and wheatHunted and fished as wellChinese began with small villages Some had walls around them Protection from floods or neighborsClip Art

Clip ArtEarly Chinese Civilization Many artifacts from early Chinese villages havebeen found Arrowheads, fishhooks, tools, pottery Suggests an advanced cultureBurial sites have also been found Provide information about cultureGraves contain items needed for afterlifeSome graves contain more stuff than othersJade ornaments – hard gemstone Suggests some people were richer than others - Classes /Jadestein.jpg

Xia Dynasty 2200BCE – Yu the Great begins Xia Dynasty Most information about Xia comes fromlegendOne legend:Yellow River had a terrible flood Yu the Great spent 13 years digging channels Drain the water to the ocean These channels became the major waterways ofChina Legends may or may not be accurateBut they do show people working together Also explained how geography influenced thepeople /YuTheGreat.JPG

Shang Dynasty The Shang Dynasty is the first Dynasty that wehave clear evidence for Began in 1700’sBCEHuang He River ValleyThe Shang Dynasty hadvery organized social classesRoyal Family at the top Nobles/Warriors second Craftspeople third Farmers fourth Slaves last History Textbook

Shang Dynasty Many advances made during Shang Dynasty China’s first writing system Oracle bones Oracle – prediction about the futureBronze Pottery/ToolsMilitary achievements Predecessor to today’s Chinese writingChariot, bows, bronze armorAstrologers created a calendar based on the ng-b.jpg

History Textbook

Zhou Dynasty Group of people calledthe Zhou come topower in 1100’sBCEOverthrow ShangDynastyThe Zhou Dynastybecomes the longestdynasty in Chinesehistory 1046BCE – 256BCEHistory Textbook

Zhou Ideas Zhou believed Kings had the Mandate of Heaven Heaven approved their ruleThe Zhou used the Mandate of Heaven to takeover Shang And to expand their empirehttp://china.mrdonn.org/mandat2.gif

Zhou Social Order Land was considered as wealth Land was traded for work The Zhou brought a new SocialOrder: KingsLords and Warriors On the land or in the militaryLords – people of high rankPeasants – farmers with smallfarmsNew order provides stability However, eventually this orderbreaks downHistory Textbook

Decline of Zhou Power Lords eventually became less loyal to the king 771BCE – Group of invaders reach capital Refuse to fight enemies for the kingNew Zhou king put in power and capital city movedNow the lords begin to fight each other481BCE – Warring States period begins Wars grow – fights become brutal and cruelHistory Textbook

Internal Problems While Zhou declines, so does family Large families had a lot of powerEventually large families fight each otherWere not loyal to king, why be loyal to each other? Fight both other families and themselves Ex: Brothers fought each other over inheritancesNo strong government to help outChinese society falls into disorder

China has geographical features that separate it from neighbors And the rest of the world North China – mostly Gobi desert South China – Mountains/Highlands Himalayas – Mountains are more than 26,000 feet! West China - Mountains Southwest China – Plateau of Tibet East