Transcript Ancient China

Ancient China
The Middle Kingdom
Geography
 isolated by natural
barriers
– mountains, seas, deserts
– led to belief that China
was center of Earth, sole
source of civilization
Geography
Huang He (Yellow) River
– loess = fine yellow soil
carried in the river
–Yangtze River
Fertile Crescent?
These two rivers – like Fert.
Cres. in Meso.
Huang He River
Shang China
 1650 – 1027 BCE
st
*1
Dynasty
 surrounded their cities
with earthen walls
Family
Most imp. part of life.
–Respect elders
–Women were inferior
Religion
 polytheistic
“ancestor worship”
–Oracle bones
Writing
*Spoken lang. and written
lang. – totally different
*2 + 2 = 4 (same thing in
many different languages)
writing united China
Zhou
1027 BC – Zhou Dynasty
emerges
Mandate of Heaven
Government
Feudalism –
–kings give land to
nobles
–Nobles – loyal to king +
protect citizens
Problems
Nobles got to strong
Started to fight for power
Zhou overthrown in 256
BC