Transcript Early Civilizations in China

Early Civilizations in China
Stankiewicz World Studies
Essential Questions
• How did geography help shape early Chinese
civilization?
• What ideas of government did the Chinese develop?
• How did religion effect ancient China?
• What were the social classes in ancient China?
• What were some of the achievements of early
Chinese civilizations?
Geography of Ancient China
• Ancient Chinese called their land “Zhongguo
(the Middle Kingdom)
• Ancient China was very isolated
– _________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________
– One of the most _________________________
civilization of the ancient world
Geography of Ancient China
• Isolation lead to
belief that China
______________
______________
___________
• Also, the feeling
China was
______________
____________
Geography of Ancient China
• Geographic Barriers
– To the west and
southwest
• ___________________
• Tien Shan
Geography of Ancient China
• Geographic Barriers
– To the southeast
• _____________
Geography of Ancient China
• Geographic
Barriers
– To the north
• ____________
____________
– Brutal area
Geography of Ancient China
• Geographic
Barriers
– To the east
• ___________
___________
• ___________
___________
Geography of Ancient China
• Despite these geographic barriers
– Chinese did have contact with outside world
– _____________________________________
Contact between Peoples in Ancient
China
• Most contact was, however, with warlike,
nomadic invaders
• Looked at nomads(non-Chinese) as
_________________________________
– ______________________________________
– ______________________________________acc
ording to the Chinese
Contact between Peoples in Ancient
China
• _____________________________________
_________________________________
• When they attacked and sometimes
conquered Chinese ___________________
_______________________________________
__________________ rather than change it
• Yet, Chinese still expanded to vast areas
Main Geographic Regions in China
• As the Chinese expanded their empire came
to include many ______________________
– Many climates and landforms
Main Geographic Regions in China
• ___________________________________
– East coast
– Valleys of the Yellow River and Yangzi River
• Rivers formed communications and transportation
routes
• Irrigation supply
– ______________________________________
Main Geographic Regions in China
• Outlying regions
– Invaders constantly attacked these regions
– Chinese government made alliances with regions
often
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___________________________________
___________________________________
Xingjian
___________________________________
Dynasties, Government and Social
Classes
Ideas of government
• Many rivers would flood yearly, including the
Yellow River
• Ancient Chinese needed a _____________
government to create water projects
necessary to control the river
• ___________________________________
Dynasties and Government
• Shang Dynasty
• Dominated from 1650
BC until 1027 BC
• __________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
Dynasties and Government
• Shang Dynasty had great tombs and palaces
• Warrior kings led their armies from walled
cities against any invader
– _________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________
• Noblemen had considerable status
– They controlled the rest of lands and were loyal to
Shang kings
Dynasties and Government
• Clans important
• _____________________________________
_________________________________
• Because of this loose bond between King and
Noblemen the civilization of China was more
like Sumer city states than Egypt
Ancient Chinese Religious Beliefs
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Under Shang Dynasty
___________________________________
Nature gods and spirits
Chief god was _______________________
– Mother goddess who brought plants and animals
to world
Ancient Chinese Religious Beliefs
• Gods as great as Shang Di would not respond
to needs of everyday people
• _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_______________________________
• People prayed to ancestors to intercede for
them in daily life
Ancient Chinese Religious Beliefs
• At first only ancestors of rulers and powerful
were thought to help intercede
• Later veneration of ancestors in all classes was
practiced throughout Chinese society
• _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_______________________________
Consulting Ancestors
• __________________
– Interpreting questions
Ancient Chinese Religious Beliefs
• Yin and Yang
• __________________
__________________
__________________
• Delicate balance
• Not opposites
• Well being of universe
depends on harmony
between Yin and Yang
Yin
• Linked to:
– _________________________________
– Darkness
– _________________________________
Yang
• Linked to:
– _____________________________________
– Light
– ______________________________________
Social Classes
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Royal Family
Nobles
Artisans and merchants
__________________________________
Peasants
Clustered together in farming villages
• Lived in thatched roofed houses with
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_______________________ and warm in winter
Accomplishments
Writing (accomplishment)
• Ancient Chinese
developed a system of
writing that used:
– Pictographs
– Ideographs
• ___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Writing (an accomplishment continued)
• Calligraphy - Fine handwriting
• Writing fostered unity
– _________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_____________________________
Another Early Dynasty
• Zhou Dynasty
• Overthrew the Shang in 1027 BC
• _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_______________________________
– Cruelty of Shang Dynasty led to Zhou uprising
– Heaven told Zhou to rule the people fairly
Zhou Dynasty
Dynastic Cycle
• Circular
• Aging Dynasty
– ______________________________________
– Becomes corrupt
– ______________________________________
• New Dynasty
– ______________________________________
Dynastic Cycle
Feudalism in Ancient China
• Started by Zhou Dynasty
• A system of government which local lords own
land but owed military service and support to
the ruler
• __________________________________
• Developed in Japan and Europe later
Other Accomplishments
• Silk making
• ___________________________________
• Strong economies
Things to know for this test
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Dynastic Cycle – in detail
How did geography effect early Chinese civilization
Compare Religion – Shang Di and Egypt
Yin and Yang
Ancestral veneration
Clans/Feudalism
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