Transcript Shang Dynasty (The Bronze Age)

SHANG DYNASTY
(THE BRONZE AGE)
QUICK REVIEW
✕
What continent is China located on?
✕
Name the two major rivers.
✕
What isolated China from the rest of
the world?
SHANG
✕
It was the first dynasty.
✕ It was stablished by the 1500’s BC.
✕ It lasted 700 years.
✕ 30 different kings ruled during this dynasty.
✕ Strongest in the Huang He Valley.
✕ Ruled a broad area of Northern China.
✕ They moved their capital numerous times to
avoid floods or attacks by their enemy.
✕ They were known for human sacrifices.
CITIES
✕
Had protective walls that were 30 ft high, 65 ft thick
and 4 miles long.
✕ Inside the walls lived the Royal Family, priests and
warriors.
✕ Artisans lived outside the walls in mud houses that
were built up against the wall.
✕ Farmers lived in villages
outside the walls.
SHANG SOCIAL ORDER
✕
Shang had an organized social order
1. Royal Family and Nobles
2. Warriors
3. Artisans
4. Farmers
5. Slaves
TOP LEVEL – LEVEL 1
✕
The King - Was at the center of Shang
political and religious life.
✕ Lived in large homes made of
Mud and wood.
✕ Hunting was a favorite
past-time.
✕ The Nobles - job was to advise the
king, they owned a lot of land
that they passed down to their
sons.
✕ Lived in large, brick homes with
tiled roofs.
✕ Homes were lavishly decorated and furnished.
Level 2 - Warriors
✕
Fought for the dynasty.
✕ Wore bronze armor.
✕ Used chariots made of
bronze and wood.
✕ Each chariot had a driver,
spearman and an archer.
✕ Carried daggers, spears,
and axes.
Level 3 - Artisans
✕
Lived in groups outside the city walls.
✕ Made weapons, pottery, tools, clothing.
Level 4 - Farmers
✕
Most people were
farmers.
✕ Worked long hours
and had little money.
✕ Most of the money they made had to be
paid to the government in taxes.
✕ They didn’t own the land.
✕ Had to give the nobles part of the food
they grew.
Level 5 - Slaves
✕
Lowest rank
✕
They were an
important source
of labor.
SHANG ADVANCES
✕
Came up with China’s first writing system-a
lot of the symbols used today in Chinese
language come
from those
made during the
Shang Dynasty.
SHANG ADVANCES
✕
(CON.)
Beautiful bronze containers for cooking and
religious ceremonies.
✕ Ornaments from jade
✕ Axes
✕ Knives
✕ War chariots
✕ Bow
✕ Bronze body armor
✕ Calendar based on
the cycle of the
moon.
ORACLE BONES
✕
Priests carve
questions about
the future on bones.
✕ They put the bones over a fire and the bones
crack.
✕ The priests thought they could “read” the
cracks to predict the future.
TRADITIONS STILL PRACTICED TODAY
✕
Ancestor Worship - worshiping and praying to
family members who are deceased.
✕ Offer gifts, such as meat or wine to ancestors
to show respect.
✕ If you didn’t offer gifts, natural disaster would
occur.
✕ They often build temples for ancestors.
✕ Inside the home there is an altar to pray to
their ancestors.