Transcript Zhou Dynasty - harveytechworldhistory

Zhou Dynasty
By: Haley Hernandez
Jarrett Sippola
Jim Edgar
Lauren Turner
Sara Cody
Will Gordy
Politics

1122 – 256 B.C.E.

Emperor rules by mandate of heaven, the belief that dynasties will rise and fall according to the will
of heaven, or the ancestors

Emperor
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lived in the forbidden city (away from all others)
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in full control but bound by duty
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had few slaves
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“The Son of Heaven”
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Political authority controlled by Confucian values
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Zhou Philosophy
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Concept of heaven emerged
Emperor Wen: founder of the Zhou Dynasty
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Universal force
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Chose the emperor to rule (moral force)
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If the emperor was evil, heaven would send natural disasters as a warning. If he didn’t heed the
warnings then heaven would withdraw its mandate. Social and political order would break down and
there would be a revolution.
Culture
 Technology

Starting of Chinese bracketing
system
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Silk from silk worms
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Replaced roof tiles with thatch
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Iron (instead of bronze)
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Started using bricks
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Copper for coins
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Acupuncture
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Horseback communication
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Chariots and mounted cavalry
 Architecture
 Science
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Gan and Shi’s Astronomy Book
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Mo Jing (physics, MoZi)
 Art
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Irregular walls of rammed earth
for defense
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Silk paintings
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Murals

Used earth and timber for many
buildings

Musical instruments were still
developing

Some multistory buildings
Economics
 “Ceremonial Lords of the Kingdoms”
 Warfare between territories
 Lost control of some territories in 700 B.C.E.
 Legalism - strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to
law or prescription, especially to the letter rather than the spirit.
 4th century B.C.E.
 Agriculture
 Peasants planted crops
 Planted crops in a square and the peasant’s crops would be planted on
the outside and the emperor’s crops were on the inside
 Zhou society was based on agriculture
Social

First dynasty to unite most of China
under a single government
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Divided into two parts: Western Zhou
and Eastern Zhou
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Western Zhou
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Semi-nomadic clan
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Peasants

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were physically separated from
other classes
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Key element
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Had supportive functions
(sewing, reaping, etc.)
Zhou rulers were the nobles with
family names, and they practiced
ancestor worship

Eastern Zhou
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Also known as the E.Z. period
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The decline of ancient forms of
religion began and the
transformation into Confucianism
and Daoism started

The uniqueness of China’s
recorded history began

Collection of documents
Resources
 http://library.thinkquest.org/12255/library/dynasty/zh
ou.html
 http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/China/Zhou.ht
ml
 http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t3w10z
houdynasty.htm
 www.chinatour360.com