Transcript River Dynasties in China

{ River Dynasties in China
Objectives WHI.3
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Objective:
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The student will be able to
demonstrate knowledge of ancient
river valley civilizations, including
the Huang He, by:
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Locating the civilization in time
and place
Describing the development of
social, political, and economic
patterns, including slavery
Explaining the development of
religious traditions
Explaining the development of
language and writing
Essential Questions:
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Why did Ancient Civilizations
develop in river valleys?
Where were the earliest
civilizations located?
When did these civilizations exist?
What were the social, political,
and economic characteristics of
early civilizations
What religious traditions
developed in ancient civilizations?
What forms of language and
writing existed in early
civilizations?
Geography of China
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Long distances and physical
barriers separated it from
Egypt, the Middle East, and
India
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This isolation led to the belief
that China was the center of
the earth and sole source of
civilization
Southeast Jungles
Gobi Desert
Regions
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China’s Heartland
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Huang He (yellow) River and
the Yangzi river supported
the largest populations
Xinjiang, Mongolia, and Manchuria
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Xinjiang and Mongolia are
harsh and rugged
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Mainly nomads and subsistence
farmers
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At times invaders from these
regions conquered China
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Genghis Khan and the Mongols
River of Sorrows
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Chinese history starts in
Huang He valley
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Called “yellow” river because
of the loess that turns the river
yellow
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Called “China’s Sorrow”
because of the constant
flooding
First Dynasties
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Peking Man- Homo erectus
skeleton discovered near
Beijing on the Yellow River,
settled 500,000 years ago
Myth: 2000 B.C.E. first
civilization arose
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Mythic ancestor of Chinese:
P’an Ku
A leader named Yu tamed
Huang He river
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No written records
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Fact
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organized state rose around
2000 B.C.E. with irrigation of
Hwang He river
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By 1000 B.C.E.
• Used pottery, Rode horses
• Used Bronze, Introduced
Iron
• Writing developed
• Scientific advances
• Interest in music
Shang Dynasty
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1532 B.C. E. Shang controlled
Huang He valley
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Dominated until 1027 B.C.E.
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Invaders?
Decline due to Invasion
Characteristics:
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First to leave written records
constructed impressive tombs
and palaces
Writing
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Oracle bones: animal bones or turtle shells on which priests wrote
questions to ancestors or gods’
by interpreting the cracks in the bone, they answers were
provided
Written Chinese
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Created 4,000 years ago
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Each character represented a
word or and idea
Over 10,000 characters
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Calligraphy was an art form
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Writing was a unifying force
since not everyone spoke the
same language.
Zhou Dynasty
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1027 B.C. E. the Zhou overthrew
the Shang
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Lasted until 256 B.C.
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To justify overthrowing the
Shang, the Zhou promoted the
idea of Mandate of Heaven, or
divine right to rule
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Explains the dynastic cycle
Floods and famine were a sign
that the dynasty was out of favor
with the gods.
Feudal States
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Zhou rewarded supporters with
land
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Feudalism: system of government
in which local lords governed
their own land but owed military
service to ruler
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Eventually feudalism became
more powerful than the dynasty
Achievements
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Iron-making leads to more food
production
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New crops and irrigation systems
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Commerce expanded, use of
money
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New roads and canals
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Led to increase in population
Warring States Period
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771 B.C.E. – nomads sacked the
Zhou capital of Hao and
murdered the monarch
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A few family members escaped
and ruled from new capital for
500 years
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Powerless, couldn’t control noble
families
Warlords claimed to be “kings”
of territory
Led to “warring states” period
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Warring States
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Warfare changed, no longer
honorable
Peasants main force on
battlefield
New weapons such as a
crossbow
Central values changed
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No longer order, harmony, and
respect for authority…. Now
chaos, arrogance and defiance
Objectives WHI.3


Objective:

The student will be able to
demonstrate knowledge of ancient
river valley civilizations, including
the Huang He, by:




Locating the civilization in time
and place
Describing the development of
social, political, and economic
patterns, including slavery
Explaining the development of
religious traditions
Explaining the development of
language and writing
Essential Questions:






Why did Ancient Civilizations
develop in river valleys?
Where were the earliest
civilizations located?
When did these civilizations exist?
What were the social, political,
and economic characteristics of
early civilizations
What religious traditions
developed in ancient civilizations?
What forms of language and
writing existed in early
civilizations?