Transcript File - Mr. Williams

 Like India, first people in
China settled near two rivers,
the Huang He (Yellow River)
in the north and Chang Jiang
(Yangzi River) in the south.
 Mountains to the south and
west kept the country
relatively isolated and
resulted in a feeling that they
were the center of the
universe.
 Over time, dynasties, or
families began to take power.
 Established by 1500s BC
 First Chinese writing system -
2,000+ symbols, basis for
modern symbols
 Oracle bones – priests carved
questions about future on cattle
bones and turtle shells then
heated them, causing them to
crack. Priests believed they
could “read” the cracks to
predict the future.
 Art – bronze containers for
cooking and religious
ceremonies, axes, knives, jade
ornaments.
 War – war chariots, powerful
bows, bronze armor
 Calendar based on cycles of
moon.
 Shang rulers overthrown by rebels
from western China, and the Zhou
dynasty born.
 Longest lasting dynasty in Chinese
history (1100-771 BC)
 Mandate of heaven - Zhou claimed
they had been chosen by heaven
and given power to rule China.
 Social order - emperor at top, gave
land to lords in exchange for loyalty
or military service, peasants at
bottom growing food.
Warring States Period
 Invaders attack capital in 771 BC,
lords wouldn’t fight, emperor
overthrown, Zhou dynasty breaks
down.
 China breaks apart into many
kingdoms that fight against each
other.
 This period came to an end when
one of the states, Qin, became
strong enough to defeat all its
rivals.




Qin Government
The Qin king unified all of China
and named himself Shi Huangdi,
which means “first emperor.” (Talk
more about him in a moment.)
Refused to share power, so lords
lost many rights.
Ordered thousands of noble
families to move to his capital, now
called Xi’an, so would be less likely
to rebel.
Strong ruler, but dynasty fell apart
after his death.





Qin Achievements
People all over China acted
and thought same way.
System of laws that applied
equally to people in all parts
of China.
New, uniform system of
money
Uniform system of writing
Built huge network of roads
and canals that linked the
empire and made travel and
trade easier.
 Greatest Qin achievement
 “The Longest Cemetery on



Deconstructing History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKTR6Q2yGRg
Misconceptions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgLweGWRgKM

Earth” – 1 million laborers,
300,000 of them died
Original wall = 3,100
Later additions = 5,500
Possibly as many as 31,070
miles of other walls (could
wrap around the Earth 1 ½
times), though no one knows
for sure
CANNOT be seen from the
moon.
 Known for his brutality. He jailed,
tortured, and killed those who
opposed his rule, particularly the
nobility.
 In order to prevent people from having
other ideas, he ordered all books that
did not agree with his beliefs burned.
A group of scholars protested, so he
had them buried alive.
 Obsessed with the idea of living
forever. Had chemists concoct potions
which would make him immortal.
Most contained mercury and likely
contributed to his death (age 49)
instead of preventing it.
 In 1974, a group of farmers
digging a well uncovered a
life-size terracotta soldier.
 Archaeologists estimate
there may be as many as
8,000.
 Each one is unique and
had real weapons.
 Also found hundreds of figures of horses, chariots, and cavalry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsUE-ZtcUFg
 Mt. Li
 Information we have comes from
Chinese historian writing a
century later.
 700,000 workers constructing the
tomb, all of whom were
supposedly killed to maintain
secrecy.
 Miniature map of his empire the
size of a football pitch, complete
with rivers of mercury and jewels
set in the ceiling to represent the
sky.
 Mausoleum
http://www.history.com/topics/g
reat-wall-of-china/videos/tombof-chinas-first-emperor