Transcript Ancient China: Early Settlement Through the Shang Dynasty

Mr. Korinek 7th Grade Social Studies
 Archeologists
believe that the first
inhabitants of China lived in caves more than
500,000 years ago.
 Remains of these people, known as Peking
Man, were found in the 1920s in the
northeastern part of China.
 They lived by hunting, gathering, and fishing.
 They made tools and probably used fire.
 Early
farmers in China settled mostly on the
North China Plain.
 They grew crops and lived in villages near
the Huang He River.
 The North China Plain had plenty of water,
fertile soil, and a moderate climate.
 In contrast, the Tibetan Plateau, and
Northwestern Plain were to cold and dry.
The Northwestern Deserts were also too dry.
And the Chang Jiang Basins were wet and
fertile, but heavy rains made farming
difficult.
 The
dynasty ruled the area around the Huang
He (Yellow River).
 Ancient China was no one country, but a
number of clans, or extended families, led
by warrior kings. Rival clans often fought
each other.
 Occasionally, one clan became powerful
enough to control all of ancient China and
start a dynasty.
 The Shang was one such clan
 Shang
capital city included a palace, a
temple, and houses. It also had workships
for artisans who worked with bronze ,
pottery stone and jade.
 The Shang dynasty also performed human
sacrifice as a part of burial rights for the
king. Including slaves, servants, and
animals.
 China’s
geography kept the early settlements
in China isolated.
 Surrounded by rocky plateaus, cold climates,
and large deserts China remained isolated
from the rest of the world.
 Nobles
 Craftspeople
 Traders
 Farmers
 Slaves
 Centered
around ancestor worship.
 Characters
that stood for words
 Bronze
making skills, specifically for
weapons.