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Ancient China
Empires & Philosophies
Shang Dynasty
• From (1750 – 1045 B.C.)
mostly farming society
• Aristocracy—wealth based on
land and power that is passed
down
• Archaeologists found evidence of
cities, palaces, tombs, city walls
Political and Social Structures
King controlled land and large
armies
Buried with corpses of servants
in tombs
Communicate with gods by
oracle bones (Turn to Pg. 90)
Religion and Culture
Belief in afterlife  human
sacrifices
Veneration of ancestors 
“ancestor worship”, spirits of
ancestors could bring good or evil
fortune to family
Shang are most remembered for
bronze casting
Zhou Dynasty
• From (1045 – 256 B.C.) 
longest dynasty
• Defeated Shang after their
ruler ruined morale of nation
Political Structures
Continued aristocracy
King was the link between
heaven and earth
Mandate of Heaven
Mandate = authority
King ruled over humanity,
keeping order through goodness
Dao = “proper way” keeping
gods pleased
Decline
--403 B.C. Civil war broke out
b/w Zhou and Qin
--Iron weapons were stronger
than bronze
Decline
--Introduction of infantry (foot
soldiers), cavalry (horseback),
and invention of crossbow
changed warfare in China.
--Qin dynasty took over in 221 B.C.
Life, Family, Technology
a. Trading was a means of money 
salt, iron, silk, and cloth
b. By 6th century, irrigation, iron plows
c. Filial Piety—duty of family members
--work together
--Male dominated society
--Women worked at home; participate in
politics
Confucius
Lived from 551 to 479 B.C.
He wanted to improve society
and achieve good government
Confucius
5 Relationships to obey between:
1.Ruler and Subject
2.Father and Son
3.Husband and Wife
4.Siblings (brother)
5.Friend and Friend
Confucius
• Be sincere, polite, and unselfish
• Obey and respect laws and
traditions
• Work hard and respect learning
Opium Wars (1839 – 1842)
Opium—From the plant Papaver
somniferum;contains morphine
and alkaloid(cocaine)
Chinese would not trade with
western nations, British
smuggled from India
Opium Wars (1839 – 1842)
Chinese gov’t tried to stop the
trade of opium but no one obeyed
(addicted)
1839, Chinese destroyed millions
of dollars worth of opium.
British won; Treaty of Nanking
gave Hong Kong to England.