Download Huang Ho River Valley

The Ancient Chinese
People of the Huang He
River Valley
Huang Ho Valley
** 2000 B.C.- about 500 years after the Harappans
settled in the Indus River Valley
** Do not have any records of the beginning of
the Civilization
1. much is legend (story)
Shang Dynasty
Huang He River System
Reasons for Settlement
1.
Many people chose the Huang Ho River Valley
b/c it was fertile
** Fertile- rich soil/good for farming
2. Isolated- remote location from other villages/
far away from other people
3. Developed their culture without borrowing
ideas or goods from another civilization
Dynasties
Dynasty- ruling family (Shang Dynasty)
** Shang came to power in 1766 B.C.
Shang Dynasty responsible for:
 Building Chinese cities
 Ruling Government
 Head of all Ancient Chinese people
(similar to a Pharaoh)
Shang Dynasty

Located in
Northeast
China

Along the river
valley and
North China
Sea
Different Dynasties
Shang Cities
Cities- most of the cities were developed the
same way (same plan)
All Chinese Cities had:
1.
Palace and temple at the center
2.
Public buildings and government buildings were built close to the
temple
3.
Workers lived on the outskirts
** Most of the Shang people DID NOT live in the city
1. They were farmers
2. Grew wheat, millett
3. Raised cattle
4. Produced silk
Major Cities
Spirits
Spirits- supernatural beings
What they believed about the Spirits
Shang Worshiped them
Believed they lived in mountains, rivers, seas
Had to please them
If the spirits were angry, the people would suffer
Ancestors
Ancestors- past family members (descendants)
Shang believed that their Ancestors:
1. Influenced their fortunes
2. Help them in their time of need
** Prayed to Ancestors, offered food and
wine to keep them happy
Kings and Nobles
Kings- Government official in the Shang
Dynasty
* Main duty was to contact the spirits
* Asked advice of ancestors
Oracle Bones- communication between the
kings and their ancestors
* Markings on the bones
Noble- people of high rank in the kingdom
* Spent time hunting, in military
Oracle Bones
Ruins of the Shang Dynasty
Decline of the Shang
Reasons for the Decline of Shang Dynasty
1. Great gap between the rich and poor
* No loyalty towards one another
2.
Zhou invasion of 1122 B.C.
* Weakened the Dynasty