Download The First Dynasty

Aim: How did ancient China develop under the
Shang and Zhou dynasties?
Do Now: Take out homework – Paragraph
Explain the positives and negatives of loess.
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Dynasty – a line of rulers who belong to the
same family
Capital in city of Shang
Control of Yellow River delta
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Kings ruled over towns
Gave land to nobles – the rich who were often
family members
◦ Nepotism – favoring relatives of those close to you
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Agricultural society
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Shang Society
King and Family
Nobles
Craft-workers
Farmers
Prisoners of War
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Written language
Oracles – people who could predict the future
Oracle bones – bones used by oracles to
predict the future
Polytheism
Veneration of ancestors – pray to ancestors
who could control human life
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Overthrows Shang dynasty in 1000s B.C.
Mandate of Heaven – nature maintained order
in the world and the king ruled as a
representative of heaven
◦ Chosen by the gods
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Dynastic Cycle - a dynasty would remain in
power only as long as it was providing good
government.
When a dynasty went into decline, and began
to abuse its power, it was said to lose the
Mandate of Heaven, or the favor of the gods.
A strong leader would usually emerge to
claim the Mandate, and establish a new
dynasty.
The dynastic cycle would then begin again.
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Aim: Explain the uniqueness of Shihuangdi’s
Tomb.
Do Now: Take out Tomb of Shihuangdi
worksheet
Explain the Dynastic Cycle
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221 B.C. – general of Qin wins battles and
controls eastern China
◦ Emperor – supreme ruler of an empire
◦ Shihuangdi – “First Grand Emperor”
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Geography protection
◦ Qinling Mountains
◦ Huang River
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Split empire into 36 provinces (political
divisions of land)
Nobles move to capital – Xianyang
Single system of money
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Mirror of the real world
Clay army of soldiers and horses to protect
emperor
Crossbows set up if tomb opened
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Explain Shihuangdi and the tomb of
Shihuangdi.
Aim: How does Confucianism offer values
that all people can learn from?
Do Now: Take out homework
Why is it important to take advice from
someone older than you(parents,
grandparents, aunt/uncles)
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Lived from 551-479 B.C.
Lived through time of warfare
Suggested peaceful way to live
He says China has lost its traditions
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Stresses education to make people better
Better people make a better civilization
Respect of elders
Thoughts recorded in a book
◦ The Analects
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Founded by Lao Tzu
Teaches inaction and not action
Don’t try to control nature of things, act
spontaneously and let nature take its course
◦ Opposite of Confucianism
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Construction begun by Shihuangdi
Protection from northern invaders
Most of it built in later generations
◦ 1300s to 1600s
Aim: How did the Han dynasty make grand
achievements?
Do Now: Take out Han Dynasty worksheet
What was the purpose of the Great Wall?
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206 B.C. - Qin overthrown
General of rebels – Han Gaozu
Expanded borders north to Korea and south
to Vietnam
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Confucius state
Civil service exam – government officials
must be qualified for the job or pass a test
◦ No longer can they just be appointed by king
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Wudi – first strong emperor of Han
Grand School – empire’s best school
◦ Doctors, scientists, mathematicians, gov’t jobs
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Invention of paper
Seismograph – machine used to detect
earthquakes
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Trade routes that connected Asia and Europe
Silk was very popular trading item
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Take out Chapter Review