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9/24/2010 1. Notebook Entry: Yellow River Valley 2. What is a dynasty? EQ: How does the Yellow River Valley fit into our model of a civilization? Advance Cities, Specialized Workers, Complex Institutions, Record Keeping, Advanced Technology, Social Hierarchy By the end of class our objectives are to: - explain the effect of geography on the cultural development of China - describe the growth and structure of China’s river dynasties - describe the family structure, religion, and technology of the Yellow River Valley dynasties? River Valley Civilizations Quiz - Wednesday Geography: • Natural barriers – Pacific Ocean – Taklimakan Desert – Plateau of Tibet – Himalayan Mountains – Gobi Desert – Mongolian Plateau • River Systems – Huang He: Yellow River – Yangtze Yellow River Valley Boisterous & Unpredictable – 2,920 miles long The need for large-scale public works projects helped to establish recognized authorities and formal political institutions. Led to the founding of cities and development of metallurgy. Yellow River: • Huge amounts of loess (yellow silt) when it overflows its banks Challenges: • Dangerous flooding • “China’s Sorrow” • Isolated settlers had very limited trade • Protected from outside invasion 1 9/24/2010 China’s Heartland: • Only 10% of China’s land is arable • North China Plain – small area suitable for farming Shang Dynasty: • • • • • 1700 – 1027 B.C. Left written records Elaborate palaces and tombs Cities built of wood Huge walls – constant warfare – Rulers able to control large labor forces Culture: • “Middle Kingdom” • Family central to society – Linked to religion (ancestor spirits) • Sharp divide between nobles and peasants • Worshipped Shang Di (supreme god) – Communicated through oracle bones • Many spoken - but one written language • Barely literate knew 1,500 characters – Scholars knew 10,000-plus 2 9/24/2010 Feudalism: • Zhou controlled vast lands – Nobles (lords) granted the use of lands belonging to the king – Nobles owe loyalty, military service, and protection to the people who live there Dynastic Cycle: • Rise, decline, replacement of dynasties • 1027 B.C. Zhou overthrow Shang – Justified through the Mandate of Heaven • Adopt much of the culture Technology and Trade: • Roads and canals – trade and agriculture. • Coined money introduced • Metallurgy • Blast furnaces – Produced cast iron – Weapons and tools 3