Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
CHINA CHINA’S GEOGRAPHY and NATURAL WALL 1. What continent is China a part of? Asia 2. This mountain range can be found along the southern border of China and India. It contains the highest mountain peak in the world. Himalayas 3. This desert is north of the Himalayas. It is surrounded on three sides by mountains and on the east by the Tarim River. Taklimakan 4. This river originates in the eastern Himalayas and flows toward the East China Sea. It crosses the Sichuan Basin. Yangtze 5. What direction is Egypt from China and how many miles apart are they? West around 2300 miles 6. This river winds across northern China from the Himalayas. It has two names - one being Chinese and the other English. Huang He ~ Yellow 7. This mountain range runs along the border of China and Mongolia. It is bordered on the east and south by a desert. Altai 8. This is the water body that lies between the mainland of China and the small island country of Taiwan. The Tropic of Cancer runs through this water body. Taiwan Strait 9. This eastern region in China is close to the water and is considered one of the most fertile regions in the country. It is directly south of the nation’s modern day capital city. North China Plain 10. What direction is India from China and how many miles apart are they? South Border one another 11. This water body is directly to the east of China. It lies between the mainland and the island chain of Ryukyu. East China Sea 12. This water body lies between China’s mainland and the Korean peninsula. It shares it’s name with a river that winds through eastern China. Yellow Sea 13. This fertile, flat area is located in northeast China and surrounded by the Greater Khingan Range on the west and Russia on the north and east sides. Manchurian Plain 14. This desert is found on the border between China and Mongolia. Gobi 15. About how many miles wide and long is China? Over 2500 miles east to west over 1000 miles north to south 16. These are China’s western mountains and can be found between China and Kyrgyzstan. Tien Shan 17. This large plateau is found in southwestern China. Plateau of Tibet Himalaya Hindu Kush Tien Shan Gobi Yellow Taklimakan East China South China Altai Safe from invaders/protection Difficult to trade/travel to/with others Will have many natural resources May cause isolation CHINA In eastern Asia World’s most populated country Fourth largest country in terms of area Beijing is the capital Shanghai is the largest city 70% of it is mountains, hills, and highlands Wide range of climates Most farmland and people are in the east Most live in towns or villages Republic government controlled by the Communist party Government controls economy but is letting more free enterprise 1 in 5 people are Chinese Most work in agriculture 90% live in eastern China 92% are Han Family is very important Live modestly Men marry after 22 Women marry after 20 Only allowed to have two kids One of the world’s oldest civilizations Developed the compass, paper, and porcelain CHINA’S PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES Yangtze River Summer Temp. = 65° F Winter Temp. = 22° F Annual Precipitation = 40 ins. Vegetation Type = rainforest The Yangtze river (meaning “Long River”) is the longest river in Asia, and the fourth longest in the world. It runs for a good 3,859 miles. To some people, it is considered a dividing line between northern and southern China. Gobi Desert Summer Temp. = 113° F Winter Temp. = -40° F Annual Precipitation = 5.5 ins. Vegetation Type = desert The word “Gobi” means very large and dry in Mongolian. The Gobi Desert is the 5th largest desert in the world and is Asia’s largest. It covers an area of about 500,000 square miles. The Gobi Desert is a cold desert, and it is not uncommon to see frost or occasionally snow on its dunes. Himalayan Mountains Summer Temp. = -13° F Winter Temp. = -100° F Annual Precipitation = 80 inches Vegetation Type = none . The Himalayan Mountains are the world’s highest mountain range and contain the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest, which is over 25,000 feet high. The Himalayas extend for 1,500 miles. These mountains are extremely dangerous to travel through, not only because of their height, but also because they are always covered in snow and ice. Huang He (Yellow) River Summer Temp. = varies Winter Temp. = varies Annual Precipitation = 16 ins. Vegetation Type = sparse grasses The Huang He River is the second longest river in China, as well as the sixth longest river in the world. It stretches about 3,395 miles. This river is commonly known as the Yellow River, because that is the color of the river from all of the sediment it carries. Another nickname for this river is “China’s Sorrow”. It is called this because it has been known to have devastating floods. North China Plain Summer Temp. = 82° F Winter Temp. = 28° F Annual Precipitation = 23 ins. Vegetation Type = grassland The North China Plain is the largest flat lowland area in China. It stretches across an area of 158,000 square miles. The early Chinese considered this plain “the center of the world”. Plateau of Tibet Summer Temp. = 45° F Winter Temp. = 18° F Annual Precipitation = 10 inches Vegetation Type = sparse grasses The Tibetan Plateau is also called “the roof of the world”. It is the highest and largest plateau in the world covering an area about four times the size of Texas. Taklimakan Desert Summer Temp. = 100° F Winter Temp. = 15° F Annual Precipitation = 5 inches Vegetation Type = desert The Taklimakan Desert is known as the largest sand-only desert in the world. Many different mummies have been found in this desert, and some date back over four thousand years. The word “taklimakan” is known to mean “desert of death” or “place of no return”. Tien Shan Mountains Summer Temp. = 41° F Winter Temp. = 15° F Annual Precipitation = 10 ins. Vegetation Type = forest The Tien Shan Mountains are one of the longest mountain ranges in Central Asia. Their name means “mountains of the spirits”. The mountains at their lower levels contain many spruce forests. Manchurian Plain • • • • Summer Temp. = 75° F Winter Temp. = 10° F Annual Precipitation = 20 ins. Vegetation Type = sparse grasses The Manchurian Plain is also known as the Northeast China Plain. It covers an area of over 135,000 square miles. There are almost no trees on this plain. This area is good for raising livestock and herding. CHINA’S PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES Yangtze River Location: flows through south central China from the mountains to the sea Facts: -Also known as the Chang Jiang -Yangtze = Long River -Longest river in China and Asia and 4th in the world -It sometimes does flood -People use the river to move goods between eastern and western areas in the region -Its surrounding lands are very fertile Gobi Desert • Location It covers part of China and Mongolia Facts - one of the world’s largest deserts - Most of the desert is stony and its surface is made up of small pebbles and tiny bits of sand - It is a cold desert, and it is not uncommon to see frost and occasionally snow on its dunes - Vegetation is sparse and the plants there tend to be small and widely spaced Himalayan Mountains • Location Along China’s southern border and forms a natural border between the Indian subcontinent Facts - the highest mountain range in the world - region is a bitterly cold place - It is so cold that there is very little or no vegetation. Huang He (Yellow) River • Location It bends through north central China from the mountains to the sea Facts - Second longest river in China, 6th in the world - called the Yellow River because of the enormous amounts of yellow silt - Very muddy river - Called "the cradle of Chinese civilization", as its basin is the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilizations - the river has flooded more than 1,500 times, causing much damage and loss of life. This has also earned the river the name "China's Sorrow". North China Plain • Location - east central China Facts - is a flat region of grassland and temperatures range from very warm in the summer to cold in the winter. - called the “Land of the Yellow Earth” because the ground is covered by yellow limestone silt from the Gobi Desert - This flat yellow-soil plain is the main area of grains, corn, and cotton production in China. Wheat, sesame seed, and peanuts are also grown here. - The plain is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. Plateau of Tibet • Location The southwestern part of China is dominated by the high Tibet Plateau Facts - This area is often called the “Roof of the World” since it is over two miles above sea level - It is a very large area, covering almost a quarter of the land in China - very cold and dry climate with sparse shrubs and grasses - The natural vegetation is eaten by antelopes and yaks that roam the area Taklimakan Desert • Location - located in western China, just northwest of the Tibetan Plateau Facts - Over 105,000 square miles - considered one of the most dangerous deserts in the world - “once you go in, you will not come out” - The desert’s huge sand dunes shift and change as the wind blows the sand around and sandstorms arise with stunning speed - the desert is very dry with vegetation near oases only - Legend says that two armies and three hundred cities are buried in it Tien Shan Mountains • Location - The northwestern tip of China and lies to the north and west of the Taklimakan Desert Facts - one of the longest mountain ranges in Central Asia at 1700 miles long - The name Tien Shan literally means “celestial mountains” and is sacred to those who practice Daoism - Heavy rain and snowfall on the range create a mountain environment that contrasts dramatically with the arid desert terrain of the southern foothills - On the lower slopes, there are flowery meadows and forests - Top of them are covered with glaciers Manchurian Plain • Location - northeastern China - east of Mongolia Facts - Also known as Northeast China Plain - is a land of low hills and plains and the natural vegetation is mostly prairie grass - It has short, warm summers and is cold in the winter – dry in the north and wetter in the south - In general, the plain is too cold and dry to be a good place for growing crops but is good for herding and livestock Map of China Yangtze River Gobi Desert Himalayan Mountains Huang He/Yellow (River) North China Plain Plateau of Tibet Taklimakan Desert Tien Shan (Mountains) Manchurian Plain QUESTIONS on CHINA’S GEOGRAPHY Name the mountains found in northwest China. Tien Shan The Huang He River and the Yangtze River flow in which direction? west to east eastward What part of China are the Himalaya Mountains found in? southern or southwestern What direction would you travel in to get from the Taklimakan Desert to the Gobi Desert? northeast or east Which physiographic feature of China has the warmest summer temperature? Gobi Desert Which physiographic feature of China has the warmest winter temperature? North China Plain Which physiographic feature of China has the overall coldest temperatures? Himalaya Mountains Which physiographic features of China get over 20 inches of precipitation in a year? Yangtze River, Himalayan Mountains, North China Plain, Manchurian Plain Which physiographic feature of China is most like Carroll County? Defend your choice with at least three reasons. NORTH CHINA PLAIN: similar temperatures, both have lots of grassland, both are farming areas growing corn, somewhat similar precipitations, both on the east coast Explain why over ninety percent of China’s population lives in eastern China? flat, reasonable temperatures, on the coast, two major rivers flow through it, fertile soil CHINA’S GEOGRAPHY: HELPFUL or HARMFUL HELP Natural barriers give protection Rivers link/bring the people together Rivers flood and enrich the soil for farming Rivers used for their resources and as transportation/trade routes HARMFUL Natural barriers make it hard to travel and communicate Numerous regions formed and developed their own ways and, therefore, the Chinese were not unified Rivers flood, destroy, and kill Deserts are dry wastelands OTHER FACTS Southwest = mountains North and west = mountains and deserts East = ocean All of the above act as barriers keeping China both isolated and safe Countries Around the World: China thousand The Chinese language has over a ___________________ characters in it. calligraphy An ancient form of writing from China is called _________________. sickle hammer The ________________ and _________________ are two symbols of Communism. soybean Besides rice the ______________________ plant has been grown in China for a long time. Red ____________ on the Chinese flag stands for revolution, the big star Communist Party represents the _______________________, and the four smaller stars people stand for the __________________________ . diverse China has a ___________________________ climate. paper money The Chinese were the first to use _______________________ and Yuan their currency is called the _______________________ . atheist China’s official national religion is ______________________. Yangtze River Delta The __________________________________ has the most fertile soil in China. PREHISTORIC CHINA Yangshao Yangshao • Began 10,000 B.C.E • Settled near the Huang He (Yellow) River in north central China. • Were farmers in China • Had houses built partially underground with plastered floors and roofs supported by wooden beams • Created painted pottery with geometric designs on it They used a kiln but no potter’s wheel Lungshan Lungshan • About 3000 B.C.E • Settled near the Huang He (Yellow) River in northeast China. • Farmers that raised cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs and grew wheat and millet • Eventually settled in southern China to grow rice • Leaders arose to complete projects to control flooding • Created black pottery using a kiln and a potter’s wheel • First to harvest silk from silkworms to weave fabric which became a major export of China Xia Xia • Last of the Prehistoric settlements around 2000 B.C.E. (ruled for about 300 years) • Settled near the Huang He (Yellow) River in north central China. • Know about them from legends and eventually what archeologists have found • Had bronze weapons and tools • Were farmers • Made pottery • Rulers communicated with spirits for help and guidance • Defeated by the Shang, China’s first dynasty Could eventually become China’s first dynasty when and if more evidence is found about them The Shang Dynasty A Shang dynasty tortoise shell with pictographs. The Shang dynasty is the earliest Chinese dynasty supported by archeological and written evidence. The ruins of Yin date back to the Shang dynasty. A number of tombs were discovered at this site, but only one, that of Fuo Hao, was undisturbed. A jade carving discovered in Fuo Hao's tomb. Fuo Hao was a wife of King Wu Ding during the Shang dynasty and is reported to have served as a military leader. Her tomb was untouched when discovered in 1976. Evidence of human sacrifice is common in elite tombs of the Shang dynasty. A Shang dynasty bronze zun or wine vessel, shaped in the form of an elephant with uplifted trunk. A Chinese archeologist works at a newly discovered pit of chariots and horses in the ruins of Yin. Five of the seven pits are arranged in a line, with chariots and horses facing eastward. SHANG DYNASTY 1) 1700-1050 BCE 2) On the Huang He River in the North China Plain 3) The Shang dynasty is important because . . . CHINA’S FIRST DYNASTY 4) A series of rulers from the same family 5) From the tombs, artifacts, and writing we have found SHANG TOMB ARTIFACTS Bronze Vessel The people in ancient China believed that ancestors brought their families good or bad fortune. During the Shang dynasty, the Chinese used bronze containers, or vessels, to hold food items in ceremonies honoring their ancestors. They also placed such vessels in tombs so the dead could continue to have things to eat and drink in the next world. Craftspeople designed some bronze vessels to hold wine offerings and others to hold meat or grain. Many vessels featured a design known as dao die. This design can be viewed as one animal split lengthwise and spread along the sides of the container, or as two animals facing each other. The design, which was molded onto vessels, may have been meant to frighten away evil spirits. Bronze ceremonial axes, which were found in many Shang emperors’ tombs, were symbols of imperial authority. These axes were used to kill the sacrificial victims who were buried with the emperor. Early Chinese emperors, who ruled an empire that included areas of the North China Plain, had complete power to make all government decisions. They owned all of the land, but gave some of it away to nobles to be in charge of. Ceremonial Ax Chariot During times of war, Shang nobility gave chariots to the emperor to help him create a powerful army. In return, the emperor gave the nobles land. When an emperor died, chariots were placed in his tomb to provide protection for him in the next life. Shang chariots were horse-drawn, boxlike battle carriages with two wheels and low fronts. Usually, three warriors rode in a chariot, which had no seats. The driver stood in the middle, a spear carrier stood on his left and an archer stood on his right. Cowrie Shells During the Shang dynasty, people usually traded or bartered for the goods they wanted. However, cowrie shells were also used as currency during this period. The ancient Chinese strung 5 to 10 shells together and used them as coins are used today. Cowrie shells were valuable because the source of the shells was so far away. The closest supply of cowries was on the east coast of China below the Chang Jiang, or Yangtze River. The Shang had to trade with neighboring regions to obtain these shells. Daggers The Chinese fought many wars during the Shang dynasty. Conflicts between the Shang and neighboring peoples to the west and south were caused by boundary disputes, the desire for more valuable resources and the need to secure prisoners for human sacrifices. Many wars involved large armies of more than 13,000 men. Soldiers used bronze weapons such as arrowheads, spearheads, helmets and daggers mounted on wooden shafts. The ancient Chinese believed that the weapons gave Shang warriors an advantage over their enemies, who had less technologically advanced weapons. Jade copies of Shang daggers were placed in imperial Farming Tools During the Shang dynasty, the main occupation of most Chinese people was farming. Peasants used simple wooden plows, stone shovels, sickles and axes to work the land. They raised such crops as millet, wheat, barley, rice, fruits, vegetables and nuts. Peasants did not own the land they farmed. Instead, it was owned by the emperor and the nobles to whom the emperor had given the land. Peasants cultivated crops to support themselves and supply the nobility. After a harvest, the peasants kept only the crops necessary for them to survive. They gave the remainder of the harvest to the nobles who in turn sent some of it to the emperor. Oracle Bone Shang emperors and priests used oracle bones to predict the future. Oracle bones were made from the shoulder blades of cattle or from tortoise shells that were imported from southeast China. Shang priests etched statements onto the surface of the shell or bone. The statements might concern such topics as rainfall, harvest, sickness, childbirth or enemy attacks. The statements were written in both positive and negative terms. For example, a priest might have written, “It will rain” and “It will not rain”. Then the priest applied a hot poker to a grove on the back of the bone so that the bone cracked. People believed that the crack that appeared could be studied to reveal which of the opposing statements was true. Rhinoceros with Inscription Only Shang emperors and nobles could own the special bronze containers or vessels, used in religious ceremonies. Craftspeople cast these vessels in various shapes. Some were shaped like animals, such as cows or rhinoceroses. Bronze objects often bore inscriptions marking the occasion for which they were made. One such inscription was discovered on the stomach of a bronze rhinoceros. It tells of an emperor’s gift of cowrie shells to a high government official to thank him for a military victory. Sacrificial Victims During the Shang dynasty, human beings were sacrificed to honor the emperor at the time of his death. These sacrificial victims were buried with the emperor. There were two types of victims whose skeletons have been found in Shang imperial tombs. Some skeletons were complete. They were buried with items that indicated the victims were supposed to serve the emperor in the next life. Weapons, pottery or musical instruments were placed near these bodies. Other skeletons were headless. These bodies were meant to be used by the dead emperor in the afterlife Stone Ox Archeologists have learned from stone carvings about the animals that people raised during the Shang dynasty. These carvings show such animals as cattle, sheep, water buffalo, oxen, horses, pigs, dogs and chickens. The animals provided food and were sacrificed in great numbers. One royal ceremony alone required the killing of 1,000 head of cattle. People from the villages surrounding the Shang capital at An Yang sent huge herds of animals for the emperor and nobles to eat and to sacrifice in their ceremonies.