Download Huang-He River (Yellow River)

Dynamic Relations SS9
Ancient China
DR9.3a Explain the influence of the major water systems, the topography, and the climate on the ways of life and
worldviews in the societies studied.
DSR9.3b Connect the characteristics of the natural environment with the settlement and movement of people in
the societies studied.
Name: __________________________
Geography of China
 China's natural barriers to the west, south, and east helped to protect these early people from
invasion.
 China's natural barriers include seas—the China Sea and the Yellow Sea, both located in the Pacific
Ocean. These seas provide a huge coastline, which provided trade routes and easy access to food.
 China's natural barriers also include mountains, deserts, and rivers. As you can see, China has many
natural barriers, all of which helped to keep her isolated from the rest of the world for many
thousands of years.
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Dynamic Relations SS9
Ancient China’s Major Water systems
The Yangtze (Long River) is the third longest river in the world. It is about 4000 miles long. It floods each
year and leaves fertile soil along the banks. The Yangtze River has high banks, which keeps homes safe
from the annual flooding.
The Huang He (Yellow River) is about 3000 miles long. It also floods each year. The banks along the
Huang He River are low. Civilization in ancient China began along the Yellow River about 5000 years
ago.
 These early people called all rivers in China by the nickname "The Great Sorrow". That is
because each year during the flood season, all homes along the Huang He River were destroyed.
Each year, the ancient Chinese had to rebuild their homes and their lives.
 Over time, people learned the techniques of flood control. The rich began to build their homes
high above the river.
A copy of an annotated map can be found at this site:
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/China_with_annotation.pdf
Where did Egyptians bury your liver?
How old are the Rocky Mountains?
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Dynamic Relations SS9
China Map Activity
Label (and colour in pencil crayon) the following geographical and political features. Use the LARGE
11”x17” map.
1. Rivers (two major rivers: Yangtze and Yellow)
2. Seas and bodies of water surrounding China (East China Sea, Yellow Sea, South China Sea)
3. Mountains (Himalayas, which are no longer a part of modern day China)
4. Deserts (Gobi and Taklimakan)
5. Capital City and names of provinces (Use the atlas to help you.)
6. Color the ocean/seas blue.
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Dynamic Relations SS9
Huang-He River (Yellow River)
 Sometimes referred to as China’s Cradle of Civilization because it is the birthplace of China’s
ancient civilization from as early as 5000BC.
 The River runs through several provinces.
Go the website below and read the information from the beginning through the three paragraphs
describing Lanzhou.
http://factsanddetails.com/china/cat15/sub103/item448.html
1. How many miles or (kilometers) long is the Yellow River? ________________________________
According to the article, the river supplies water for 155 million people. Look up the population
for the Canada and see what percentage of the Canadian population would be 155 million.
_____________%
2. Most of the land surrounding the Huang He is flat. When the river floods, the water covers a
huge area. Not only do people die because of the floods, but also from diseases caused by water
borne pathogens. Approximately how many floods have occurred since record keeping began in
602 BC? ______________________
3. In 1887 one of the deadliest natural disasters ever recorded occurred in the world when the
Yellow River flooded resulting in the death of 900,000 – 2,000,000 people. Why do you think so
many people live in an area where dangerous flooding occurs? __________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. When the water spills over its banks, the silt covers a wide area over the flat plain. Why do you
think silt is valuable? _____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. However, all of the silt can cause problems. The buildup of silt has caused the river to change its
course. How many times has the river changed its course since record keeping began in 602 BC?
_______________________
6. Why do the Chinese have to continually build their levees higher and higher?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
7. Why is the river running dry? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
8. Pollution has become a major issue. What percent of the river’s volume consists of waste
water? _______
9. What percent of the river has been labeled biologically dead? __________________________
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Dynamic Relations SS9
10. What disease has had a dramatic rise in the river communities? __________________________
11. Read the section on the web about the city of Lanzhou. Pretend you have been selected as the
city’s new mayor. What would you do to tackle the city’s water problems? Be specific and on a
separate piece of paper, write a 100 word speech that you might give to the citizens of
Lanzhou.
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