Download Early Civilizations in China

Early Civilizations in China
Stankiewicz World Studies
Essential Questions
• How did geography help shape early Chinese
civilization?
• What ideas of government did the Chinese
develop?
• How did religion effect ancient China?
• What were the social classes in ancient China?
• What were some of the achievements of early
Chinese civilizations?
Geography of Ancient China
• Ancient Chinese called their land
“Zhongguo (the Middle Kingdom)
• Ancient China was very isolated
– Long distances from Europe, Egypt,
Mesopotamia, and India
– One of the most isolated civilization of the
ancient world
Geography of Ancient China
• Isolation lead to
belief that China
was the center
of the Earth
• Also, the feeling
China was
really the only
civilization
Geography of Ancient China
• Geographic Barriers
– To the west and
southwest
• Himalayas
• Tien Shan
Geography of Ancient China
• Geographic Barriers
– To the southeast
• Thick Jungles
Geography of Ancient China
• Geographic
Barriers
– To the north
• Gobi desert
– Brutal area
Geography of Ancient China
• Geographic
Barriers
– To the east
• Pacific Ocean
• AKA East
China Sea
Geography of Ancient China
• Despite these geographic barriers
– Chinese did have contact with outside world
– Traded with neighboring people
Contact between Peoples in
Ancient China
• Most contact was, however, with warlike,
nomadic invaders
• Looked at nomads(non-Chinese) as
barbarian
– Did not speak Chinese
– Did not have the capacity for civilized life
according to the Chinese
Contact between Peoples in
Ancient China
• Even nomads thought themselves inferior
• When they attacked and sometimes
conquered Chinese areas they often were
absorbed into the Chinese society rather
than change it
• Yet, Chinese still expanded to vast areas
Main Geographic Regions in
China
• As the Chinese expanded their empire came
to include many diverse regions
– Many climates and landforms
Main Geographic Regions in
China
• Heartland of China
– East coast
– Valleys of the Yellow River and Yangzi River
• Rivers formed communications and transportation
routes
• Irrigation supply
– Fertile farming land
Main Geographic Regions in
China
• Outlying regions
– Invaders constantly attacked these regions
– Chinese government made alliances with
regions often
•
•
•
•
Mongolia
Manchuria
Xingjian
Tibet
Dynasties, Government and Social
Classes
Ideas of government
• Many rivers would flood yearly, including
the Yellow River
• Ancient Chinese needed a strong central
government to create water projects
necessary to control the river
• Yellow River = “River of Sorrows”
Dynasties and Government
• Shang Dynasty
• Dominated from 1650
BC until 1027 BC
• Time when Chinese
civilization took shape
Dynasties and Government
• Shang Dynasty had great tombs and palaces
• Warrior kings led their armies from walled
cities against any invader
– Kings personally controlled relatively small
land areas
• Noblemen had considerable status
– They controlled the rest of lands and were loyal
to Shang kings
Dynasties and Government
• Clans important
• Clans are groups of families who claim
common ancestors
• Because of this loose bond between King
and Noblemen the civilization of China was
more like Sumer city states than Egypt
Ancient Chinese Religious
Beliefs
•
•
•
•
Under Shang Dynasty
Polytheistic
Nature gods and spirits
Chief god was Shang Di
– Mother goddess who brought plants and
animals to world
Ancient Chinese Religious
Beliefs
• Gods as great as Shang Di would not
respond to needs of everyday people
• Only spirits of greatest mortals, such as
ancestors of the king could talk to the gods
personally
• People prayed to ancestors to intercede for
them in daily life
Ancient Chinese Religious
Beliefs
• At first only ancestors of rulers and
powerful were thought to help intercede
• Later veneration of ancestors in all classes
was practiced throughout Chinese society
• Westerners wrongly thought this to be
“ancestor worship”
Consulting Ancestors
• Oracle Bones
– Interpreting questions
Ancient Chinese Religious
Beliefs
• Yin and Yang
• Universe balanced
between these two
forces
• Delicate balance
• Not opposites
• Well being of universe
depends on harmony
between Yin and Yang
Yin
• Linked to:
– Earth
– Darkness
– Female forces
Yang
• Linked to:
– Heaven
– Light
– Male forces
Social Classes
•
•
•
•
Royal Family
Nobles
Artisans and merchants
Most people = peasants
Peasants
Clustered together in farming villages
• Lived in thatched roofed houses with floors dug into
the ground to keep it cool in summer and warm in
winter
Accomplishments
Writing (accomplishment)
• Ancient Chinese
developed a system of
writing that used:
– Pictographs
– Ideographs
• Signs that express
thought
Writing (an accomplishment continued)
• Calligraphy - Fine handwriting
• Writing fostered unity
– Writing was similar throughout China even
when languages of regions were not
Another Early Dynasty
• Zhou Dynasty
• Overthrew the Shang in 1027 BC
• Justified their actions by saying they had a
mandate from heaven
– Cruelty of Shang Dynasty led to Zhou uprising
– Heaven told Zhou to rule the people fairly
Zhou Dynasty
Dynastic Cycle
• Circular
• Aging Dynasty
– Neglects people
– Becomes corrupt
– Looses mandate
• New Dynasty
– Gets mandate and rules until ages
Dynastic Cycle
Feudalism in Ancient China
• Started by Zhou Dynasty
• A system of government which local lords
own land but owed military service and
support to the ruler
• Peasants tied to land
• Developed in Japan and Europe later
Other Accomplishments
• Silk making
• First Books
• Strong economies
Things to know for this test
• Dynastic Cycle – in detail
• How did geography effect early Chinese
civilization
• Compare Religion – Shang Di and Egypt
• Yin and Yang
• Ancestral veneration
• Clans/Feudalism
• You can do very well on this test if you study, we
have faith in you!