Download 2 v17 Ancient C Summary of Geographic features and power

Name_______________________________ D.____ P.___
Ancient China’s Geography Culture and Power
8000 BCE-1500 CE
Directions: Annotate the reading below and then answer the BIG
question, “How did geography help shape Ancient Chinese culture?”
Rivers and the North China Plain
Perhaps the two most important geographical features of Ancient
China were the two major rivers that flowed through central China:
the Yellow River to the north and the Yangtze River to the south.
These major rivers were a great source of fresh water, food, fertile
soil, and transportation. They also were the subjects of Chinese
poetry, art, literature, and folklore.
Yellow River
The Yellow River is often called the "cradle of Chinese civilization". It was along the banks of the Yellow
river where the Chinese civilization first formed. The Yellow River is 3,395 miles long making it the sixth
longest river in the world. Early Chinese farmers built small villages along the Yellow River. The rich
yellow colored soil was good for growing a grain called millet. The farmers of this area also raised sheep
and cattle. The Yellow River also has the name "China's Sorrow" because of the terrible floods that have
occurred throughout history when its banks overflowed.
Yangtze River
The Yangtze River is south of the Yellow River and is 3,988 miles long, the third longest river in the
world. Just like the Yellow River, the Yangtze played an important role in the development of the culture
and civilization of Ancient China. This region became known as the North China Plain due to its
prosperity. Farmers that lived along the Yangtze River took advantage of the warm climate and rainy
weather to grow rice. Eventually the land along the Yangtze became known as the North China Plain,
some of the most important and wealthy land in all of Ancient China.
Name_______________________________ D.____ P.___
Ancient China’s Geography and Culture and Power
8000 BCE-1500 CE
Boarders
The large land was isolated from much of the rest of the world by dry deserts to the north and west, the
Pacific Ocean to the east, and impassable mountains to the south. This enabled the Chinese to develop
independently from other world civilizations.
Mountains
To the south and southeast of China are the Himalaya Mountains. These are the
highest mountains in the world. They provided a nearly impassable border for Ancient
China, keeping the area isolated from many other civilizations.
Deserts
To the north and west of Ancient China were two of the world's largest deserts: the Gobi Desert and the
Taklamakan Desert. These deserts also provided borders that kept the Chinese isolated from the rest of
the world. The Mongols, however, lived in the Gobi Desert and were constantly raiding cities of northern
China. This is why the Great Wall of China was built to protect the Chinese from these northern
invaders.
Great Wall of China
Smaller walls had been built over the years, but around 220 BCE the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi
Huang, decided that he wanted a single giant wall to protect his northern borders to help keep out
northern invaders like the Mongols. Though, most of the wall was built by the following Ming Dynasty.
At around 5,000 miles long, it covers much of the northern border of China.
Resources and Trade
Valuable exports
In 2696 BCE the process of making silk cloth was invented. Silk is the fiber silkworms produce when
making their cocoons in mulberry bushes. The Chinese guarded the secret of making silk meaning they
could control the trade. Besides silk, the Chinese also exported other products and resources which
were unique to China such as teas, salt, sugar, porcelain, and spices. Most of what was traded was
expensive luxury goods. They imported goods like cotton, ivory, wool, gold, and silver.
The Silk Road
The Silk Road was a trade route that went from China to Eastern Europe. It went
along the northern borders of China, India, and Persia and ended up in Eastern
Europe near today's Turkey and the Mediterranean Sea. Although there was
some trade between China and the rest of the world for some time, the silk trade
was significantly expanded and promoted by the Han Dynasty which ruled from
206 BCE to 220 CE. Over 4,000 miles long, the Silk Road was important because it helped to generate
trade and commerce between a number of different kingdoms and empires. This helped for ideas,
culture, inventions, and unique products to spread across much of the settled world.
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