Download China PPT - Sampson County Schools

Early Chinese Civilizations
Unit 5
Section One
Geography
Geography
• The Huang-He (Yellow River) is the 2nd longest
river in China (2900 miles long).
• It provides a large amount of rich soil from
Mongolia all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
• The Chang Jiang river is 3400 miles long
• Only 10% of China’s land is suitable for
farming, as most is either mountain or desert
land.
Geography
• The mountainous landscape (outside of the
river valleys) made travel difficult for both the
Chinese and potential invaders.
• Numerous groups such as the Mongolians and
Turks have caused conflict throughout Chinese
history.
• The geographical features as well as a mix of
people nearby have caused the Chinese to
prefer to be isolated throughout their history.
Section Two
Shang Dynasty and Zhou Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
• The Xia Dynasty was founded about 4000
years ago. Very little is known of it.
• Replaced by the Shang Dynasty.
• 1750-1122 B.C.
• Mostly a farming society
• Ruled by an aristocracy (upper class whose
wealth is based on land)
Shang Dynasty
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The Dynasty was organized into territories
Governed by warlords
Kings were buried in royal tombs
Social Structure: King and family and other
aristocrats at the top, merchants and artisans
(small amount), large amount of peasant
farmers
Shang Religion
• Reincarnation/Ancestor Veneration (Ancestor
worship)
• Human Sacrifice
Zhou Dynasty
• Zhou leaders revolted against the Shang and
formed a new dynasty that lasted from 1045256 B.C.
• Longest lasting Chinese dynasty
Zhou Dynasty-Political Structure
• Same basic structure as Shang
• New Idea-Mandate of Heaven-said that the
Zhou King had the right to rule given to him by
God.
• Was supposed to rule with “goodness and
efficiency”
• Was also supposed to rule the proper “way” –
known as Dao
Zhou Political Structure
• “The way” referred to pleasing God.
• Ineffective rulers would be overthrown
• All new dynasties claimed the mandate of
heaven.
• All dynasties went through a “dynastic cycle”
where they rise to great power and fall as
turmoil hits the country
Fall of Zhou
• Intellectual and moral decline eventually hit
China
• Civil war between several territories and the
leaders broke out in 403 B.C.
• The Qin Dynasty emerged victorious
Life during the Zhou
• Land ownership was the same-peasants
worked the land (as the Shang)
• Merchants and artisans worked in the towns
• Lords controlled the local areas
• Slaves were used
• Trade of goods brought in salt, iron, and cloth
Economy/Technology
• Irrigation was important
• Became very good at controlling the flow of
rivers
• Iron plows made it easier to grow crops
• Technology created a food surplus
• Silk was the major product traded away from
China (Silk Road)
Assignment
• With a partner: Read the articles provided.
Underline/highlight/circle key information.
• Find 3 strong FACTS that support why your
dynasty (Shang/Zhou) is better than the other.
• Write a one paragraph argument that explains
your position.
• We will debate this issue on Thursday.
Section Three
Philosophy
Confucianism
• Confucius was known to the Chinese as the
first teacher.
• Born 551 B.C.
• Wanted to be a political advisor, but had no
success
• Upset by political unrest and moral decay of
society caused by constant warfare.
Confucianism
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Ideas were widely studied by Chinese pupils
Recorded by his followers in the “Analects”
Focused on “ethics” (right and wrong)
2 Principles: Duty and Humanity
Duty-all people set aside personal interest to
serve family and community
• Five key relationships: Parent-Child, HusbandWife, siblings, friends, rulers and subjects
Confucianism
• Responsibility also referred to work ethic.
• Good examples by leaders=good actions by
followers
• Humanity-compassion and empathy
• Discuss: What is empathy?
• “Do not do unto others as you would not want
done to you”
Daoism
• Taught by Laozi, the “Old Master” (according
to legend, although he may not have truly
existed)
• Ideas began 5th century B.C.
• “The Way of the Dao”
• “Don’t interfere with nature”
• Like Buddhism, they believed in reincarnation,
unlike Buddhism they believed people were
happy and not suffering.
Legalism
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Human beings are “evil” by nature
People were “not capable” of doing good.
Only could act right if punished severely
Argued for a strong ruler
Harsh punishments would cause people to
serve the ruler
• Compassion was not necessary on the part of
the ruler.
Philosophy Essay
• Write an essay which describes all three
philosophies we have studied.
• Choose ONE that is MOST relevant to society
today.
• Please explain why you chose that one over
the other two.
• 5 Paragraphs: Intro, Body, Conclusion (Body4-6 sentences each, Intro, Conclusion-at least
3 sentences)
• Body-One paragraph for each philsophy-
Essay
• Which philosophy is most relevant to us in the
United States today?
3 paragraphs- intro, body, conclusion
-intro at least 3 sentences, body at least 5,
conclusions at least 3
Within the body, 2 examples for why you chose
the one you chose.
Section Four
Qin Dynasty and Han Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
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221-206 B.C.
Qin defeated the Zhou in 221 B.C.
Qin Shihuangdi was the ruler
Practiced legalism, executed all threats
Opposition books were burned
Qin Dynasty Review
• What two major projects was Qin Shihuangdi
credited with leading?
• How did China get its name?
• What two philosophies came into conflict with
each other? Why?
• What does “Huangdi” mean? Why is that
significant?
Qin Continued
• If someone living during the rule of the Qin
Dynasty committed a crime who was
punished? What are your thoughts on that?
• Besides violence/killing explain something
that shows how strict Shihuangdi was?
• Why did the Qin empire fail?
Political Structure
• Highly centralized state (not much power at
local level)
• 3 part bureaucracy: civil, military, and
censorate
• censorate: made sure government officials
did their jobs.
• Emperor appointed 2 heads of administration:
provinces and counties
Political Structure
• Shihuangdi created a money system
• Built roads to connect to the capital
• Extended southern border to modern day
Vietnam.
• Had a large canal built.
Great Wall
• The Qin emperor was concerned about
invaders coming from the north
• Major building project “The Great Wall of
China”
• This was a major project, but what is known
today as the “Great Wall” was actually
finished 1500 years later.
Fall of Qin
• Shihuangdi died in 210 B.C.
• His dynasty was overthrown by the Han in 206
B.C.
Han Dynasty
• 202 BC-220 AD
• Liu Bang was founder and first emperor
• Had peasant background
Han Political Structure
• No more legalism, believed in Confucianism
• Kept the three part central government in
place.
• Kept local province and county divisions
• Introduced “civil service” exam to judge merit
for jobs, so they didn’t have favoritism
• Population of the empire tripled from 20 to 60
million
Society
• Great prosperity
• Peasants had to work one month per year in
hard labor or military in service to the wealthy
• Tripling population provided for a smaller
share of land, as land expansion did not make
up for the growing population.
• Over time peasants couldn’t afford their land.
• Peasants soon became tenant farmers, having
to rent rather than own the land.
Technology
• Textile production, water mills (for grinding
grain), and iron casting (led to the invention of
steel)
• Invented the rudder for sailing
• Technology led to expanded trade.
Fall of the Han
• Rulers became more interested in wealth than
leading effectively
• Peasant uprisings over loss of land
• Three hundred years of civil war resulted in
the Sui Dynasty eventually coming to power in
581.
Han Review
• What was Liu Bang’s background?
• How did the Han try to avoid war with
neighboring groups? Did it work? Explain.
• Does the author portray Empress Lu as a good
or bad ruler? Explain using 2 examples.
• Explain one accomplishment of Han Wudi?
• List one technology created by the Han
Dynasty and explain why it was important?
Han Continued
• How did Liu Bang originally feel about
Confucianism? Give evidence to explain.
• Explain the meaning of the quote in the grey
box on page five.
• What is meritocracy? How did it affect China?
• Explain one legalist idea used by the Han
Dynasty?