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Early Civilizations: China
I.
China First Dynasties
A. Main Idea
1. China’s river valley civilizations built the foundations of a longshared Chinese culture. The achievements of the ____________
and ____________ dynasties can be felt to this day.
B. China’s Geography
1. The development of civilization in early China was aided by
features like long _________________, fertile soils, temperate
climates, and _________________valleys.
2. Two major rivers supplied water for earliest civilizations:
______________ and ______________ - deposited _________.
3. Crops: ___________ in the south; ___________ in the north.
4. Combination of rivers for irrigation, fertile soil for planting
allowed Chinese to thrive, as did China’s relative ___________.
5. ______________ mtns., hills, and ___________ desert protected
China from invasion.
6. Beginnings of Civilization: began in ______________ valley
________ ya.
7. Legend says earliest Chinese ruled by _______ dynasty (no
evidence). Most historians date beginning of Chinese
civilization to rise of ___________ dynasty.
C. The Shang Dynasty
1. The Shang dynasty formed around ___________ BC; began
somewhat later?
2. Government and Society: China ruled by strong ____________;
captial city ______________ kings + __________; ___________
performed to strengthen kingdom.
3. Order: King’s ______________ ruled distant parts of kingdom.
King had large army to prevent rebellions, fought rebellions.
4. Shang China largely agricultural; ______________ called on to
fight in army, work on building projects—tombs, palaces, walls
D. Shang Elite
1. Much of what is known about Shang Elite comes from studying
______________ tombs.
2. The Shang believed in ______________ and practiced ________
worship.
E. Oracle Bones
1. As part of worship, Shang asked ancestors for advice through
______________ bones.
F. Shang Achievements and Decline
1. Writing: Development of Chinese writing closely tied to use of
oracle bones. Early Shang texts used ______________ symbols
to represent objects, _________.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
2. Bronze: Shang _____________ led to great advances in working
with bronze. Also built huge structures like tombs; created
_____________, first _____________ systems.
3. Shang ruled for more than ________ years, until about 1100 BC.
Armies from nearby tribe, _____________, invaded, established
new ruling dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty
1. Beginning around 1100 BC, the Zhou rules China for several
centuries. The Zhou dynasty is divided into two periods. During
the ______________ Zhou, kings ruled from ____________ in a
peaceful period. Later conflict arose, kings moved east to
______________, beginning the ______________ Zhou period.
2. When Zhou conquered Shang, leaders worried the people would
not accept them and thusly created the ____________________:
gods would support just ruler, not allow anyone corrupt to hold
power (helps to explain the ______________ cycle).
Zhou Achievements
1. Zhou learned to use _________, became backbone of economy
(better than bronze: strong and cheap to make). Iron weapons
strengthened Zhou army (catapult and cavalry too).
2. Growth: population grew due to new ______________ techs.
________, canals allowed better transportation, communication.
Introduced __________ and chopsticks.
3. Decline of Zhou: As time passed, more and more __________
leaders turned against Zhou, further weakening rule.
Small States Fight
1. Warring States Period: 403 BC to 221 BC, number of small
states fought each other for land, power. The ________ dynasty
eventually replaced the Zhou.
New Philosophies
1. The conflicts of the late __________ period led many Chinese
thinkers to question the nature of society and people’s roles in it.
2. Of many philosophies created during late Zhou period, two
became influential in later Chinese history: _________________
and __________________.
Confucianism
1.
Confucianism based on teachings of scholar named Kongfuzi, better
known as _________________, who thought people should treat one
another ______________.
2.
Should express love, respect for others, honor one’s _____________.
3.
Believed that love, respect had disappeared and was responsible for
____________ in society; restoring respect for tradition would make
society _________.
4.
Thoughts on how to improve society collected in book, __________.
5.
Ruler should treat subjects ________; subjects reward ruler with
respect, loyalty.
6.
People should respect members of family, devote selves to ________
service.
7.
Confucian ideas spread elsewhere in Asia, including Korea, Japan,
Vietnam.
8.
Every human, animal, and object has an appointed place in the order
of nature and should behave as its station requires.
9.
Death and afterlife are not ____________ – the ________________.
10. There is no _______.
11. Punishment is the shame of __________ to meet expected standards
of living.
12. No church, priesthood, of god – Many Confucianists also practice
another _________, such as Buddhism. There are temples dedicated
to Kongfuzi.
13. Confucius believed that everyone had their role to play based on
their ______________ with others.
14. If everyone fulfilled their duties and kept their place then society
would be stable and harmonious.
15. There are _______ basic human relationships in Confucianism: 1)
ruler to ruled; 2) father to son; 3) husband to wife; 4) elder brother of
younger brother; 5) friend to friend.
16. Important behaviors and ____________: Calmness of spirit, trustworthiness, respect for tradition, respect for family, respect for
elders, kindness, politeness, social harmony, and education.
L. Daoism
1.
Unlike Confucianism, which focuses on improving society, Daoism
encourages people to __________ from laws of society, yield to law
of _________.
2.
Heart of Daoism is concept of the ______, or the ______ - Dao is the
____________ force that is part of all creation.
3.
Through the dao, all things in nature ____________ - finding one’s
place in nature allows person to achieve ___________ with universe.
4.
Daoism embraced Chinese concept of ______ and ________,
representing ____________ aspect of nature—male, female; dark,
light; hot, cold
5.
Neither can ________ without other
6.
Important for two to remain balanced for __________ harmony
7.
Origins of Daoist teachings attributed to philosopher named _______
-wrote book called _______________; Laozi worshipped by some as
a god.
M. Some Lasting Effects
1.
Daoism eventually proved less ______________ than Confucianism
in Chinese history - still played major role in later dynasties.
2.
Idea of ____________ key concept in China for centuries as result of
Daoist teaching. Daoist philosophy led many followers to work for
________________, protection of natural environment.