Download Early Chinese Civilizations PPT

SSWH2.C,D
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In 1976, archaeologists discovered the tomb of Lady Hao. She was a
queen and military leader of the Shang Dynasty. She died around
1200BCE. What can you infer (hypothesize) about the Shang
Dynasty from the artifacts found in the tomb?
Basin from Lady Hao’s Tomb
Jade Tiger from Lady Hao’s Tomb
Remains from Lady Hao’s Tomb
 1700
BCE – 1027 BCE
 Class-based society

Large, walled cities with
nobles living inside the
walls and peasants living
outside.
 Written
language
Shang Dynasty was the
first in China to develop
writing
 Each word = different
character


Only the wealthiest would
have been literate
 Replaced
the
Shang Dynasty in
1027 BCE.
 The
Zhou adopted
most of Shang
culture, so daily
life in China didn’t
change with the
Dynasties.
 Used
by the Zhou as a
reason for overthrowing
the Shang Dynasty



A
The Shang had been bad
leaders
So, god took away their
right to lead
God gave that right to
Zhou
just leader had god’s
approval – known as the
“Mandate of Heaven”
Strong dynasty
provides peace and
wealth, so it claims
to have the
“Mandate of
Heaven”
New Dynasty
leads rebellion
and gains control
People think the
Dynasty has lost
the “Mandate of
Heaven”
Wealth declines,
leaders become
corrupt then
lose trust and
power
Natural disasters
occur (floods,
famines, revolts)
 Kings
had all the
power and owned
all the land
 They gave use of
the land to noble
families
 Peasants worked for
the nobles
 Everyone depended
on the king for land
and protection
 Towards
the end of
the Zhou Dynasty,
territorial leaders
began to see
themselves as kings.
 They
constantly
fought with each
other for power
 This
conflict
weakened China
 Who

was Confucius?
A scholar who started
a new ethical system
(a belief of right and
wrong)
 The
main idea of
Confucianism:

Achieve stability
through moral honor
and well-ordered
relationships
 Five





relationships that organized society:
1. Ruler and subject
2. Father and son
3. Husband and wife
4. Older brother and younger brother
5. friend and friend
 Filial
Piety: Respect given to parents and
ancestors given by devoting one’s life to their
parents and performing memorial rituals after
their death
 Bureaucracy: A trained civil service / education
for government leaders. Education = better men.

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

A well-ordered
society is achieved by
good relationships
and families


Education and ideas
are good for society
Confucianism
[WRITE]
A well-ordered
society is achieved by
a powerful and
efficient government
 Punishments are good
for order
 Ideas should be
controlled by the
government
Legalism
 A.
Legalism
Establishes a
Dynasty:

In 200 BC, Shi
Huangdi used the
ideas of Legalism to
defeat many of the
warring states and
unify China under
the Qin Dynasty

Burned books and
had hundreds of
Confucian scholars
murdered
 B.
Shi Huangdi
Builds the Great
Wall of China

Peasant and slave
labor was ordered
to build a massive
defensive wall along
the Qin’s northern
boarder