2. Geography
• Mountains, sea, and desert
provide some protection
and isolation
• Vulnerable to northwest
• River valleys
• 1. Yellow(Huang Ho) earliest
civilization - damaging floods
• 2. Yangtze- very important in
unification- transportation-
irrigation
3. Geography (Identify features)
Check
your
answers
Can You Identify: Himalayas; Yellow River,
Yangtze River, Beijing, Mongolia, India, Saudi
Arabia
4. Dynasties of Early China
• Shang Dynasty
• Thought they had divine right
• Zhou Dynasty Strong Dynasty
establishes peace
• 1045-256 BC (Longest lasting and prosperity
dynasty in Chinese History)
• Over threw the Shang ruler
b/c “he swam in ponds of New Dynasty
emerges through
Dynasty declines
and becomes
wine” and “ruined the morale violent exchange of
power
corrupt
of the nation”
• Feudal Society
• Issued the Mandate of
Heaven
Old Dynasty seen
as losing Mandate Disasters, revolts
of Heaven; and invasions occur
Rebellion justified
5. Governing through the Mandate of
Heaven
• Emperor expected to rule
through the proper way
• Gives Emperor power but Strong Dynasty
also grants right to establishes peace
and prosperity
revolution
• Emperor serves as New Dynasty
Dynasty declines
emerges through
representative of heaven violent exchange of
power
and becomes
corrupt
but not divine himself
Old Dynasty seen
as losing Mandate Disasters, revolts
of Heaven; and invasions occur
Rebellion justified
6. Dynasties of Early China
• Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty • Tang
• 221-206 BC • 618-907
• Centralized the government • Used formal civil service exam to
• End of Feudal lords recruit-set up university
• Focus on infrastructure • Tried to equalize land holdings-
• Roads, Canals fought corruption
• The Great Wall • literature and art flourished
• invented gun powder,
• Han Dynasty encyclopedia
• 202 BC- 220 (Roman Times)
• Similar: built cities, officials to carry out
• Song (Sung)
edicts, heavy taxes collapsed under • 960-1279
invasions and internal revolts
• combination of Confucius and legalism • economic expansion- used
• advanced in science and literature paper money
• invented rudder, paper, magnetic • Silk Road traffic at height
compass, • when dangerous went to sea routes
• first period of great oceanic commerce
• trades tea, silk and porcelain for
exotic woods and precious stones
7. Ancient Philosophies
• About 500BCE Buddha, • Daoism
Confucius, Greek • contemporary of Confucius
Philosophers and Chinese • Tao= the road way
• Called a flowering period • Absolute=sum of existence
• Goal to bring people into harmony
• India more concerned with • very introspective
cosmos and soul • Act in harmony by not interfering with
universe
• China more concerned with
ethical life on earth
• Legalism
• Humans “evil” by nature
• Correct path through
strict laws
9. Ancient Chinese History
• What would a timeline of Ancient China look like? Make a
timeline of 8 important historical events
Name of Name of Name of Name of Name of Name of Name of Name of
Event 1 Event 2 Event 3 Event 4 Event 5 Event 6 Event 7 Event 8
1st Date 2nd Date 3rd Date 4th Date 5th Date 6th Date 7th Date 8th Date
Description of Description Description Description Description Description Description Description
Event of Event of Event of Event of Event of Event of Event of Event
