Ancient China

1
Ancient China
Power point created by Robert L. Martinez
2

• Shang China rose in the Hwang Ho River Valley
  (also known as the Yellow River Valley)and like
  other river-basin communities, used its stable
  agricultural surplus to build a trade-centered
  civilization.

3

• and like other river-basin communities, used its
  stable agricultural surplus to build a
  trade-centered civilization.

4

• At its height, Shang controlled large parts of
  northern China and was militarily quite powerful.

5

• Thousands of its workers built walls around the
  towns and cities along the river its warriors
  used chariots to defeat their enemies.

6
(No Transcript)
7

• The Shang dynasty controlled the Yellow River
  Valley from around 1600 to around 1100 B.C.E.

8

• Shang China limited contact with the rest of
  the world, though it did trade with distant
  Mesopotamia.

9

• The Shang were so isolated, in fact, they
  believed themselves to be at the center of the
  world, which explains why they called their
  civilization
• All Under Heaven.

10

• This belief contributed to the Shangs
  ethnocentric attitude, which means they
  considered themselves superior to all others.

11

• The Shang certainly had reasons to be proud.
  Not only were they accomplished bronze workers,
  but they also used horse-drawn chariots

12

• developed the spoked wheel, and became experts
  in the production of pottery and silk.

13
(No Transcript)
14

• Whats more, they devised a decimal system and a
  highly accurate calendar.

15

• An important institution in many ancient
  civilizations across the globe was the extended
  family, but nowhere was it more important than in
  Shang China.

16

• Multiple generations of the same family lived
  in the same household, which was a patriarchal
  institution (led by the eldest male.)

17

• Moreover, Shang religion held that gods
  controlled all aspects of peoples lives.

18

• These people believed they could call on the
  spirits of their dead ancestors to act as their
  advocates with the gods. This gave the extended
  family even greater significance.

19

• Around 1100 B.C.E., the Shang were ousted
  by Wu Wang, who established the Zhou Dynasty
  (Chou Dynasty), though the Zhou maintained many
  of the traditions and customs developed under the
  Shang Dynasty.

20

• The Zhou ruled China for nearly 900 years,
  longer than any other dynasty.

21

• The Zhou Dynasty believed in what was called
  the Mandate of Heaven, meaning that heaven would
  grant the Zhou power only as long as its rulers
  governed justly and wisely.

22

• Put another way, the Zhou Dynasty would remain in
  power only as long as it had the blessing of
  heaven.

23

• The Zhou developed a feudal system in China,
  similar to that of Europe during the Middle Ages.
  

24

• The king was the ruler of the entire
  empire, but because it was too big for one person
  to manage, nobles were given power over smaller
  regions within the empire. This worked out well
  for a couple hundred years.

25

• The king gave each noble protection as long as
  the noble remained loyal to him.

26

• But as time passed, a number of the nobles
  built up a lot of wealth and power within the
  regions under their control and eventually split
  off into independent kingdoms.

27

• Some of the most complex kingdoms developed
  bureaucracies within their government, which was
  a way of organizing government tasks by
  department, or bureau, so that different parts of
  the government could specialize and stabilize.

28

• A bureaucratic form of government remained
  popular in China for thousands of years.

29

• Eventually fighting and warfare among the
  feudal kingdoms brought an end to the Zhou
  Dynasty in 256 B.C.E.