Shang and Zhou Dynasties

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Shang and Zhou Dynasties
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Shang 1650-1027 bc

• First civilization in Ancient China
• In the other four parts of the world what were
  the first civilizations called?
• Egypt
• Mesopotamia
• India

• Developed on the Huang He and Yangzi rivers
• So isolated led these Chinese people to believe
  they were the center of the Earth and sole source
  of civilization. Called themselves Middle
  Kingdom
• Why do you think they called themselves Middle
  Kingdom?

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Government of Shang

• Kings
• Capital City Anyang
• Kings Priests/nobles clans
• SOCIAL CLASS
• Divided between nobles and peasants
• Nobles sent tribute to ruler in exchange for
  local control

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Religion of Shang

• Polytheistic
• Chief God Shang Di (mother goddess brought
  plants and animals to earth)
• Veneration of Ancestors Pray and give sacrifices
  to ancestors because bring good fortune to
  families
• Why worship ancestors and not gods?

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Shang religion cont.

• Yin/Yang
• Yin earth, darkness, female
• Yang heaven, light, male
• Must be harmony between two sides

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Shang System of Writing

• Used both Pictographs and Ideographs
• Found earliest form of writing on Oracle Bones
• Very hard to learn
• Advantages enabled unity they could not all
  speak the same language but could read it.
• Disadvantages Tens of thousands of characters,
  only upper class learned to read and write very
  difficult

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Zhou Dynasty 1027 256 bc

• Zhou overthrew the Shang Dynasty
• Explanation for taking power from Shang was the
  Mandate of Heaven

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Mandate of Heaven

• Divine right to rule
• Gods given ruler the right to rule

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Dynasty Ruling family hereditary

• Created a system based in Feudalism Local lords
  govern their own lands but owed military
  service/other forms of support to ruler.
• Zhou kings lost power and feudal lords became
  more powerful

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Advancements made by Zhou
Iron axes and plows replaced stone or wood
Iron Goods
More efficient farming
More food
More people
Made trade easier
New roads and Canals built
use of money for 1st time
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SILK MAKING

• By 1000 bc the Chinese discovered how to make
  silk. This fabric became Chinas most valuable
  export. The trade route that linked China to the
  west became known as the Silk Road. To protect
  this profitable traded, the Chinese kept the silk
  making process a secret

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Books

• Under the Zhou, the Chinese also made the first
  books