China

1
China

• Its Heritage

2
Rivers

• Huang He Yellow River. river of Sorrow
  because of the destruction of its many floods.
• Chang Yangzi River. Carries much of Chinas
  trade. Dams provides electricity.
• Xi Jiang Xi Delta provides rich farmland for
  millions of Chinese.

3
People

• 95 are Han - ethnic Chinese
• Ethnic minorities are Mongols, Tibetans, and
  Tajiks living in remote areas of the interior.
• Speak many different dialects.
• Mandarin is the official language of the
  government.

4
Earliest Civilizations

• Traditions based on the legend of Yu.
• Huang He flooded for 7 years. Yu set out to tame
  the waters.
• Dug canals and planted trees for 13 years.
• River did not flood again for 1600 years.
• Yu was made founder of the Xia Dynasty.
• A ruler who provides good government deserves the
  support of the people.

5
First civilization

• Agricultural revolution led to the rise of
  civilization.
• Began in the Huang He valley.
• By 1650 strong rulers had gained power over
  farming villages.
• Set up the Shang Dynasty.
• Began the idea of Dynastic Rule.

6
Government

• Shang Dynasty capital was Anyang.
• Archeologists have found temples, palaces, and
  royal burial sites.
• Army made up of nobles, peasants and slaves
  fought off invaders.
• Rulers supervised irrigation and flood control
  projects. Benefited the people so strengthened
  the rulers power.

7
Religion

• Duty of the king to please the gods.
• Shang Di was the chief god.
• Happy gods meant good harvests and victory in
  war.
• Angry gods meant floods and famine.
• Spirits of ancestors were link to the gods.
• Used oracle bones to consult ancestors.

8
Achievements

• Writing- used pictographs and ideographs.
• Spread to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
• Had to memorize over 10,000 characters.
• So complex only wealthy children had time to
  learn to read and write.
• Developed an accurate calendar.
• Made bronze, silk, and pottery.