Ancient China

Chronological Context• 5000 BCE: Farm

• 4500 BCE: Millet• 3500 BCE: Soybeans

• 2000 BCE: Rice

• 1700 – 1027 BCE: Shang Dynasty

• 1027 – 256 BCE: Zhou Dynasty

Geography

• Yellow River.

• Floods every year to irrigate.

• Completely isolated!

Economic Organization

• Farming villages.

• River used for travel and trade.

• Clay ovens, pottery.• Rich vs Poor:

– Cities and wooden houses vs. country and caves.

– Weapons, wool, silk vs. nothing.

Political Organization

• 1523 BCE: Shang Dynasty

• First cities:– Palace and temple at city center.

– Public buildings and gov’t officials around the palace.

– Outer district – workers and poor.– Country – peasants.

Social/Cultural Organization

• Religion:– Spirits of nature who must be appeased by the people.– Ancestors influence people’s fortunes.

• Familial ties.– Kings receive power from nature.– Oracle Bones.

• Society:– Kings – nobles – government officials – workers – farmers.

• Writing:– 1,000 characters = barely literate– 10,000 characters = scholarly

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• Conflict between rich and poor:– Who were the soldiers?– 1028: Zhou dynasty takes over.

Zhou Dynasty• Overthrow the Shang.

• Leadership:– Mandate of Heaven.

– Feudalism.

• Infrastructure:– Roads, canals.

– Iron.

• Social Class:– Civil servants.