Shang and Zhou Dynasty

Students will be able to identify key

characteristics of the Shang, Zhou,
Han, and Qin Dynasty.
Shang Dynasty (1750 B.C- 1045 BC)
- Huang He River Valley first area for civilization
- First ruler based on archeological evidence was the Xia Dynasty
- Dynasty: line of rulers who belong to the same family
Who were the Shang?
-Records show early wall formation in Anyang, China

-Groups split into two ruling classes

King and Family Warloards

-Ruled over small area and Huange He -Made up of Aristocrats

Valley -Land and power to next generation
-Chariots and bronze armies -
Spirits and Ancestors
-Shang people worshiped Gods and Spirits very dutifully

-Goal was to keep gods happy by giving offering of food and goods

-If one the angered the spirits then the effect could be poor farming, risk of
losing battles

-People honored their ancestor for the sake of good fortune

Telling the Future
-Power and wisdom came from gods and spirits and ancestors

-Shang relgion and government can be linked to Ancient Mesopotamia and

Egypt

-Kings askd for Gods’ help using the oracle bones

-insert pictures of oracle bones

The Chinese Languange
Oracle bones is the first form of writings

Chinese used Pictographs-characters that stand for objects

example

Chinese also used ideographs-they jon two or more ideas together

Example
Shang Artistist
Many sShang people developed skills:

Farmer→ silk

Weavers→ used silk to make colorful clothes

Artisitians→ vases and disjes from white clay

Best known for their use of Bronze

-Sculpures, vases drinking cups, and containers such as urns

Zhou Dynasty
Shang dynasty fell apart based on rfits between the rich and poor

1045BC Wu Wang lead a rebellion which lead to the demise of the Shang
Dynasty
Zhou Government
-Ruled for more than 800 years; longest running dynasty

--Shang and Zhou had same ruling tactics

*Bureaucracy-Made up of appointed officials responsible for different

areas of government

*Zhou king too was in charge of territory

Ruling was very simialr to Shang

-Rituals strenthed the link between governemtn and the gods

Mandate of Heaven
Based on system of new rituals, new form of paving government known as
Mandate of Heaven

-Based on formal order, the king was chosen based on talent and virtue

In two ways:
First way Seconf Way

People expected the king to ule in Proper -King had important rights
Wal; knwon as Dao -People had right to overthrough a dihonest
kinf
Keep gods happy -King was not a god himself
New Tools and Trade
-Chiense farmers depended on rain to water crops

Zhou dynasty devloped irrgation and flooding systems

-Formation of iron plows helped cultuvat old soil into new soil

-Trade and manufactoring along with farming

-
Empire Falls
-Smaller territirals began to rbecome too powerful

-Period of Warring states broke out for 200 years

-Foot solders used instead of chaoriots

-Laws forced by peaeants to serve in armies