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Ancient China

Brief History

  • Started 7000 BC

    • The first dynasty was the Shang Dynasty and then there were many other dynasties after that

      • Shang ruled Northern China

      • Ruled for 400 years

        • Developed first writing system in China

Geography

  • China was built near lots of rivers and by tought terrian

    • Some mountains are

      • Kunlun mountains

    • And lots of rivers

      • Yellow River

      • Yagtza

      • Pearl River

    • Also was built by the Gobi desert

Economy

  • Grew things such as millet and wheat

  • People also domesticated animals like pigs and sheep

    • With these food sources it grew Chinas population

      • While this was happening Villages started appearing along the diffrent rivers

  • Also had roads and waterways for transporting items

    • Silk road was one of the major road for trade

    • Grand Canal was the most famous water way used for trading goods for other goods

  • Also during the Yuan Dynasty they conqeur the sea and also traded across the sea for many goods 

Social Structure

  • Emperor

    • Was at the top of the social structure 

  •  Emperors court, scholars who held goverment positions

  • Peasants

    • The second class which was the largest class out of all the other classes

  • Artisans

    • Produced items and even luxury goods

  • Merchants

    • Were the lowest class because they only bought and sold what others made

Government

  • Shang dynasty

    • Strongest in Huang He Valley (in northern China)

  • Zhou dynasty

    • They took over the Shang dynasty by rebeling

    • Longest lasting dynasty in China

    • Zhou Rulers held the power until 771 BC

    • One empire was one of the strictess which was Shi Huangdi

  • Qin dynasty

    • 221 BC a king from Qin united all of China which happened for the first time 

      • Named him ruler his name is Shi Huangdi 

        • One empire was one of the strictess which was Shi Huangdi

      • He changed China's politics and refused to share any of his power

    • Built the Great Wall

  • Han dynasty

    • Took over the Qin

    • Lowered the taxes for farmers and was less severe

    • He added to the Qin's government

    • Began social classes were he was on the top and merchants were on the bottom

  • Sui dynasty

    • Finially over threw Han dynasty

    • Unified China

  • Tang dynasty

    • Had the first women to rule China = Empress Wu

    • Called it the golden age

  • Song dynasty

    • Had separate kindoms that all comperted for the power

    • Had many great achievements

  • Yuan

    • Diffrent ethnic groups

  • Ming

    • Ruled over the sea

      • Had 25,000 sailors and many ships

Beliefs/Religion

  • Three main religions Confucianism, Buddhism, Doism

    • Confucianism

      • Started from Confucius who lived for more than 1,00 years

      • Had a big impact o nthe Song system of their governmetn

      • Confucianism focuses on ethics or proper behavior, for any individuals and their governments

      • Confucianism focused on two principles

        • "Re, or concern of others"

        • "Li, or appropriate behavior"

      • Confucianism shaped the empire of the Song dynasty

    • Buddhism

      • Spiritually; based on teaches of Gautama Budda

      • Buddhism was around durnign the Sui dynasty and the Tang dynasty

    • Doism

      • Philosophy based off on the writing of Lao-tzu 

 

Advancements/Achievements

  • Paper

    • Han invented paper

    • One of the worlds most used resource today

  • Sundial

    • Tells the time from the shadow

  • Seismograph

    • Measured the strength of the earthquaks

    • Recorded earthquakes because they believed that it showed future signs of evil

  • Acupucture

    • The practice of inserting fine needles through the skin at specific points to cure disease or releaved pain

  • Silk

    • Even made a road for specifically for trading silk

    • Fine cloth

  • Porcelain

    • Fine, beautiful pottery

  • Gunpowder

    • Diffrent powders used in guns but first used in fireworks

  • Compass

    • Used the Earth's magnetic field to show direction

Architecture

  • Great wall

    • Or called the long graveyard

    • Meant to keep people in and invaders out

  • Grand Canal

    • Longest human-made water way

    • Had to use the non-explosive process to take out a whole mountain for the Grand Canal

  • Forbidden City

    • Huge complex of almost 1,000 diffrent buildings in the heart of Chinas capital

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