Presentation on theme: "Chapter 6 – Ancient China"— Presentation transcript:
1 Chapter 6 – Ancient China Section NotesVideoGeography and Early ChinaThe Zhou Dynasty and New IdeasThe Qin DynastyThe Han DynastyHan Contacts with Other CulturesConfucius and China TodayMapsChina: PhysicalShang Dynasty,c BCZhou Dynasty, c BCQin Dynasty, c BCHan Dynasty, c. 206 BC-AD 220The Silk RoadQuick FactsZhou SocietyMain Ideas of ConfucianismEmperor Shi HuangdiChapter 6 Visual SummaryImagesChinese WritingThe Warring States PeriodGuardians of Shi Huangdi’sTomb
2 Geography and Early China The Big IdeaChinese civilization began with the Shang dynasty along the Huang He.
3 Physical Geography Varied Landscape China covers an area of almost 4 million square miles.The Gobi desert lies in the north.Low-lying plains in the east. one of the world’s largest farming areas.Mountain ranges in the west, including the Plateau of Tibet. Limited contact between people in the east and west.The weather and temperature vary from cold and dry to wet and humid, and monsoons can bring 250 inches of rain a year.
4 Two Rivers of China Huang He Also called the Yellow River Nearly 3,000 miles long across northern ChinaOften floods, and has been referred to as “China’s sorrow” because of the destructionChang JiangThe longest river in Asia; also called the Yangzi RiverFlows across central China from Tibet to the Pacific Ocean
5 Civilization Begins Farming flooding made the land fertile around the Chang Jiang and Huang He rivers.Chinese people hunted, fished, and domesticated animals.
6 Xia dynastyThe Xia dynasty might have been founded around 2200 BC, by Yu the Great.Tales say that Yu dug channels to drain floodwaters and created the major waterways of North China.Archaeologists have no firm evidence that tales about the Xia dynasty are true.
7 Shang dynastyEstablished by 1500 BC, the Shang was the first dynasty that there is clear evidence to support.The Shang reorganized the social order in China: the top ranking was the royals, then nobles, warriors, artisans, farmers, and slaves.Many cultural advances were made, including China’s first writing system, complex tools, metal pots, and ornaments.
8 The Zhou Dynasty and New Ideas The Big IdeaConfucius and other philosophers taught ways to deal with social and political problems in ancient China.
9 The Zhou Political System The Zhou people worked with other tribes to overthrow the Shang dynasty in the 1100s BC.Zhou leaders believed that their rulers were mandated by heavenA new political order was established: the king granted plots of land to lords, who provided soldiers and paid taxes. Poor farmers were granted land as well.
10 Decline of the Zhou Dynasty As the lords’ power grew, many refused to fight against Zhou enemies.In 771 BC, the Zhou suffered a loss to invaders. The dynasty survived, but the Zhou began to fight among themselves.Problems within the government paralleled problems within large family systems, and disorder fell upon China.
11 ConfucianismDisgusted with the rude people around him, Confucius pushed for a return to ethics, or moral values.Moral ValuesThis code of ethics was passed down and written in a book. These focused on morality, family, society, and government.The AnalectsOne of the major ideas Confucius put forth was leading by example. Confucius believed that when people behaved well and acted morally, they were carrying out what heaven expected of them.Leading by Example
12 Two Schools of Thought Daoism Daoism comes from Dao, meaning “the way.”Daoists believed that people should avoid interfering with nature or each other.Laozi wrote The Way and Its Power, a book teaching that power and wealth are unnecessary.LegalismLegalism is the political philosophy that people need to be controlled.It is unconcerned with religion or individual thought, and prepared always for war.Legalists put their ideas into practice throughout China.
13 The Qin Dynasty The Big Idea The Qin dynasty unified China with a strong government and a system of standardization.
14 Shi HuangdiThe Legalist Qin king Yin Zheng took the throne in 221 BC and gave himself the title Shi Huangdi, which means “first emperor.”He burned all books and writings that dealt with any practice other than Legalism.He created a strict government with harsh punishments.He expanded the empire.He claimed all power and took land away from the lords. Commoners were forced to work on government projects.China was divided into districts with their own governors.
15 Unified China Politics Shi Huangdi took complete control of the land and the people.There was a strict chain of command.Taxes and building projects were introduced.CultureShi Huangdi set up a uniform system of law.Rules and punishment, writing styles, and money were consistent across China.FinanceGold and copper coins were standardized.Uniform weights and measures help standardize trade and other legal issues.
16 Qin Achievements Building Projects Water Systems Massive government building projects gave jobs to many poor workers.New roads were built and maintained to provide easy access to and from these buildings.Water SystemsCanals were built to connect rivers and keep trade fast and efficient.Irrigation systems that are still in use today watered the fields and made more land good for farming.
17 The Great Wall Of ChinaThe Great Wall was built to protect the country from invasionThe Great Wall linked previously built walls across China’s northern frontier.The building of the wall required years of labor from hundreds of thousands of laborers.
18 The Fall of the Qin: The Oppressed Rise Up Many scholars, peasants, and nobles grew resentful of Shi Huangdi’s harsh policies and complete control.Upon the death of Shi Huangdi, the country began to unravel.Groups fought among themselves, and the Qin capital was burned to the ground.With no authority present, the country fell into civil war.
19 The Han Dynasty The Big Idea The Han dynasty created a new form of government that valued family, art, and learning.
20 The Rise of a New Dynasty Liu Bang became emperor due to the Chinese belief in the mandate of heaven.He was the first emperor of the Han dynasty.Well liked by both warriors and peasants, he focused on people’s immediate needs.Liu Bang lowered taxes, gave large plots of land to supporters, and set up a government that expanded on the ideas of the Qin.
21 Wudi’s New GovernmentIn 140 BC, Emperor Wudi took the throne and shifted the country’s focus back to a strong central government.Confucianism became the official government philosophy.Wudi built a university that taught Confucian ideals.
22 Four Social Classes under the Confucian System Upper Class: The Emperor, his court, and his scholarsSecond Class: The peasants, who made life work on a daily basisThird Class: The artisans, who produced items for daily life and some luxury goodsFourth Class: The merchants, who bought and sold what others made
23 Social Classes and Wealth Family LifeSocial Classes and WealthSocial rank did not reflect prosperity.Hard work and heavy labor did not reflect prosperity.A strong family was stressed so that people would obey the emperor.MenMen were the head of the household.Rulers had to obey their elders too; it was a crime to disobey.Some men gained jobs based on the respect they showed to elders.WomenWomen were taught to obey their husbands.Girls were not valued as highly as boys.Women could influence their sons’ families.
24 Han AchievementsThe Han created realistic scenes from everyday life, advanced figure painting, and depictions of religious figures and Confucian scholars.ArtFu style: combination of prose and poetryShi style: short lines of verse that could be sungLiteratureThe Han Chinese made paper by grinding plant fibers into a paste and then setting the paste out to dry in sheets. Later they rolled the dried pulp into scrolls.Invention of Paper
25 Han AchievementsA device for telling time, the sundial uses the position of the shadows cast by the sun to tell the time of day.SundialThis device measures the strength of an earthquake. Chinese scientists believed that the movement of the earth was a sign of evil times.SeismographAcupuncture is the practice of inserting needles into the skin to cure disease or relieve pain. This practice is still widely used today.Acupuncture
26 Han Contacts with Other Cultures The Big IdeaTrade routes led to the exchange of new products and ideas among China, Rome, and other peoples.
27 Technological Advances during the Han Dynasty FarmingIron plow could till more land and raise more foodWheelbarrow able to haul more productsManufacturingIron swordsIron armorSilk: a soft, light, highly valued fabric
28 Trade RoutesChinese goods became highly valued in other lands, so trade routes began opening up.Trading Chinese silk for strong Central Asian horses became a primary goal under the rule of Emperor Wudi.Central Asians could then take the silk and trade it for products in other lands.
29 The Silk RoadThe Silk Road was a network of routes stretching more than 4,000 miles across Asia’s deserts and mountain ranges, through the Middle East and stopping at the Mediterranean Sea.Chinese traders only used the road until they reached Central Asia, and then gave their goods to local traders.Travelers banded together for protection along the many miles of difficult terrain.China grew rich from trading silk with other lands.
30 Buddhism Comes to China Contact with New CulturesWhen the Han dynasty began to fail, people looked to old religions to find answers, but were disappointed.After coming into contact with Indian Buddhists on trade routes, many Chinese brought the teachings home to China.Impacts on ChinaIn hopes of relieving the suffering of human life, both rich and poor people began to embrace the teachings of the Buddha.The popularity of Buddhism in China is an example of diffusion: the spread of ideas from one culture to another.