The document summarizes the geography and early history of China. It notes that China's civilization developed in isolation due to barriers like deserts and mountains. Cities grew up along two major river systems, and an isolated culture emerged with few outside influences. Over time, influential philosophies like Confucianism, Legalism, and Daoism shaped Chinese society and government. The Han Dynasty unified much of China and saw advances in technology and the opening of the Silk Road, connecting China to global trade.
2. Cities grew along the banks of two
rivers
Isolated culture due to geography
Civilization developed with few
outside influences
Borders:
o East: Yellow Sea, East China Sea,
Pacific Ocean
o West: Taklimakan Desert
o North: Gobi Desert
o Southwest: Himalayan Mountains
Gobi Desert is a cold desert.
3. Two River Systems
Flow toward the Pac. Ocean
Chang Jiang (Yangtze): central
China
Huang He (Yellow): northern
China
North China Plain
o Land between the rivers
o Rich farmland
o Center of Chinese Civilization
4.
5.
6.
7. Varied Climate
Like the US
West: dry
Northeast: cold winters; warm summers
Southeast: mild winters; hot, rainy summers
What crops are grown in China?
10. 1766 BC: dynasty established
Claimed to have the
permission of the gods
Controlled portion of the North
China Plain
Made war with nomadic people
Treated parents & ancestors
with great respect
No strong central gov’t; family
members ruled distant lands
11. Developing Language
Developed pictograph writing;
symbols=words
Educated person knew 10,000
characters
Can learn written Chinese without
being able to speak it
What is the advantage of a
language that you can learn
without speaking?
12. 1027 BC: defeated the Shang
Rise of the Zhou created a pattern: dynastic cycle
Rulers must keep the Mandate of Heaven
Distant lands ruled by lords pledged to support the Zhou
When lords grew in strength, they began to fight
13.
14. Powerful gov’t with strict laws will keep order
People will only do good if forced to
Harsh punishments needed to make people afraid to do
wrong
15. Shang Yang: those who fail to
report lawbreakers should be
punished
Under Legalism, books were
burned and those who
questioned the gov’t were
arrested
16. Confucius (551-479 BC)
Order can be kept if everyone has
respect for each other
Leaders should serve as good
examples
Lower members of society should obey
those above them
Ideas collected in a book: Analects
17. Each relationship has its own duties and code of conduct
Father and son
Elder brother and younger brother
Husband and wife
Friend and friend
Ruler and subject
What is the nature of these relationships?
18. Filial piety: treating parents
and elders with respect
Authority should be
respected
Confucianism eventually
adopted by Chinese rulers
Guiding force that shaped
Chinese culture
19. Laozi (500s BC)
All humans must find a way (Dao) to live in
harmony with nature
Questions of right and wrong are pointless
“People would be content with their simple,
everyday lives, in harmony, and free of
desire.”
Gov’t should leave people alone
20. Yin (black): cold, dark, and mysterious
Yang (white): warm, bright, and light
Both forces complement each other
Each changes & evolves
21. Started by Shi Huangdi
Lasted from 221 – 202 BC
Unified China after warring-states
period
Legalistic ruler
Conquered neighbors and
expanded the empire
22.
23. Forced nobles to live at
capital
Built highways and irrigation
projects to unite China
Began linking existing
defensive walls, starting the
Great Wall of China
Huangdi died in 210 BC
Son took over, but was
quickly overthrown
24. 202 BC – 220 AD
Liu Bang first emperor
Lowered taxes and punishments
less harsh
Created a bureaucracy to help
run the government
Created a test based on
Confucianism for these scholar-
officials
25. Liu Bang died in 195 BC
Succeeded by his wife, Empress Lu
She ruled on half of their young son, whom she outlived
She continued to rule by putting infants on the throne
Upon her death in 180 BC, all members of her family were put to death
26. Wudi ruled from 141-87 BC
“Martial Emperor” used war to
expand the empire
Conquered northern Vietnam
and northern Korea
Chased nomadic invaders out
of northern China
Conquered people were
encouraged to assimilate
27.
28. Most people worked as farmers
Farmers lived in small villages near their land
Rich farmers had oxen to plow their lands
South: rice
North: wheat
Families had personal vegetable gardens
Meat and fish were expensive
29. Centers of trade, education, and government
Merchants, government workers, craftspeople
Problems of modern cities: crowded, street gangs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS7pKZJ3zPs
30. During the Han dynasty, only the Chinese knew how to
make silk.
Desired luxury item
Roads linking China to Eurasian were built to trade silk
One of the first global trading networks
31.
32. Cities sprouted up around the trail.
Goods leaving China: silk, paper, jade, pottery
Goods coming to China: sesame seeds, oil, metals, precious
stones, Central Asian horses
33. Silk Roads also brought ideas
and customs to and from China
(cultural diffusion)
During the Han dynasty, Buddhist
missionaries from India brought
Buddhism to China
Buddhism gained many followers
after the fall of the Han. Why?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfe-eNq-Qyg
34.
35. Agricultural Improvements
Two-bladed plow
Wheelbarrow
Water Mills
o Using water power to grind grain
Collar Harness for horses
o Allowed horses to pull heavier loads
36. Paper
105 AD
Made from old rags, tree bark, and fibers from hemp
How did the invention of paper help the Chinese people?
37. Silk
For 3,000 years, only the Chinese knew how to make
Used to get silver and gold from the west
At one time one pound of silk = one pound of gold
How much is a pound of gold worth today?
$24,522.77