Ancient China

*Shang and Zhou Dynasties

*Yellow River

*Agricultural Society

• Periodic floods with massive destruction• “China’s Sorrow”

• Labor dredging the river; dike building• Regular rainfall for crops

*Shang Dynasty

• Chariots, wagons, wheeled vehicles. • Controlled Bronze technology army uses

*Zhou Dynasty

*Mandate of Heaven

• To the Zhou, Heaven controlled everything on earth. • Heaven would grant Chinese emperors the right to rule through

the Mandate of Heaven. • As long as emperors did right and governed with honor, they

would keep the Mandate of Heaven.

• Zhou dynasty had a decentralized state.

• They would let regional allies rule their territories for the emperor.

• In exchange, they would pay tribute, taxes, and gave allegiance to the emperor.

• Problem???

*Bronze

*Trade• Evidence of long-distance trade:

• Jade from central Asia• Chariots from Mesopotamia• Ship building along the coast • Shells from Indian Ocean

• Veneration of male ancestors• Slowly lost matrilineal history• Recognized a “heaven” but no one deity• No large priest class

*Chinese Script

*End of Zhou• Slowly the territorial rulers got power from the emperor. • The territorial princes began growing their armies and resources and

began warring against each other. • In 256 BCE, the last Zhou king abdicated the throne.