Date post: | 21-Jan-2016 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | jasper-calvin-gilmore |
View: | 212 times |
Download: | 0 times |
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.