Section 1Section 1The Geography of The Geography of

China’s River ValleysChina’s River ValleysChapter 5Chapter 5

Ancient ChinaAncient China

ObjectivesObjectives Examine the geography of ancient Examine the geography of ancient

China.China.

Find out about early civilization in Find out about early civilization in China.China.

Learn about the importance of Learn about the importance of family ties in early Chinese society.family ties in early Chinese society.

Key TermsKey Terms

Dragons Dragons brought good brought good luck.luck.

Dragon gods Dragon gods were believed to were believed to be responsible be responsible for the rains.for the rains.

The Geography of The Geography of Ancient ChinaAncient China

Huang or Yellow River

Yangzi River

Chinese civilization grew up in the river valley of the Huang River (a.k.a. the Yellow River) and the Yangzi River.

ContrastingContrastingClimate and LandformsClimate and Landforms North China Plain is made of soil North China Plain is made of soil

deposits from the Huang River.deposits from the Huang River.

They have a brief, intense, They have a brief, intense, summer monsoon.summer monsoon.

During other times the climate is During other times the climate is dry.dry.

Effects on CivilizationEffects on Civilization The mountains, deserts, jungles, and The mountains, deserts, jungles, and

other geographic features have other geographic features have isolatedisolated Chinese culture. Chinese culture.

Having little Having little contact with contact with others, the others, the Chinese believed Chinese believed their culture was their culture was the center of the the center of the earth and called earth and called themselves the themselves the Middle Kingdom.Middle Kingdom.

Yellow River or Huang Yellow River or Huang RiverRiver

The Huang River is the second longest The Huang River is the second longest river in China.river in China.

Huang means yellow in Chinese.Huang means yellow in Chinese.It is called this due to the yellow It is called this due to the yellow loess.loess.

The surrounding plains are covered The surrounding plains are covered with loess allowing for millet, a grain, with loess allowing for millet, a grain, to be grown.to be grown.

China’s SorrowChina’s Sorrow Destructive floods would come Destructive floods would come

without warning and drown without warning and drown thousands of people.thousands of people.

There was so much force that There was so much force that sometimes the river would change sometimes the river would change course by hundreds of miles.course by hundreds of miles.

Flood ControlFlood Control To help control flooding they built To help control flooding they built

dikes.dikes.

This did not always work, causing This did not always work, causing more floods because the dikes more floods because the dikes would overflow.would overflow.

Reading CheckReading Check

What did the Chinese do to control What did the Chinese do to control flooding?flooding?

The Chinese built dikes or The Chinese built dikes or protective walls along the protective walls along the Huang’s banks to control Huang’s banks to control flooding.flooding.

Nomads settled to farm around Nomads settled to farm around 5000 B.C.5000 B.C.

Early Civilization in Early Civilization in ChinaChina

Shang DynastyShang Dynasty About 1760 BC, the About 1760 BC, the

Shang gained Shang gained control of northern control of northern China and built their China and built their first cities.first cities.

Produced China’s Produced China’s writing system.writing system.

Dynasty:Dynasty: A series of A series of rulers from a family.rulers from a family.

Zhou DynastyZhou Dynasty The Zhou defeated the Shang in 1122 The Zhou defeated the Shang in 1122

B.C.B.C.

They ruled for almost 1000 years.They ruled for almost 1000 years.

At the end of the Zhou Dynasty small At the end of the Zhou Dynasty small kingdoms fought for control. kingdoms fought for control.

This period was called the Warring This period was called the Warring States.States.

Finally, the Qin Dynasty emerged.Finally, the Qin Dynasty emerged.

Mandate of HeavenMandate of Heaven

Mandate is a law or an order.

The Chinese believed that rulers came to power because it was their destiny or fate.

The Mandate of Heaven also gave authority to the father over his family.

Reading CheckReading Check

What was the Mandate of Heaven?What was the Mandate of Heaven?

The Mandate of Heaven was the The Mandate of Heaven was the idea that people came to power idea that people came to power because it was their destiny.because it was their destiny.

Importance of the Importance of the FamilyFamily

The family was more important than the individual or nation.

Traditional FamiliesTraditional Families A household contained as many as 5 A household contained as many as 5

generations of an extended family.generations of an extended family.

Rich families may have had one big Rich families may have had one big home.home.

Poor families may have lived in one Poor families may have lived in one room cottages with their extended room cottages with their extended family members in nearby cottages.family members in nearby cottages.

Family AuthorityFamily Authority

Women’s RolesWomen’s Roles