Ch. 6: Early Civilizations in China

In present day, China's majority ethnic group refer to themselves as the ________

"Han people."

Shang rulers taught subjects that they were in the _______ and that the Chinese were located in the center of the world - with all those outside being ___________

"Middle Kingdom" & "warlike barbarians."

Although there is no archaeological evidence of its existence, the Xi dynasty is said to have been founded by ______

"Yu the Great".

this channel is known as _______

"Yu's gateway."

China's major rivers:

(#1) Yellow River (also called the Huang He River):(#2) Yangtze River (also called the Chang Jiang River)(#3) Xi Jiang (also called the West River)

Qin dynasty

- cruelest and shortest of China's ancient ruling dynasties - instituted a uniform written language allowing for better communication with nomads and for negotiations within different regions

Zhou dynasty

- longest of China's ancient ruling dynasties -considered an "intellectual golden age" of philosophy and freedom of expression

Shang dynasty

-1st of China's ruling dynasties; overthrown by the Zhou - bronze was commonly used for art and for weaponry.

Han dynasty

-considered an "economic golden age" in ancient Chinese history; very prosperous. In present day, China's majority ethnic group refer to themselves as the "Han people."

What 2 things is Yu famous for?

1. Yu is famous for his efforts to control the floods of the Yellow River 2. His good moral character.

______ was ancient China's capital.

Anyang

What was the name of China's oldest city? What was it made up of?

Anyang and it was built almost entirely out of wood.

True or False: Of the 4 ancient dynasties, China was the youngest.

True

Which river was known as the west river?

Xi Jiang

main branch of this river flows into South China, supplying water to many areas in that region. Which river?

Xi Jiang (also called the West River)

Which river has historically been used as a political border to separate Northern China from Southern China (due to difficulty in crossing)?

Yangtze River (also called the Chang Jiang River)

Which river is the longest river in Asia; 3rd longest in the world (after the Nile and the Amazon; just ahead of the Mississippi River, which is 4th)

Yangtze River (also called the Chang Jiang River)

Which river was never predictable, unlike the Nile?

Yellow River (also called the Huang He River)

Which river is nicknamed "China's Sorrow" and why ?

Yellow River (also called the Huang He River). Nicknamed "China's Sorrow" due to misery resulting from unpredictable flooding and droughts.

In the Shang dynasty what metal was used for weapons?

bronze

China lacked in cultural diffusion...why?

natural boundaries and stayed away on their own

Chinese civilization arose and developed in a vast area that is about ____ larger than the entire United States.

one/3rd

What was the Yangtze used for?

political borders

cultural diffusion:

the spreading out of a culture's traits (ideas, styles, languages, or religions) from a central point.

What were the natural boundaries and where?

to the east: Pacific Ocean - to the west: icy 14,000 ft Tibetan Plateau - to the south and southwest: huge mountain ranges, including the Himalayas - to the northwest: forbidding Gobi Desert - to the north: most vulnerable spot where Mongols from the North invaded; this is why (and where) the Great Wall of China would be built.

Anyang was built almost entirely out of _____.

wood.