Warm-Up• Take out the Zhou dynasty

reading and answers to the questions that were completed on Friday. Review the reading and answers to the questions.• I will be coming around to grade

these when class begins.

Questions• What is a dynasty?• What is the Mandate of Heaven? • When and how did the Zhou dynasty begin?

Which dynasty did they overthrow to take control?

• Explain how the Zhou political system worked. Write 3-4 complete sentences.

• Create a social pyramid explaining the social system that was used during the Zhou dynasty.

Questions• Why and how did the political order break

down?• What kind of internal problems did the Zhou

dynasty face?• Explain the decline of the Zhou dynasty.• How far south did the Zhou dynasty reach?• Create a timeline with 5 important events

from the reading of the Zhou dynasty. Make sure to include the year, describe each event and put them in the correct order.

Ethnocentrism

• Believing other cultures were inferior to their own

• Because they were isolated (by themselves) = rejected other cultures as inferior to their own

• AKA – WE ARE THE BEST

Feudalism • A type of government based solely on land• The MORE you own = MORE wealthy and

MORE power

Shang Dynasty Zhou Dynasty

Shang China rose in the Huang River Valley (also known as the Yellow River Valley)…and like

other river-basin communities, used its stable agricultural surplus to build a trade-centered

civilization.

…and like other river-basin communities, used its stable agricultural surplus to build a trade-

centered civilization.

At its height, Shang controlled large parts of northern China and was militarily quite

powerful.

Thousands of its workers built walls around the towns and cities along the river; its warriors

used chariots to defeat their enemies.

The Shang dynasty controlled the Yellow River Valley from around 1600 to around

1100 B.C.E.

The Shang were so isolated, in fact, they believed themselves to be at the center of the

world, which explains why they called their civilization

“All Under Heaven.”

This belief contributed to the Shang’s ethnocentric attitude, which means they

considered themselves superior to all others.

Around 1100 B.C.E., the Shang were ousted by Wu Wang, who established the Zhou Dynasty (Chou Dynasty), though the Zhou maintained

many of the traditions and customs developed under the Shang Dynasty.

The Zhou ruled China for nearly 900 years, longer than any other dynasty.

The Zhou Dynasty believed in what was called the Mandate of Heaven, meaning

that heaven would grant the Zhou power only as long as its rulers governed justly

and wisely.

Put another way, the Zhou Dynasty would remain in power only as long as it had the

blessing of heaven.

The Zhou developed a feudal system in China, similar to that of Europe during the

Middle Ages.

The king was the ruler of the entire empire, but because it was too big for one person to

manage, nobles were given power over smaller regions within the empire. This

worked out well for a couple hundred years.

The king gave each noble protection as long as the noble remained loyal to him.

But as time passed, a number of the nobles built up a lot of wealth and power within the

regions under their control and eventually split off into independent kingdoms.

New Technologies• The Great Wall of

China originated as a defensive barrier against tribal intrusions

• Construction started in the seventh century B. C. and spanned over 20 states and dynasties– Two sections were built

during the Zhou era– As China unified, the

various sections were connected

New Technologies: Silk

• During the Zhou era, the Chinese discovered how to make silk from the cocoons of silkworms. – Silk would become China’s

most valuable export, eventually linking them with most of the world through trade.

– We’ll talk more about the Silk Road on Thursday

A bureaucratic form of government remained popular in China for thousands of

years.

Eventually fighting and warfare among the feudal kingdoms brought an end to the

Zhou Dynasty in 256 B.C.E.

The End

• With no central, powerful leader, the lords fought each other over who would control China.

• What do you think would happen if there were no central, powerful leader in the US (the president)?