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In Ancient China, there were many geographical  features that influenced people's daily lives. For example, the silt the Huang He river carried silt that helped fertilize the land making the North China Plain an ideal place to settle and farm. There was also the Gobi Desert which impacted people in a negative way. People didn't want to settle in the desert because of the unforgiving climate, and the sheer size. The Tibet-Qinghai Plateau also influenced people negatively. It was unquestonably cold and the land was much too dry to grow crops.

5MWaterWorld

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The Ancient Chinese had 3 major religions that impacted and shaped their government.  There was Daoism, Confucianism, and Legalism.  Daoism was founded by Lao Zi, an Ancient Chinese philosopher and writer.  The followers of Daoism always tried to be one with their surroundings, and to bring peace and harmony to their world.  Unlike Confucianism, Daoism did not wish to influence society or compete with others.  Confucianism was led by Confucius, a Chinese scholar.  The supporters of Confucianism believed in the importance of human goodness, duty and respect, and the value of study and education.  There were three books written by people devoted to the religion that helped spread the beliefs to other regions, and glorified Confucius.  Legalism had strong beliefs in the way the government should be run.  They wanted powerful rulers, a capable military, wealthy and well organized societies, along with correct and just laws that were fairly enforced.  These ideas greatly affected the way the different dynasties were run.
Photo credit: Peter Jackson/Bridgeman Art Library

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There were many ranks on the social structure.

upper class

- The Emperor and his family were at the top of the social Structure. Government officials were next and could come from any social class as long as they passed 3 amazingly hard tests. Lots of times, there were limited posts for government officials,  so many who qualified but did not get a post were made into scholars.Scholars were never very rich, but were respected because of their knowledge

lower class

Soldiers were considered lower class because they were only sent out to fight and most likely die. Only the generals earned respect. Merchants were looked down on, mainly because they sold things that other people had made. Although they were a big part of China's economic growth, they were considered thieves.The peasants had small families and lived in mud-brick houses. They owned very little land, usually rented the land, and were generally living in poverty. Even if they worked very hard, they stayed as peasants because of high taxes.

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The ancient Chinese had a very complex system of trade. But what most people think is the most important is the process of trade. Trade across international borders along an east-to-west series of routes was called the Silk Road. Chinese silk was one of the most valuable trade items on the silk road. Chinese tea, porcelains, and gun powder were also prized items. The Silk Road was a 4,000 mile road that was created for trading purposes. The Sui Emperor also had the Grand Canal dug which made it easier to trade goods and transport army supplies.

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Achievements of this civilization influenced other cultures and civilization. The Silk road affected the other civilizations because they were the only ones who knew how to make silk so lots of other people came to buy it. They also did acupuncture which affected many others who wanted to heal. In acupunture thin needles are inserted into specific parts of the body. The great wall also changed this civilization it is now a huge tourist attraction bringing in lots of people, but even then it had lots of people. Paper was also a huge achievement, it comes from a plant called papyrus and it was a very big deal.

sydneystoryfactory.org.au

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There were three major dynasties that dominated most of China's history.  The Shang dynasty was the first dynasty in recorded Chinese history. It lasted from 1766 B.C.E. to 1045 B.C.E. The ruler of the Shang dynasty was Cheng Tang. He rose to power in 1766 B.C.  and his dynasty collapsed in 1045 B.C. E.  The Han dynasty lasted 400 years.  One of the most influential leaders in the dynasty was Liu Bang.  He became a king in 206 B.C.E., and emperor in 202 B.C.E.  The Han dynasty eventually collapsed after over 400 years of power.  Shi Huangdi started the Qin dynasty when he conquered states to the east of the state of Qin.  Once he died in 210 B.C.E., his son took to the throne, but quickly proved that he was a weak ruler with many flaws.  Rebellions broke out, and the dynasty collapsed.
Photo Credit: The Granger Collection/Universal Images Group