China by Ayanna Scott

Geographic Features

atsc1 — 2014-10-23 13:21:12 UTC

-Yellow river flooding was unpredictable and was called “China’s Sorrow” because it often destroyed villages. It would deposit huge amounts of yellow silt when it overflowed it’s banks. The yellow silt was actually fertile soil called loess.

-Protected and isolated by deserts and Himalayan Mountains

-Rarely traded with outsiders

-Only 10% of land was suitable for farming along the Yellow (Huang He) and Yangtze Rivers. Most of China was made up of desert and mountain ranges.

-Next to yellow, east china, and south china seas, and Pacific Ocean

Social System

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-Social classes

-Chinese held peasants higher than artisans or merchants because they produced food.

Approximate Dates

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-1500-220 AD

Writing System

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-Like hieroglyphics, Chinese characters stood for sounds but the 10,000 characters made it hard to learn to write.

-Helped unify peoples with different languages because characters stood for ideas

Religion

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-Rulers needed approval of the gods (Mandate of Heaven)

-Believed in ancestor worship , that the spirits of family ancestors should be honored & consulted

-Believed that the spirits of family ancestors had the power to bring good fortune or disaster to living members of the family.

mphx1 — 2014-10-23 13:55:07 UTC

Inventions/Advancements

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-Built Great Wall to protect from invaders

-Chinese buildings were made of wood rather than brick or stone

-Used cast iron tools & weapons, and standardized coins

-Created Roads and Canals to regulate trade. The Grand Canal connected northern China to southern China

Government

mphx1 — 2014-10-23 14:00:36 UTC

-Emperor had to have the Mandate of Heaven (approval of the gods) to have legitimacy of the people.

-China was also ruled by the ethical system, Confucianism.

-Confucianism focused on filial piety (respect for elders). Confucius taught social order through 5 key relationships:

1) ruler-subject
2) father-son
3) husband-wife
4) brother- brother
5) friend-friend.
These ideas were written down in The Analects.

5 Most Important Facts

atsc1 — 2014-10-23 14:09:10 UTC

- Only 10% of China's land was usable for farming; the rest was mostly mountain ranges and desert.

-Ruler had to have mandate of Heaven to have legitimacy of the people.

-Chinese people believed in Ancestor Worship

- They built canals and roads to regulate trade.

-Like hieroglyphics, Chinese characters stood for sounds but the 10,000 characters made it hard to learn to write.