I.The Geography of China’s River Valleys A.Introduction

1. I.The Geography of China’s River Valleys A.Introduction 1.In China, dragons were friendly beasts that brought good luck. 2.Like all ancient cultures, rivers were important to the development of civilization in China. B.The Geography of Ancient China 1.Ancient China covered a large area and varied greatly. 2.The North China plain is dominated by the Huang River. 3.The North China plain is usually very dry. 4.The climate in the south is warm and wet. 5.Geographic barriers separated China from the other ancient cultures we have studied this year. 6.Civilization began along the Huang River and later moved south. 7.The Huang is also called the Yellow River because of all the mud in the river. 8.The River flooded many times, often changing the river’s course. 9.Despite such dangers, the early Chinese people continued to settle along the banks of the Huang.

2. C.Early Civilization in China 1.People gathered in the Huang River valley is early as 5000 B.C. 2.The Shang Dynasty was the first civilization in China. 3.The Shang people developed the first Chinese writing system. 4.The Shang dynasty lasted about 600 years. 5.The Zhou dynasty lasted for nearly 1000 years. 6.The Mandate of Heaven supported a leader’s right to rule his people. D.Importance of the Family 1.The family was considered more important than the individual. 2.A household in ancient China might contain as many as five generations living . together. 3.The center of authority in the Chinese family was the oldest man. 4.Women were considered to be of lower status than men. 5.In Chinese society, the family name comes first. 6.Confucius would have a great effect on Chinese society.

3. II.Confucius and His Teachings A.Introduction 1.Confucius was a famous Chinese teacher and philosopher. 2.Confucius is known for his famous sayings. 3.Most of the stories about Confucius contained an important lesson. B.The Life of Confucius 1.Confucius is the Latinized version of his name, Kong Fu Zi. 2.He was born in 551 B.C. to a poor mother. 3.Confucius taught students his views on life and government. 4.When he died, he believed his life was a failure. C.The Teachings of Confucius 1.Confucius hoped to bring peace, stability, and prosperity to China’s kingdoms. 2.Confucius never wrote down his teachings. His teachings became known as Confucianism. 3.The goal of Confucius was to persuade rulers to bring peace to China. 4.He believed if people behaved properly towards one another, peace would result. 5.Confucius believed that people should know their place in the family and in society. 6.Confucianism also functions as a religion. 7.Taoism supported the ideas of peace, harmony, and balance. 8.Confucius is the most widely studied of Chinese philosophies.

4. D.The Influence of Confucius 1.The teachings of Confucius became basic training for members of the government. 2.Confucius believed one should be rewarded for how qualified he or she was. 3.The merit system led some poor people to rise to important positions. 4.Confucius made a lasting impression on China.