Geography and Early China

1. Geography and Early China Section 1, Chapter 7

2. China's Physical Geography • China covers an area of nearly 4 million square miles • Gobi desert spreads over much of the north • Low-lying plains are to the east, form one of the world’s largest farming regions

3. The Pacific Ocean is the eastern boundary • Rugged mountains make up the western frontier • In the southwest is the Plateau of Tibet, with some peaks more than 26,000 feet tall

4. Qinling Shandi Mountains separate northern China from southern China • Weather and temperature patterns vary widely • Cold in northeast • Dry in northwest • Wet in southeast

5. The Rivers of China • The Huang He (Yellow River); 3,000 miles • Called “China’s Sorrow” because of deaths and flooding • Yangzi (Chang Jiang) is the longest river in Asia

6. Gobi Desert Qinling Shandi Mts. Plateau of Tibet Huang He River Yangzi River

7. Civilization Begins • Flooding of Huang He and Chang Jiang deposited silt • Farming of rice began 7,000 years ago • They also fished and hunted with bows

8. Early settlements found along the Huang He • Houses were partially underground • Separate cultures grew in the north and the south • Tombs filled with objects, such as jade, a hard gemstone

9. China's First Dynasties • The Xia Dynasty • Founded in 2200 BC by Yu the Great • Built major waterways in the north to drain flood waters

10. The Shang Dynasty • Established by 1500s BC • Strongest in the Huang He Valley • Moved their capital several times • King was at the center

11. Social order became more organized under the Shang Royal family and nobles Warrior leaders Artisans Farmers Slaves

12. Shang had many advancements, including China’s first writing system • It contained over 2,000 symbols • Used “oracle bones” to make predictions

13. Shang Writing

14. Artisans made many useful things out of bronze, including pots, axes, knives, and jade ornaments • Shang astrologers made a calendar based on the cycles of the moon

15. Jade Ornaments