T.G.+china

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Geography: Enviormental Challenge: Dynasty: Religion: Writing: Family: Social Classes: Mandate of Heaven: Zhou Dynasty: The Zhou and Dynastic Cycle: And the cycle repeats
 * to the east lays to the yellow sea, also the China Sea and the Pacific ocean
 * mountains ranges and deserts dominante, about 2-3rds of chinas landmass
 * in the west lay taklimakau desert and the icy 15,000 foot platue of tibet
 * to the south west himalayas
 * to the north is the gobi desert, and mongolian platue
 * major river systems flows east of the yellow sea
 * yellow river is north
 * yangtze flows east of yellow sea
 * yellow river deposites huge amounts of silt called Loess which is yellow
 * flood danger (disastorious)
 * Supply own food
 * Not completely protected because of invasion from north/west
 * only 10% of land is good for farming
 * kings built elaborate palaces and tombs
 * began around 2000 B.C.
 * The Xia was the first china dynasty
 * the Shang dynasty lasted around 1700 B.C. to 1027 B.C.
 * first to leave written record
 * family was closly tied to religion
 * believed spirits of family brought good or bad luck/ though not seen as gods
 * family paid respects to the fathers ancestors and made sacrifices
 * shang consulted gods, Shang Bi = supreme god
 * used oracle bone to consult gods
 * characters stood for one syllable or unit of language
 * no links between spoken and written language
 * can read but not be able to speak a word
 * had to learn 1,500 symbols to be barely literate
 * over 10,000 to be a true scholor
 * central to chinese society
 * important to respect parents
 * elder controlled property and decisions
 * woman were inferior
 * woman obey husband and later their sons and fathers
 * marrages arranged between 13-16 years old
 * having sons improved a womans status
 * divided between nobles and peasants
 * nobles owned land
 * it is used to justify the Zhou conquest
 * royal athority came from heaven
 * a just ruler had divine approval which also known as Mandate of Heaven
 * wicked = loss of Mandate and right to rule
 * central to chinas view of government
 * floods and other disasters = sign of unhappy god
 * Mandate could be taken and given to new familly
 * over through Shang dynasty in 1027 B.C.
 * adopted much of Shang culture
 * no sweeping culture change
 * brought in new ideas
 * 1) STRONG DYNASTY: establishes peace and prosperity
 * 2) in time the dynasty becomes corrupt, taxes raise, power grows weaker
 * 3) disasters such as floods, famines, and peasant revolts
 * 4) old dynasty is seen as having lost the Mandate and rebellion is justified
 * 5) the dynasty is over thrown through bloodshed and rebellion; new dynasty emerges
 * 6) new dynasty gains power, restores peace and order, and claims to have Mandate