Ancient China MRS SMITH

Front

What geographical features isolated China from India?

Back

Mountains to the south and west, Gobi Desert to the north, and Yellow Sea to the east.

Front

What is Zhung-Guo and why was it called the 'middle kingdom'?

Back

Zhung-Guo means 'middle kingdom' because the Chinese thought China was the center of the Universe.

Front

Where did the first Chinese civilization arise?

Back

Along the Yellow River, also known as Huang River or 'China’s Sorrow'.

Front

What is significant about the Huang River?

Back

It is 3000 miles long, empties into the Yellow Sea, runs through the North China Plain, and deposits silt when it floods, making it the richest farmland in China.

Front

What was China’s first dynasty according to legend?

Back

The Xia Dynasty, established around 2000 BCE by Prince Yu.

Front

Which dynasty overthrew the Xia Dynasty?

Back

The Shang Dynasty, around 1600-1500 BCE.

Front

What have excavations in Anyang taught us?

Back

They have provided insights into the Shang Dynasty.

Front

What materials did Shang artisans work with?

Back

Bronze, bone, wood, stone, turquoise, and mother of pearl.

Front

Describe the Shang army.

Back

A powerful army of 30,000 with chariots and foot soldiers armed with bows and arrows.

Front

What was the social structure of Shang society?

Back

Dominated by the upper class, with the king as high priest, nobles as warriors or priests, and the lower class consisting of farmers, artisans, and slaves.