Ancient China Basic Vocabulary

A class system where the king provided lands to nobles for military support, and peasants worked the land in exchange for protection

•  Feudalism

• Filial Piety

• Bureaucracy

• Legalism

After the ruling family, they made up the highest- ranking social class. They fought/lead in the king’s armies

• Aristocrats

• Nobles

• Artisans

• Daoism

A piece of bone or shell heated and cracked by holy men to seek advice from a king’s ancestors

• Confucianism

• Standardize

• Oracle Bones

• Logograph

A large organization that operates using a fixed set of rules and conditions. At each level of the

organization, people direct those who are at the level below them.

• Bureaucracy

• Civil Service

• Legalism

• Meritocracy

To make the same (same laws, same money, same language for everyone)

• Civil Service

• Standardize

• Bureaucracy

• Logograph

Rich landowners at the top of the social classes

• Aristocrats

• Nobles

• Artisans

• Daoism

 Skilled workers that included potters, stonemasons, and workers crafting items of bronze and jade

• Aristocrats

• Nobles

• Artisans

• Civil Service

When people in government or holding power are selected based on their abilities.

• Civil Service

• Meritocracy

• Bureaucracy

• Mandate of Heaven

A form of writing that uses characters that stand for words

• Oracle Bones

• Standardize

• Seismograph

• Logograph

Belief that the right to rule comes from the gods (the gods say that you should be in charge/king/queen)

• Feudalism

• Oracle Bones

• Daoism

•  Mandate of Heaven