Ancient Dynasties

 

The Chinese emperors created unity by establishing strong central governments.  Each dynasty built upon the economic and cultural growth of the one before.

 

The Shang Dynasty

 

• 1766 B.C. to 1222 B.C.
• beginning of the Bronze Age
• bronze used for weapons
• invention of oracle bones
• many different nature gods worshipped
• Shang Di, later known as Tian, was the supreme god

 

The Zhou Dynasty

 

 

·        1100 B.C. to 220 B.C.

·        longest of the ancient Chinese dynasties

·        6000 more Chinese characters were invented

·        worshipped the god T’ien

·        ruled by feudalism

 

The Qin Dynasty

 

 

• 220 B.C. to 206 B.C.
• shortest dynasty – lasted only 15 years
• first emperor of China – Qin Shihuangdi

established standard weights and measures for all of China

issued round coins with square holes so that money could be carried on strings

the 2000-mile Great Wall of China was built

standardized Chinese characters

• well-organized dynasty

 

 

The Han Dynasty

 

• 206 B.C. to 200 A.D.

• Liu Bang was the ruler
• Confucianism became the official state philosophy
• seismograph was invented
• yin-yang was a common symbol
• China’s main export – silk
• trading route called the Silk Road
• strong government
• many things accomplished

 

The Tang Dynasty

 

 

·        618 A.D. to 960 A.D.

·        Wu Zhao – only female “Son of Heaven” in Chinese history

Established a competitive testing system for government officials.

·        Two great poets lived during this time:  Li Bai and Du Fu

·        Printing and gunpowder invented

 

The Song Dynasty

 

 

·        960 to 1279

·        time of great achievement in the arts

·        Emperor Hui Zong

·        Academy of Painting was opened

·        time of growth and economic progress

·        harvested more rice

·        population grew to over 100 million

·        defeated by the Mongols

 

  

© Ellen Gabor, 1997

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