Shang Dynasty

    During 350 BC in eastern China was a waring time period and was a time of extreme chaos. 256 wars in a span of 900 years between 256 states that later solidified into 7 states in china during the Chou Dynasty. The Chou Dynasty would then collapse and give rise to the Han Dynasty which was a huge civilization governing over 60 million people. This was a major period of industrialization and capitalization in China. During this period forced labor was put into place to have workers actually do major projects such as the Great Wall and other different projects. The only exception we’re pregnant woman which would ultimately increase the populations dramatically. An advanced world trade network that connected with euro-asian and african

Manchus were the one that took control of China after the Yuan (which was the Mongols) and established themselves as the Qing Dynasty. It is also this dynasty that the modern Chinese started. Around the 18th century, the Qing was at its height. However, by the start of the 19th century until the early 20th century, the Qing Dynasty started going downhill with domestic political and foreign policy problems. Within the nation, there were continuation and changes to the traditional Confucian system; Furthermore, there were rebellions due to foreign competitions that lead to the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Although China has a complex history, it was one of the most economically stable countries in the world. Chinese’s current complex form of government started with different principles for each city-state and was later unified by dynasties. However, even before the establishment of modern-day China, its success can be contributed to its geographic features, earliest historical record in the Oracle bones, as well as the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. China’s several geographic features contribute to its isolation and success.

During the Zhou dynasty, Chinas economic and social standpoints began to take place. They continued with the farming and agricultural path, trade, and manufacturing ways. Merchants and artisans lived in small towns, owned by the landlord, leaving many to work in groups. There were groups of slaves, most likely prisoners of war, that worked alongside merchnats and traders. Even though there were slaves, scholars do not believe that that slavery was profoundly important during this era due to it not obtaining a large group of the population. The citizens of the Zhou age were able to construct extensive water restriction projects to monitor the flow of water into the fields. They were soon able to create a system of canals and spillways that helped

During the fall of the Zhou Dynasty, violence and chaos were soaring in China. In an attempt to achieve justice, various philosophers offered solutions in order to restore social and political order. From these efforts, three significant ethical systems were founded. These three major schools of philosophy, Legalism, Confucianism, and Daoism, are creations of unique views that portray their ideas of adequate societies as well as their perspectives on how one should govern.

At first, Buddhism received positive responses (Documents 2 and 3) and indifferent responses (Documents 1 and 5), with the Chinese encouraging and defending its customs/beliefs during times of political and social unrest because it offered relief towards the Chinese people and prevented further chaos. Later, Buddhism received negative and unfavorable scrutiny (Documents 4 and 6) after the Tang dynasty was established since it blamed Buddhism for social/political problems because Buddhism rejected the social hierarchy favored by government officials.

Historians depend on textual, artistic, and archaeological evidence to create narratives about various historical cultures. By analyzing primary sources, historians can determine what type of society existed, what forms of government were in power, and even what society held to high standards, such as honor. Certainties about the Roman Empire, in Europe, experiencing civil unrest, eventual re-installment of the Republic, and expectation of its citizens are supported by the primary source, “The Rape of Lucretia.” Alternatively, certainties about the Shang Dynasty, in East Asian, utilizing religion and politics together to determine natural phenomenons in life are supported by the primary source, “Shang Oracle Bones.” Ultimately, primary sources give a pretty clear and reliable picture as to how society functioned during the time periods that are being studied.

Cheng Tang was the founder and first ruler of the Shang dynasty, but before that he was a tribal chieftain of the Tzu clan from the Shandong Peninsula.

Chen Tang also known as Da Yi became the first emperor of the Shang dynasty after he successfully overthrowing Jie of the Xia dynasty. Tang learned from the mistakes Jie made during his ruling. Tang governed his people with benevolence and compassion and was recognized as being a compassionate and noble ruler.

Within the years of 221-206 BCE, the Qin Dynasty rose as a superpower. During this time period, the Warring States Era, Chinese civilization was impacted tremendously in almost every aspect. These hallmarks in history vary from the spreading of Legalism to the birth of the Great Wall of China. Through these countless contributions, the Qin Dynasty was able to revolutionize the Chinese civilization in such a short period of time.

The most influential minds in the Chinese mental tradition vaunt under the Zhou, particularly towards the last period of the Zhou Dynasty, considered a repetition of intellectual and artistic awakening. Many of the ideas developed by figures copy Laozi, Confucius, Mencius and Mozi, who all lived during the Eastern Zhou duration, would suit the character of Chinese civilization up to the bestow day.

Jesus Aguilar Professor Witthaus Humanities 1101 June 21, 2018 In ancient China, there were multiple events and figures that changed the time back then. Some of the most important events that happened, occurred in the first dynasty. In this, we will be viewing the first dynasty and how it became, the social order and tombs and how writing changed history Before the first dynasty occurred, there were many cities that were scattered in China. Some were located near rivers while others were near the sea, this is where civilization occurred.

“The commanderies were composed of counties.” A county was the smallest division in this era to have centrally appointed official.”

One of the first dynasties with historical record and archaeological evidence is the Shang Dynasty. “The Shang people developed a distinctive writing system that included nearly 5000 characters, some of which are still in use today” (Guisepi). During the Shang and Zhou dynasties the productions of the Book of Changes, or Yi Jing, and the collection of a national poetry in the Book of Songs, or Shi Jing, a lasting national literature began to arise. The two Chinese philosophies forming through this period were Daoism, a mystical quietism based on harmony with nature, and Confucianism, which was originally composed of a set of political and moral doctrines with the teachings of Confucius as its basis

The Six Dynasty period in Chinese historiography is often classified with moments of conflict, revolt, strife, famine, disunity, and not innovation. Historians and academics categorize the period as a placeholder between the more significant Han China—206 BCE to 220 CE—and the Tang dynasty—618 to 907 CE. Understandably, Han China’s military, infrastructure, and civil capabilities were rivalled only by that of the Roman Empire, and even then, the Han dynasties administrative capabilities were rivalled by none. The Tang period is widely considered to be the high point of Chinese culture and civilization, where cosmopolitan China emerged with force vastly shaping China for centuries to come. The significance of the Han and Tang dynasties is not in question, it is the lack of importance that historians confer on the Six Dynasties period. Admittedly the Six Dynasty period in Chinese history can be categorized as a warring period, in which China did not develop unilaterally, but separately along fractured lines (split both north-south, and east-west). Much like the European medieval period, there are few accessible sources from early-medieval china, and because of this, China’s six dynasty period is brushed over as a period of little advancement and innovation. The “Dark Ages” in Europe use to receive the same scholarly interpretation as a period of stagnation.