Ancient China - Chapter 19

Geography & Settlement of China - Chapter 19

How did geography affect life in ancient China?

The Tibet-Qinghai Plateau

• Known as Roof of the World

• Rocky land surrounded by towering mountains

• Tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest

• Air is thin & dry, snow falls even in summer

• Too cold and dry to grow crops, but grasses provide food for yaks

Multiple Select

Which of these conditions were NOT a problem that affected settlement in the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau?

• The weather was too cold to grow crops

• Travel to other regions was extremely difficult

• Winters were extremely cold, and summers were very hot

• Farmer's livestock were often the prey of wolves and wildcats

The Northwestern Deserts

• This is part of Outer China, the weather varies from sizzling hot to below freezing.

• Best known for vast deserts, like the Taklimakan & the Gobi.

• Taklimakan is the most dangerous, They have huge sand dunes & sand storms.

• Gobi is one of the largest, it has few sand dunes, mainly stony.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is highly likely in the Northwestern Dessert?

• Vast areas of crops and animals are everywhere. Life expanded.

• Rain can evaporate before it hits the ground, because it is so hot.

• The most challenging marathons happen in this region.

Multiple Select

Legends say that two armies and 300 cities are buried 600 feet beneath the sand dunes. Which desert did this most likely happen in?

• Taklimakan Desert

• Gobi Desert

Northeastern Plain

• Natural vegetation is mostly prairie grass, which provided food for horses, sheep, & others.

• Areas of greatest contrast in climate: Short, warm summers, BUT dry and cold in winter.

• Too cold & dry to grow crops.

• Area used for invaders to attack China.

Multiple Select

There are two major rivers in the Northeastern Plain, the Liao and the Sungari. The Liao is shallow and the Sungari is deeper. Which of these two is a larger boat most likely to travel on?

• Liao River

• Sungari River

North China Plain

• One of two major regions in inner China. Temperature goes from very warm summers to cold winters.

• Sometimes called "Land of the Yellow Earth, because of the yellow limestone silt on the ground; which comes from the Gobi Desert.

• The silt gives the river its name, Huang He (Yellow River)

Multiple Choice

Which of these definitions best match the meaning of the word "Silt"?

"The river that runs through the plain is also full of yellow silt"

• Fine sand, clay, or other material.

• A fabric used to make clothes.

• Large boulders that are transferred.

North China Plain

• Huang He is one of the longest rivers in the world and possibly the muddiest.

• The river carries silt that helps fertilize the land, making it a good place to settle & grow crops.

• The river has been the source of many disasters, flooding more than 1,500 times causes damage and death.

Multiple Select

How does the Huang He impact farmers on the North China Plain?

• The yellow silt is poisonous and kills many farmers

• Flooding from the river helps crops grow.

• Mud in the Huang He makes the water unusable.

Chang Jiang Basins

• Low, wet coastal plans; located along the river called Chang Jiang.

• Longer than the Huang He.

• People use the river to transport goods between the east and west.

• Helps make the surrounding lands very fertile & is less dangerous than the Huang He.

• Climate is warm & wet. Perfect for growing rice BUT not animals.

Multiple Select

Rice is a big part of the Chinese culture, which of these scenarios give the best reason to why the Chang Jiang Basins was the best area to grow it?

• The region had extremes of cold and heat, which was perfect for rice.

• The region had plenty of land and no rivers to block areas of growth.

• The region had little space, but abundant warmth and moisture.

Early Settlement

• First people lived in caves over 500,000 years ago.

• These cave dwellers are known today as either Peking man or Beijing man.

• Lived by hunting, gathering, and fishing. They made tools and may have used fire.

Multiple Select

The Peking Man or Beijing Man was a...

• Nomad

• Farmer

China's Isolation

• The towering mountain, rocky plateau, and cold climate formed a natural barrier.

• The large deserts created another natural barrier.

• This isolation made it challenging to govern and unify the people; communication & transport was difficult.

Multiple Select

Which of these DID NOT help create a natural barrier?

• Tibet-Qinghai

• Gobi Desert

• Chang Jian Basin

• Taklimakan Desert

Different Regions

• Outer China: Not good farmland, great for raising livestock, like Yaks. They were nomads who moved a lot, needed heavy clothing for winter, built homes of mud & grew cotton, had a diet of meat.

• Inner China: Fertile land, warm climate, raised cattle, sheep, oxen, pigs, and more. Homes were made of rammed earth

Multiple Choice

The people of inner China built the Great Wall to protect themselves and keep invaders out...Which invaders do you think they are referring too?

• People who lived in Outer China.

• People who lived in North America.

• People who lived in inner China.

Open Ended

How did geography affect life in ancient China?