China's First Dynasties

China's First Dynasties

In this lesson, you will learn the names of the first 2 civilizations in China.

What is a Dynasty?

Rulers from the same family for many generations

Multiple Choice

Do we have dynasties as our government in America?

• YES

• NO

American government is called...

Democracy

We _______ for new leaders every 4 years.

How many Chinese Dynasties?

Which dynasty ruled the longest?

How many years?

Most famous British dynasties.

How many different dynasties since 1689?

The first dynasty is not on this list!
















Because there was no...

Xia Dynasty (shee-a)

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• King Yu ruled China for 45 years!

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• King Yu Xia gave the kingdom to his son, beginning of Chinese Dynasties

Xia Dynasty CONTINUED...

• When Yu died, his son took over as king

• Yu's "family" ruled China for over 500 years!

• This included 17 rulers!

• The 17th Ruler was a very evil and cruel. His power was taken by the Shang Family.

Xia Dynasty Accomplishments

• Yu became king because he figured out to how to control the Yellow River flooding by building waterways that led the water away from the river.

The Yellow River is in the back.

A canal leads water away from the river to make floods less dangerous.

Other Xia Dynasty Accomplishments

• King #6 of the Xia Dynasty started the Chinese practice of worshipping ancestors instead of Gods.

• For example, I would pray to my great great grandfather for help

The 17 Kings of the Xia Dynasty

Starting with Yu the Great

Ending with evil King Jie

Multiple Select

Did the Xia Dynasty start the religion of worshipping ancestors?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Select

Did the Xia Dynasty's king learn how to control the flooding of the Yellow River?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Select

Did the Xia Dynasty last for 500 years?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Select

Did Chinese people VOTE for their next ruler during the Xia Dynasty?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Select

Which is NOT TRUE about the XIA Dynasty?

• Started ancestor worship

• Built canals to help floods of Yellow River

• Lasted 500 years

• They could read and write

The Shang Dynasty

• First Dynasty with written records

• Most writing was done on bones or the back of turtle shells.

• The writings were called oracles

• Chinese priests tried to predict the future by asking a question, then burning the bone to see where it cracked.

​Writing on a turtle shell!

Shang writing was carved into turtle shells or bones

Questions found on oracle bones:

• Will we win the war?

• How many soldiers should we send to battle?

• Should we go hunting tomorrow?

• Will the baby be a boy?

Here is the first Shang King, Cheng Tang, asking a priest to predict his future.

Multiple Choice

Shang Dynasty priests wrote on...

• paper

• shells and bones

Poll

Do you believe that cracks on burning turtle shells can show one's future?

• YES

• NO

We still try to predict the future in many ways today!

The Shang Dynasty

​Which two rivers flowed through the Shang Dynasty?


Is China today bigger than the area controlled by the Shang Dynasty, or smaller?


How you do you think that happened?

Multiple Choice

China is ______________ now than during the Shang Dynasty.

• smaller

• bigger

Multiple Select

Which one is NOT TRUE about the Shang Dynasty?

• Wrote on shells

• Used oracle bones to predict future

• China was smaller during this dynasty.

• People chose their rulers.

Shang Dynasty ended in 1050 BC

The Zhou Dynasty took over

Many changes coming to China!