Ancient China's First Dynasties Lesson

​Bell Ringer



You will respond to the question you are required write 2-3 complete sentences. Make sure that you are using correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.

Question: Describe, how do you demonstrate leadership?

Open Ended

Describe, how do you demonstrate leadership?

​Module 6: Ancient China
Lesson 2: The Zhou Dynasty and New Ideas

​

Standard:7.2-Examine an understanding of the development of civilization in the river valleys of China.

Objective:7.2.4- Explain the evolution of imperial government of China

I can Statement: “I can explain how China’s imperial government evolved overtime.”

The Zhou Dynasty

In the 1100s BC, the leaders of people who came to be known as the the Zhou (JOH) ruled over a kingdom in China. The Zhou claimed to possess the mandate of heaven, "divine right" to rule. They believed that they received the right to rule directly from God. The Zhou did not believe in one supreme being. They thought that their right to rule came from the heavens as whole. No one ruled without heaven's permission. If a king was found to be bad, heaven would support another leader. The Zhou rulers used the mandate of heaven to justify their rebellion against the Shang. The Zhou believed that the Shang gave up the mandate of heaven when they did not rule the way the Zhou thought was best.

Multiple Choice

When was the Zhou Dynasty established?

• 1200S BC

• 1900S BC

• 1100s BC

• 1000s BC

Multiple Choice

What is a "divine right to rule"?

• mandate of justice

• mandate of laws

• mandate to rule

• mandate of heaven

Multiple Choice

What would heaven do if a king was found to be bad?

• heaven would support bad people

• heaven would support another leader

• heaven would not support another leader

• heaven would torture leaders

​New Political Order

​The Zhou established a new political order. They granted land to others in return for loyalty, military support, and other services. The Zhou king was at the highest level. He granted plots of land to lords, or people of high rank. lords paid taxes and provided soldiers as needed. Peasants, or farmers with small farms, were at the bottom of the order. Each peasant family received a small plot of land and had to farm additional land for the noble. The Zhou system brought order to China, overtime, however, the political order broke down. Lords passed their power to their sons, who were less loyal to the king and local rulers gained power.

Multiple Choice

people of high rank

• lords

• knights

• kings

• farmers

Multiple Choice

Who are peasants ?

• farmers with small farms

• farmers from Egypt

• farmers of the high-class

• farmers that have a lot of land

​The Zhou Power Declined

​As the lords' loyalty to the Zhou lessened, many refused to fight against invasion. In 1717 BC, invaders reached the capital. According to legend the king had been lightning warning fires to entertain a friend. Each time the fires were lit, the king's armies would rush to the capital gates to protect him. When the real attack came, the men thought the fires were just another joke, and no one came. The Zhou lost the battle, but the dynasty survived. After that defeat the lords began to fight each other. By 481 BC, China had entered an era called the Warring States Period, a time of many civil wars. The decline of the Zhou took place with important changes in the Chinese family structure, the way something is set up or organized. Chinese family was the foundation of life in China. Large families formed powerful groups, families broke apart, lost their power, and became rivals. When loyalty weakened within families sons plotted against each other over inheritances. A wealthy father sometimes tried to maintain peace among their sons by dividing his land among sons, but this created problems. Each son tried to build wealth by challenging his brothers, sons even killed their own father. During the warring states period, China lacked a strong government to stop power struggles within the ruling-class families. Chinese society fell into a period of disorder.

Multiple Choice

__________ is a time of civil wars.

• Peloponnesian war

• World War II

• Warring States Period

• Law and Order

Fill in the Blank

What word describes the way something is set up or organized?

Multiple Choice

what was the foundation of life in China?

• slaves

• kings

• family

• structure

Open Ended

Exit Ticket: What did you learn about today's lesson?