Shang China Review

What most helped Shang kings stay in power?

• use of a powerful army
• belief in magical dragons
• kindness to ordinary people
• marriage into wealthy families

Shang weapons were especially strong because skilled artisans made these objects from

• iron
• stone
• bones
• bronze

Which of these Shang people had the lowest social status?

• merchants
• jade carvers
• stonemasons
• grain farmers

What often happened to people the Shang captured in wars?

• They married into the royal family.
• They worked on construction, as slaves.
• They were given land to start new farms.
• They learned the skills to become artisans.

For what purpose would a Shang leader most likely use an oracle bone made from a turtle shell?

• to serve a ceremonial meal

• to ask advice from his ancestors

• to make music for his family

• to send messages to the nobles

How may the Shang king and his nobles have weakened their economy?

• They bought more and more land.
• They spent too much on their palaces.
• They rarely paid artisans for their work.
• They discouraged trade with other regions.

Which of the following was true of the Shang's use of bronze?

• Their use of bronze weapons was their biggest weakness.
• They were among the first civilizations to make bronze.
• They were the only ancient civilization that used bronze.
• They made a lot of money because of their bronze goods.

What Shang group was the highest-ranking, after the king and his relatives?

• bronze artisans
• traders
• nobles
• farmers

In their religion, the Shang believed that dead ancestors

• were not able to contact living people.
• came back to life as different animals.
• had the power to help or harm the living.
• could only communicate through dreams.

Which of the following is true of Shang writing?

• Its characters stood for words instead of sounds.
• It used only pictographs rather than logographs.
• It does not have any similarities to modern Chinese.
• all of the above