Introduction to Ancient China

The Indus River Valley

The Nile River Valley

The Yellow River Valley

The Tigris-Euphrates River Valley

It made the river difficult to navigate for trade.

It destroyed farmland and homes.

It caused widespread droughts.

It made the water too salty for drinking.

Inventing the process of silk production.

Uniting the separate villages of the Yellow River Valley.

Solving the Yellow River's severe flooding problems.

Establishing the first documented Chinese dynasty.

The Spice Route

The Grand Canal

The Silk Road

The Tea Highway

Farmers owned the land and paid taxes to nobles.

Wealthy nobles owned the land, and farmers worked it, providing food to the nobles in exchange for protection.

The Emperor owned all land, and both nobles and farmers worked for him.

Land was communally owned, and everyone shared resources equally.

It was an alphabetic system written on bamboo scrolls.

It used pictographs carved into bones, turtle shells, or bronze.

It was a phonetic script written on silk.

It consisted of ideograms painted on clay tablets.

He encouraged free speech and public debate.

He moved former state leaders to his capital, melted their weapons, burned books, and executed those who spoke of treason.

He established a democratic system with elected representatives.

He allowed regional leaders to maintain their armies and autonomy.

It was a divine right to rule, and Qin Shi Huang upheld it by being just and fair.

It was a belief that rulers had to serve the people, and Qin Shi Huang violated it by subjugating people, killing critics, and burning books.

It was a system where rulers were chosen by popular vote, and Qin Shi Huang ignored it.

It was a mandate to expand the empire, which Qin Shi Huang fulfilled successfully.