Global History I Honors: Spiconardi. Dynasty Establishment The Zhou overthrow the Shang and...
-
Upload
christal-bell -
Category
Documents
-
view
226 -
download
2
Transcript of Global History I Honors: Spiconardi. Dynasty Establishment The Zhou overthrow the Shang and...
Global History I Honors: Spiconardi
The Zhou Dynasty & the Mandate of Heaven
Dynasty EstablishmentThe Zhou overthrow
the Shang and eventually establish to capitalsWestern Capital = XianEastern Capital =
Luoyang
The Zhou (1045-256 BCE)
The Zhou KingServed as the head of a
growing governmentControlled the armiesSeen as an intermediary
between the people and the god Shang TiThe Zhou King made
sacrifices to the god of heaven
If any sacrifices or prayers were missed, great ill was predicted to fall on the kingdom of the neglectful leader
The Zhou (1045-256 BCE)
FeudalismLike the Shang, the Zhou
divided the kingdom into territoriesEach territory was a walled
city King had little to no control
over these walled territoriesEach territory was
governed by appointed noblesNobles had peasants farm
the landTerritories eventually
became more & more independent
The Zhou (1045-256 BCE)
Primogeniture first born inherits all property/possessions of his father
Social Hierarchy Lords Members of the army Artisans and merchants Farmers
Society was based on agricultural production
SlavesVery few in Zhou Dynasty China
The Zhou (1045-256 BCE)
Peasant #1 Peasant #2 Peasant #3
Peasant #4 Peasant #5
Peasant #6 Peasant #7 Peasant #8
Center section was tilled by all peasants for the lord of their
territory
The Warring States period of chaos and fighting among China’s feudal lordsAs each territory became more independent,
the Zhou’s authority became decentralizedThe feudal nobles fought one another and
China was no longer united
The Zhou (1045-256 BCE)
Mandate of Heaven the divine approval to ruleZhou: “Heaven…has sent down ruin on the
Shang. The Shang has lost the Mandate, and we Zhou have received it…I believe the heavens favor those who are sincere in their intentions…The Mandate of Heaven is not easy to gain. It will be lost when men fail to live up to…the virtues of their forefathers.”
The Mandate of Heaven
Dynastic Cycle explanation of the rise, fall, & establishment of dynasties in ChinaChinese believe leadership had to be changed
when problems came about, not laws or institutions
Rulers were seen as sons of heaven and father to the Chinese people
Leaders had to be moral and upright
The Dynastic Cycle
In essence, the Zhou
King had to rule
effectively or the people had a right
to revolution