shang dynasty – Flashcards

At anyang

Archaeologists unearthed many artifacts from these ruins that revealed an ancient civilization. The ruins were the remains of one of the royal cities of the Shang. The city included a palace, a temple and houses. There were also workshops for artisans who worked with bronze, pottery, stone and jade.

The artifacts unearthed at Anyang reveal some interesting facts about Shang beliefs and ways of life. These have taught us about Shang government, social structure, religion, writing, art and technology.

The inscriptions on oracle bones are among the earliest known examples of Chinese writing.

characters that stand for words

helped unify the Chinese people

1. kingsand his reletives were the highest class and they rule the kingdoms

The nobles made up the highest-ranking social class after the ruling family. Nobles fought in the king's army. They also provided weapons, foot soldiers, and chariots. In exchange for their military help, the king did not interfere with their control over the land.They enjoyed a life of luxury.The king often gave nobles symbols of power, such as jade discs. The discs might show a "lucky" creature such as a dragon or tiger. Nobles often mounted the discs on posts in their homes.writings on oracle bones show that the king went hunting and invited nobles to hunt foxes, badgers, and other wild animals.

Artisans formed a small social class. This class included bronze and jade workers, potters and stonemasons. These skilled workers had lower status than nobles but higher status than farmers. Bronze workers were especially valued. They made the weapons used by Shang warriors. They also made and decorated containers for the king and nobles to use in religious ceremonies or simply as symbols of their wealth. Traders also ranked below nobles but above farmers in Shang society. Scholars believe that the Shang traded extensively, because the modern Chinese word for merchant is shang ren, which could also mean "Shang man". During the Shang dynasty, people mostly traded goods. But they also used cowrie shells, a type of seashell, as money. The shells were valuable because they came from far away. The Shang had to trade with neighboring regions to get them.

Farmers made up the largest social class in Shang society. They worked small plots of land, growing millet, wheat, barley, rice, fruit, vegetables, and nuts. Their land was under the control of either the king or the nobles. Farmers gave most of their harvest to the nobles, who sent a portion to the king. Farmers could keep only enough food to feed themselves and their families. many farmers continued to use simple tools made of wood and stone. They dug with wooden sticks, weeded with stone-tipped hoes, and harvested grain with stone knives and scythes. Besides growing crops, farmers learned to raise cattle. They may also have raised pigs and chickens.

At the very bottom of Shang society were slaves. Many of these slaves were prisoners of war. They spent their lives building tombs and palaces. When their masters died, the slaves were sometimes sacrificed, in keeping with the Shang belief that slaves should continue to serve their masters in the afterlife.

Shang artists made weapons, vessels with Bronze and also made jade objects like jade statues.

Some bronze vessels had geometric designs and pictures of mythical creatures. The most common picture was an animal mask, later known as a taotie.

because most of their weapons were made of bronze

I think Chariots were the most helped strengthen the shang army because Chariots allowed Nobles to supervise their troops efficiently and across great distances. They also gave soldiers a significant edge over their opponents by making them highly mobile and fast.

constant warfare, lavish spending, and corruption in the ruling class may have led to the Shang dynasty's downfall.

Charriot was given to the king by the nobles to provide a strong army and also placed in the king's tomb to provide protection in the next life. Cowrie shells were sometimes used as a form of currency.Oracle bone was used by shang kings and priests to predict the future. They were made from the shoulder blades of cattle or from tortoise shells.

Chariots, dagger, ceremonial ax

Cowrie shells, oracle bone

oracle bone, jade disc, bronze vessel, corie shells, farming tool, tombs

oracle bones, carving stones, bronze vessel

a person who is killed as part of a religious ritual.

by writing, because they wrote with the same characters.

that the Shang people traded a great deal.

They controlled all of ancient China.

It takes longer to learn to write Chinese than to learn to write English.

They ranked higher than farmers.

Kings were buried with supplies for the afterlife.

a large group of friends and family.

honoring ancestors through rituals, such as offering food and wine to the dead.

a system of managing the wealth of a country or region.