The Shang Dynasty-Chpt 20 – Flashcards
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Where were the ruins of a Shang city discovered?
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Anyang
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Describe what archeologists have discovered about Shang cities.
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Nine royal tombs
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Name in order the pyramid.
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1) King 2) Nobles 3) Artisans and Traders 4) Farmers 5) Slaves.
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On what object were the first examples of Chinese writing found?
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On Oracle bones
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What is a logograph?
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Character that stands for a word.
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Why was written language important in Chinese history?
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Helped unify the Chinese people.
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Identify 2 materials used by Shang artists. For each material, list an example of an art piece that might be created using it.
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Artisans used a lot of Bronze and Jade jade= Jewlery Bronze= weapons
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Describe some way's that Shang artisans decorated vessels and other objects.
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Might have the horn of an Ox, the ears of an elephant, the talons as a bird, the eye of a man, and the crest of a dragon.
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Why were bronze making skills so important to the Shang dynasty?
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Were stronger, and at the same time lighter. If you have better weapons you can stay in power longer.
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Describe the king in the pyramid.
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King= Kings used oracle bones to ask ancestors advice
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Describe the Nobles in the pyramid.
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Nobles= Nobles fought in the king's armies. They also supplied the armies with weapons, foot soldiers, and chariots.
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Describe the Artisans in the pyramid.
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Artisans= Potters, stone makers, and workers crafted items in this materials Jade and Bronze.
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Describe the Traders in the pyramid
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Traders= They used cowrie shells as money for trading with far away regions.
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Describe the Farmers in the pyramid.
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Framers= They didn't own the land they farmed, gave most of there harvest to the Nobles, used simple tools made out of stone and wood.
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Describe the Slaves in the pyramid.
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Slaves= Spent there life building tombs and palaces, many were prisioners of war, when there master dies they are scarified.
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When and where did the Shang dynasty rule?
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At the Huang He Valley, from 1700-1122 B.C.E.
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For hundreds of years, Western scholars believed that the Shang dynasty was a legend because?
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Archeologist did not have any solid evidence it existed.
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What is significant about the Chinese city, Anyang?
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It was where many Shang artifacts were found.
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What did the Shang do to ensure their kings were in the afterlife?
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They buried, animals, servants, and slaves in there tombs.
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How would a Shang king extend his power?
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He would set up smaller kingdoms led by his nephew and younger brothers.
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The Shang kings depended on there army to?
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Fight to defend and expand the kingdom
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Something true about the Shang use of Bronze was?
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They were among the first civilization to make Bronze.
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What Shang group was the highest- ranking, after the king and his relatives?
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Nobles
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What did the Shang king do for Nobles in exchange for their military help?
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He was not likely to interfere with their control over the land.
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Which group of artisans were especially valued in Shang society?
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Artisans that were skilled in Bronze.
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What did the Shang use for money?
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They used Cowrie Shells.
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What group made up the largest social class in Shang society?
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Farmers
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In Shang society, slaves spent their lives?
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Building tombs and palaces.
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In their religion, the Shang believed that dead ancestors?
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Had the power to help and harm the living.
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Something true of the Shang writing?
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Its caracter stood for words instead of sounds.
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Shang artist often made remarkable pieces using both?
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Jade and Bronze.
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What is one reason the Shang were able to stay in power for over five hundred years?
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They had very good Bronze-making skills.
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What did the Shang kings use to seek advice on important issues from their ancestors?
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Oracle Bones.
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How may the Shang king and his nobles have weakened there economy?
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Spent extravagant amounts of money on there palaces, furniture, clothing, and even there tombs. ( Lavish spending)
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What technology did the Shang use to make strong helmets?
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They discovered how to make bronze from a mixture of copper and tin.
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For what purpose would a Shang leader most likely use an oracle bone made from a turtle shell?
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To seek there ancestors advice on important matters.
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The modern Chinese word for merchant is Shang ren which means Shang man. What does this suggest about Shang culture?
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That they traded extensively.
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Which Shang people had the lowest social status?
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Slaves.
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Shang weapons were especially strong because skilled artisans made these objects from?
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Bronze.
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What led the archeologists to conclude that the Shang believed in the life after death?
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Ruins and artifacts found at Anyang show that kings were buried with goods, people, and animals that would be useful to them in the life after death.
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How did scholars learn that the Shang dynasty was real and not just a myth?
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logographs and pictographs were unscripted on oracle bones.
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Shang Dynasty
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one of the first Chinese dynasties, ruled from 1700 to 1122 B.C.E. (500 yrs)
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Bronze
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a strong metal alloy made from copper
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Oracle Bones
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a piece of bone or shell heated and cracked by holy men to seek advice from a king's ancestors
