Government:
Government
Overview:
Overview Definition: Ruling family that passed control from generation to generation
The family was believed to possess the “Mandate of Heaven.” The Chinese people believed that their gods had given them the right to rule.
If the dynasty became weak, people stopped supporting them; they believed that they had lost the Mandate of Heaven.
The Shang Dynasty:
The Shang Dynasty 1766-1040 bce
First dynasty to have written records
Developments:
30-day lunar calendar
Agricultural economy
Bronze artistry
Chou Dynasty:
Chou Dynasty 1040-256 bce
Semi-nomadic people who overthrew Shangs
Developments:
Feudal system
Extraction of iron from rocks
Structural development
Age of Warring States:
Age of Warring States Between Chou and Ch’in dynasties
Nobles gained more power as Chou dynasty became weaker
Two parties tried to gain control:
Confucius
Legalists