Essay On The Shang Dynasty

The Dynasty’s were similar in many ways as wanting greed for power and wealth. Chinese civilization developed around major rivers, especially the Yellow River. The people of the Neolithic period that lived their domesticated plants and animals. Around 2000 BC cities developed in China, and the several cities began to unite into a larger, more integrated Chinese culture. During this period instead of one empire ruled by one person. There were many smaller states that were ruled by their own king. The first two Chinese dynasties were the Xia and the Shang. At one point these were both believed to be purely mythical, but discoveries have revealed that the really did exist. It was discovered that before the rivers where diverted by Yu the great for improved agriculture and the safety of the towns that the areas would flood and many would die and be covered in the thick river silt and would be later uncovered by archaeology. The oracle bones are especially useful, as they provide most of the writing we have about these …show more content…
Rich tombs of the elite have been found. The Shang technology, especially bronze weapons and the use of horses and chariots, gave the Shang a military edge over their enemies. Shang religion was based on ancestor worship and respect of their god, called Shangdi. Later the Shang dynasty was overthrown around 1046 BC by the Zhou, who replaced them as rulers of China. The Zhou Dynasty developed the Mandate of Heaven. This justified that there could be only one ruler of China, if such a ruler became corrupt he would be overthrown. Nobles were given land under certain customs, governing their own lands under the authority of the king. As the power of the Zhou kings weakened, the nobles who ruled their own towns became increasingly independent, as these areas turned into small states. A rebellion by the nobles as a collective with a barbaric invasion overthrew the Zhou