Some of the first civilizations arose in China four thousand years ago along its two major river systems, the Huang He (Yellow) and Yangtze Rivers. Early Chinese dynasties had a belief in the Mandate of Heaven which meant the gods gave the Emperor the power to rule, but if he did not please them he could be removed. They say that every time a natural disaster occurred, a harvest was poor, or invasions began, the leaders of the different clans would fight to gain the Mandate. The Zhou Dynasty first used this philosophy when they overthrew the Shang, yet this philosophy reappeared to legitimize new dynasties through 1644 (and perhaps even into the 20th century, through 1911 at the time of the Nationalist Revolution, or longer still. As historians, however, we should question to what extent this cycle fits the trajectory of ancient Chinese dynasties, and in doing so, understand its strength and weaknesses as a “model.” The dynastic class handout from class may be found here.
Dynastic Cycle Poster Rubric (20 Points)
Name: ______________
Assigned Dynasty: _______________
(1=low, 5=high)
Answer to question
Use of specific evidence (events, people)
3+ scholarly citations with pg #s
Attractive and symbolic representation
8th period Optional: If you were interested in the ancestor worship we briefly discussed today, you may find more at this optional extra credit article. Read it and write 7-8 sentences summarizing how families venerate their ancestors. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/cosmos/prb/journey.htm Worth 1 homework assignment.
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