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Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty
Introduction
Introduction
The Shang Dynasty ruled from 1558 B.C to 1046 B.C. The Shang Dynasty set China up for success and this is how.
What did they invent?
Inventions
One invention that the Shang Dynasty invented is the Oracle Bone inscriptions. The oracle bone inscriptions were the first writings discovered from the dynasty. The oracle bone inscriptions instructed the rulers.Another invention is the use of bronze. Bronze makers made intricate bronze weapons and structures or statues. The Shang Dynasty also used a unified writing system.
Kings
Nobles
Craftspeople
Social Hierachy
Farmers
Slaves
City Structure
The Shang capital city was nothing boring. The city icluded a palace, a temple, and houses. There were also workshops for artisans who worked with bronze, pottery, stone, and jade. The palace was made of mud-plastered walls held up by wooden posts.
City Structure
Death of the King
The king always had apretty busy life. The Shang performed human sacrifices when they built a new royal house. Archeologists found at least 9 royal tombs. In each tomb there was the king, slaves, servants, and animals. They were sacrificed so they could serve the needs of the king in the afterlife.
Death of the King
Religion under the Shang
The religion of the Shang was based on ancestor worship. The Shang believed in an afterlife. They also believed that dead ancestors had power to help of harm the living.
Religion under the Shang
Duties of the King
THe kings relationship to the ancestors spirits was especially important to the Shang. In belief, kings had the power to rule because they were descended from powerful ancestors. Kings had responsibilities, including a duty to follow the wishes of their ancestors. These wishes were inscribed on oracle bones.
Duties of the King
Ancestor Worship
Ancestor worship is when the living worship their ancestors kind of Gods. They are highly regarded or well respected. They believe that their ancestors have the power to come back and harm or help the living.
Ancestor Worship
Writings in the Shang
The earliest known writings are the oracle bone inscriptions. In the Shang dynasty, characters stand for words rather than sounds. At first they only used pictographs, images that stand for words but then moved to logographs. Logographs are characters that stand for words. They then had a unified language.
Writings under the Shang
Art and Technology
The pottery and bronze vessels were often decorated with intricate geometric designs. The most common picture was an animal mask later called the taotie. It might have the horns of an ox, ears of an elephant, talons of a bird, eye of a man, and the crest of the dragon. They also made jade sculptures by sawinf, filing, and sanding the stone.
Technology
The bronze-making skill of the Shang is one of the reasons thery were able to remain in power for more than 500 years. The Shang made a variety of weapons out of bronze. They made arrowheads, swords, spearheads, helmets, and axeheads just to name a few.
The fall of the Shang
The Shang dynasty fell for many reasons. One reason is that they fought too many wars which led to a weak military. Another reason is that the Shang king spent too much money which weakened the economy. The last reason is that the king was corrupt. We all know that a corrupt king is not gonna get you anywhere. The Zhou dynasty also fought them and took over.