Notes

Chapter 28: Human Geography of East Asia
Section 1: China

Main Ideas
• China is the world’s most populous country.
• China has been the dominant culture of East Asia since ancient times.


Places & Terms
Dynasty
Spheres of influence
Boxer Rebellion
Mao Zedong
Confucianism
Taoism
Buddhism


China’s Early History

• China is the world’s oldest continuous civilization.
• The beginnings of that civilization extend back into the mists of prehistory.
• Because of China’s geography—the long distances that separated it from Europe and other continents—it followed its own direction.

EARLY CIVILIZATION AND THE DYNASTIES
• China has been a settled society for more than 4,000 years. In its earliest days, China was made up of a number of Stone Age cultures.
• Then it was ruled by dynasties. A dynasty is a series of rulers from the same family.
• The first Chinese dynasty was the Shang. This dynasty arose during the 1700s B.C.
• It ruled a central area in China for about 600 years until it was overthrown by the Zhou Dynasty, which ruled part of northern China.
• The next important dynasty, the Qin (chihn), gave its name to China.
• In 221 B.C., the Qin Dynasty united a number of smaller states under a strong central government and established an empire.
• The first Qin emperor was Shi Huangdi, the builder of the Great Wall.
• The Chinese empire, ruled by different dynasties, lasted for more than 2,000 years.
• Another important Chinese dynasty was that of the Han.
• These rulers pushed the empire into central Asia, home to many nomadic tribes. Many other dynasties followed over the centuries.
• In 1644, the Manchu people of Manchuria invaded China and established the Qing (chihng) Dynasty.
• In 1911, the Manchus were overthrown by revolutionaries, and this ended the dynasties and the Chinese empire.