商朝

The Xia Dynasty 夏朝 (2070 B.C.E -1600 B.C.E) fell from the Tyranny of King Jie, son of Fa. A tyrant and cruel King. Many disliked King Jie’s luxurious way of living and unfair demands to the people. Whoever disobey him will be beheaded.

After the Fall of Xia Dynasty, Shang Tang ruled. He gained many supporters from the 40 smaller kingdoms.

Kings of Shang Shang Tang 1st King overthrew Jie of Xia

Yong Ji the 8th King, the dynasty began to decline

Zu Yi the 13th King, the dynasty prosper again

Pang Geng 19th King, moved the capital to Yin, thus the dynasty is also called Yin Dynasty

Wu Ding 22nd King expansion of the dynasty and socio cultural improvements

Di Xin/Zhou 30th King of Shang, the last King

PoliticsMandate of Heaven

Monarchy

The King had supreme power over everything else

He was both the political leader as well as the religious leader

The King along with the aristocrats and bureaucrats directed the life and work of the peasants and serfs

Economy

The serfs and slaves preformed all economic functions of society

Agriculture. Fishing and Farming

Many farmers also knew how to cultivate the silkworm and weave its tread into beautiful cloth which would be used for clothing. Silk later became China’s main export.

Bronzewares

Culture and ArtsMusic – Xun(Chinese Ocarina) Drums and

Copper Cymbals·

Sophisticated form of writing

Excellent bronze workers

A written language, the art of bronze-work, two-horsed chariots, the understanding of silk

Jade Carving

Masks with Man-Face motif

Religious BeliefsShang Ti – head god, rules over all

other gods

The worship of ancestors was very important

Sacrifices to the gods and ancestors

Animism

ScienceOracle Scriptsrecords about solar and lunar

eclipses, stars and other celestial happenings. elementary accounting(odd and

even numbers) Calendar System records about history and their time