China's First Civilizations
China’s Geography
Main Idea: Rivers, mountains, and deserts helped shape China’s civilization.
The Huang He (HWAHNG HUH), or Yellow River, flows across China for more than 2,900 miles (4,666 km). It gets its name
from the rich yellow soil it carries from Mongolia to the Pacific Ocean. Like rivers in early Mesopotamia and Egypt, China’s
Huang He regularly flooded the land. These floods destroyed homes and drowned many people. As a result, the Chinese called the Huang He “China’s sorrow.”
The river, however, also brought a gift. The Huang He is the muddiest river in the world. When the river floods, it leaves
behind rich silt in the Huang He valley, nearly 57 pounds for every cubic yard of topsoil. By comparison, the Nile River in
Egypt only leaves 2 pounds of silt per cubic yard. The soil is so rich that farmers can grow large amounts of food on very small
farms.
China also has another great river, called the Chang Jiang (CHAHNG JYAHNG), or the Yangtze River. The Chang Jiang flows
for about 3,400 miles (5,471 km) east across central China where it empties into the Yellow Sea. Like the Huang He valley, the
Chang Jiang valley also has rich soil for farming.
Main Idea: Rivers, mountains, and deserts helped shape China’s civilization.
The Huang He (HWAHNG HUH), or Yellow River, flows across China for more than 2,900 miles (4,666 km). It gets its name
from the rich yellow soil it carries from Mongolia to the Pacific Ocean. Like rivers in early Mesopotamia and Egypt, China’s
Huang He regularly flooded the land. These floods destroyed homes and drowned many people. As a result, the Chinese called the Huang He “China’s sorrow.”
The river, however, also brought a gift. The Huang He is the muddiest river in the world. When the river floods, it leaves
behind rich silt in the Huang He valley, nearly 57 pounds for every cubic yard of topsoil. By comparison, the Nile River in
Egypt only leaves 2 pounds of silt per cubic yard. The soil is so rich that farmers can grow large amounts of food on very small
farms.
China also has another great river, called the Chang Jiang (CHAHNG JYAHNG), or the Yangtze River. The Chang Jiang flows
for about 3,400 miles (5,471 km) east across central China where it empties into the Yellow Sea. Like the Huang He valley, the
Chang Jiang valley also has rich soil for farming.
Even though China has rich soil along its rivers, only a little more than one-tenth of its land can be farmed. That is because
mountains and deserts cover most of the land. The towering Himalaya close off China to the southwest. The Kunlun Shan
and Tian Shan are mountain ranges on China’s western border. The Gobi, a vast, cold, rocky desert, spreads east from the
mountains. These mountains and deserts shaped much of Chinese history. They were like a wall around the Chinese, separating them from most other peoples.
Over time, the Chinese people united to form one kingdom. They called their homeland “the Middle Kingdom.” To them, it
was the world’s center and its leading civilization. The Chinese developed a way of life that lasted into modern times.
The Shang Dynasty
Main Idea: Rulers known as the Shang became powerful because they controlled land and had strong armies.
mountains and deserts cover most of the land. The towering Himalaya close off China to the southwest. The Kunlun Shan
and Tian Shan are mountain ranges on China’s western border. The Gobi, a vast, cold, rocky desert, spreads east from the
mountains. These mountains and deserts shaped much of Chinese history. They were like a wall around the Chinese, separating them from most other peoples.
Over time, the Chinese people united to form one kingdom. They called their homeland “the Middle Kingdom.” To them, it
was the world’s center and its leading civilization. The Chinese developed a way of life that lasted into modern times.
The Shang Dynasty
Main Idea: Rulers known as the Shang became powerful because they controlled land and had strong armies.
Little is known about how Chinese civilization began. Archaeologists, however, have found pottery in the Huang He valley
dating back thousands of years. These artifacts show that the Huang He valley was the first center of Chinese civilization.
Archaeologists think that people stayed in the valley and farmed the land because of rich soil. As their numbers expanded, they began building towns, and soon after, the first Chinese civilization began.
China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia (SYAH) dynasty. A dynasty (DY• nuh•stee) is a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia. We know more about the next dynasty, the Shang. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C.
dating back thousands of years. These artifacts show that the Huang He valley was the first center of Chinese civilization.
Archaeologists think that people stayed in the valley and farmed the land because of rich soil. As their numbers expanded, they began building towns, and soon after, the first Chinese civilization began.
China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia (SYAH) dynasty. A dynasty (DY• nuh•stee) is a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia. We know more about the next dynasty, the Shang. The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C.