The Shang Dynasty

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
The Shang kings sought advice from _______, _________, and ________________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures or pictographs are characters that ____________ _____ ___________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.

Today, many Chinese go to _____________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
They worked on the aristocrats farms and _______________ ______________ ______________ ______________, ______, and ___________________

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
Weavors spun _____________ __________ ___________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
They also honored their ____________________

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
Chinese writing began as __________________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.

People in Shang China worshiped many ________________ and _____________________?

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
most of the early Chinese were ___________________

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.

They believed that angry spirits might___________ ________ _____ or make the army lose a battle.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
The Shang built the first ___________ ______________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.

Many aristocrats were _______________ _______________ but most got their money from their land. aristocrats passed their money and their power to their sons.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
The Shang Warlords were_______________?

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used ___________ and _________ _______________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
The Shang are best known for their work in ____________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.

The Shang kings ruled from about ___________ __ _____________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs __________________ ___________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare ___________ __________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for _____________.

Chinese civilization started near the Huang He. It had rich farmland, so there was plenty of food. People began building towns and cities there. China’s first rulers were probably part of the Xia dynasty, a line of rulers who belong to the same family. Little is known about the Xia.
Who Were the Shang? The Shang kings ruled from about 1750 B.C. to 1122 B.C. The Shang built the first big cities. One of these was Anyang in northern China. It was China’s first capital. The Shang kings ruled from there.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; the aristocrats, or warlords, and government officials; and the farmers. In addition, there were craftspeople and some enslaved people.
The first Shang king ruled over a small area in northern China. His armies used chariots and bronze weapons. In time, the Shang kings took over most of the Huang He valley. Later, warlords ruled portions of the area and had their own armies.
The warlords were aristocrats. Many aristocrats were government officials but most got their money from their land. Aristocrats passed their land—and their power—to their sons.
Most of the early Chinese were farmers. They worked on the aristocrats’ farms and grew grains like millet, wheat, and rice. They also raised cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs.
Spirits and Ancestors People in Shang China worshiped many gods and goddesses. They believed that angry spirits might ruin the crops or make the army lose a battle.
They also honored their ancestors. Many believed their ancestors could bring good luck. Today, many Chinese go to temples and burn paper copies of food and clothing. These are things that their ancestors will need in the afterlife.
Telling the future The Shang kings sought advice from gods, spirits and ancestors. To do this, priests scratched questions on oracle bones. Then, the bones were heated until they cracked. Finally, the priests told the kings what the gods had “written” in the cracks.
The Chinese Language Chinese writing began as pictures. These pictures—or pictographs—are characters that stand for objects. Then people started using two or more pictographs together. This is an ideograph. Ideographs represent ideas.
Most written languages use alphabets. An alphabet is a set of symbols that stands for sounds. Some Chinese characters stand for sounds, but most are whole words.
Shang Artists Weavers spun silk into cloth. Artisans made vases and dishes from clay. They also made statues from ivory and jade, a rare green stone.
The Shang are best-known for their works in bronze. Bronze objects are made when molten bronze is poured into clay molds. Artisans made sculptures, vases, drinking cups, and urns.
People in early China were divided into three major groups: the Shang kings and their families; ___________, or _________ ___________ _________; and _________.