1. Ruins of a Shang city were discovered at Anyang. 2. Shang cities
G u i d e
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R e a d i n g
N o t e s
Section 2
1. Ruins of a Shang city were discovered at Anyang. 2. Shang cities included the king’s palace on a platform, royal tombs, a temple, houses, and workshops. Section 3
Sensory figure responses will vary. Possible statements: With my ears, I hear . . . the rumble of the chariot that I am riding in. With my eyes, I see . . . my king talking to his brothers and nephews. With my heart, I feel . . . loyalty to my clan and the desire to defeat the other clans. With my hands, I touch . . . weapons and armor made of bronze. Section 4
Social classes should be listed from top to bottom: King, Nobles, Artisans and Traders (same level), Farmers, Slaves. Drawings of artifacts will vary but should be appropriate for each social class. Section 5
Sensory figure responses will vary. Possible statements: With my ears, I hear . . . the oracle bone crack and the holy man give advice.
3. Written language helped unify the Chinese people. Section 7
1. A Shang artist might use bronze to make a vessel and use jade to make a pendant (jewelry). 2. Shang artisans decorated vessels and other objects with geometric designs and with pictures of mythical creatures, including an animal mask later called a taotie. Section 8
1. Spoke diagrams should include the following weapons: arrowheads, spearheads, ax heads, helmets. Statements about the most important weapon will vary. 2. The Shang used their knowledge of bronze making to make many tools of war which helped their dynasty stay in power for more than 500 years. Section 9
In the flowchart, students should include the following reasons for the fall of the Shang dynasty: a military weakened by too many wars, an economy weakened by excessive spending, and a society weakened by the corrupt practices of the last Shang king. Students may also note the short-term cause—that the Zhou armies caught the Shang armies unaware.
With my eyes, I see . . . the holy man pressing a hot needle to an oracle bone as I do my duty by seeking advice from my ancestors. With my heart, I feel . . . that it is important to honor my ancestors. With my hands, I touch . . . the offerings of food we give our ancestors. Section 6
1. Chinese writing was first found on oracle bones. 2. Logographs are characters that stand for words rather than sounds or objects. © Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
The Shang Dynasty 1
t o
R e a d i n g
N o t e s
Section 2
1. Ruins of a Shang city were discovered at Anyang. 2. Shang cities included the king’s palace on a platform, royal tombs, a temple, houses, and workshops. Section 3
Sensory figure responses will vary. Possible statements: With my ears, I hear . . . the rumble of the chariot that I am riding in. With my eyes, I see . . . my king talking to his brothers and nephews. With my heart, I feel . . . loyalty to my clan and the desire to defeat the other clans. With my hands, I touch . . . weapons and armor made of bronze. Section 4
Social classes should be listed from top to bottom: King, Nobles, Artisans and Traders (same level), Farmers, Slaves. Drawings of artifacts will vary but should be appropriate for each social class. Section 5
Sensory figure responses will vary. Possible statements: With my ears, I hear . . . the oracle bone crack and the holy man give advice.
3. Written language helped unify the Chinese people. Section 7
1. A Shang artist might use bronze to make a vessel and use jade to make a pendant (jewelry). 2. Shang artisans decorated vessels and other objects with geometric designs and with pictures of mythical creatures, including an animal mask later called a taotie. Section 8
1. Spoke diagrams should include the following weapons: arrowheads, spearheads, ax heads, helmets. Statements about the most important weapon will vary. 2. The Shang used their knowledge of bronze making to make many tools of war which helped their dynasty stay in power for more than 500 years. Section 9
In the flowchart, students should include the following reasons for the fall of the Shang dynasty: a military weakened by too many wars, an economy weakened by excessive spending, and a society weakened by the corrupt practices of the last Shang king. Students may also note the short-term cause—that the Zhou armies caught the Shang armies unaware.
With my eyes, I see . . . the holy man pressing a hot needle to an oracle bone as I do my duty by seeking advice from my ancestors. With my heart, I feel . . . that it is important to honor my ancestors. With my hands, I touch . . . the offerings of food we give our ancestors. Section 6
1. Chinese writing was first found on oracle bones. 2. Logographs are characters that stand for words rather than sounds or objects. © Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
The Shang Dynasty 1
