What was the Shang Dynasty?
The Shang Dynasty was one of the earliest civilisations - a group of people who lived together, with their own cities, rules, jobs and culture.
It was governed by kings who came from the same family.
They developed along the Yellow River in China and farmed along its banks.
They created beautiful objects made from bronze, jade, pottery and more.
The Shang also wrote on animal bones.
Important words
Important words on the Shang Dynasty.
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Archaeology | The study of the past. |
| Civilisation | A group of people living together, with their own cities, rules, jobs and culture. |
| Dynasty | A family line of rulers. |
| Emperor | A type of king that rules over a number of countries or states. |
| King | A male ruler of a country or state who often become king when their father dies, this system of government is a monarchy. |
| Myth | A traditional story that is used to explain something in the early history of a people, they often feature gods or the supernatural. |
| Oracle bones | Animal bones covered in ancient writing. |
Watch: The Shang Dynasty
Watch the video to learn more about the Shang Dynasty.
Narrator: Over three and a half thousand years ago ancient China was ruled by a powerful family of kings.
This period was known as the Shang dynasty.
King Tang: I am King Tang and I rule over this land.
Narrator: The Shang dynasty was located near the Yellow River.
The river made the land good for growing crops and food.
Wheat Collector: The wheat looks healthy, there will be a good harvest.
Narrator: During the Shang period, bronze was the most important metal, weapons, armour and tools were all made from bronze.
Sword Maker: My weapon is ready, it will be strong in battle.
Narrator: People also used the precious stone jade to create beautiful jewellery and treasures.
Jade carving was a special skill and was highly respected.
Jade carver: We’re under attack!
Narrator: The Shang dynasty lasted for over five centuries but came to an end when the last king, Di Xin, was defeated in a battle and a new dynasty was formed.
King Di Xin: No one will get my treasures now.
Narrator: After he was overthrown, King Di Xin hid all his treasures in his palace and burned it to the ground.
Timeline of the Shang Dynasty
Image caption, Click the arrows learn more about the timeline of the Shang Dynasty!
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Interactive: Where did the Shang people live?
For around 500 years, between 1600-1046BC, part of China was ruled by the Shang Dynasty.
Their territory was along the Yellow River which produced fertile farms for the people.
These farms were very important to the success of the Shang Dynasty.
Click on the interactive and see if you can identify where the Shang Dynasty was based.
How did the Shang Dynasty start?
Traditional stories, known as myths are told by people to explain events or ideas from early history. They often feature gods or the supernatural. They aren't true stories, but they helped people at the time make sense of the world around them.
The myth about how the Shang Dynasty was founded was recorded in 'Annals of the Yin'. It involves the second wife of Emperor Ku, Jiandi. It was believed that she swallowed an egg dropped by a blackbird and then gave birth to Xie.
In the myth, Xie was believed to be the first ancestor of the Shang Dynasty. The myth tells of how he helped a legendary king, Yu the Great control the great flood and that he was given a place called Shang in return. It was thought that Xie’s descendants went on to found the Shang Dynasty.
The first Shang king was Cheng Tang who defeated the Xia Dynasty in the Battle of Mingtiao.
The last Shang king was Di Xin, defeated in a significant battle by Wu of Zhou.
How do we know about the Shang Dynasty?
The Shang Dynasty is the earliest dynasty in Chinese history that we can learn about from archaeological evidence. Objects from the past can help to show what life was like during this time.
The last Shang capital was at Yin, near modern-day Anyang, and thousands of bronze, jade, stone, bone and ceramic artefacts have been uncovered.
The earliest known Chinese writing was also found there. It was written on thousands of animal bones, these objects were called oracle bones. They show information about life, politics and religion during the Shang Dynasty.
Slideshow: What can artefacts tell us about the Shang Dynasty?
Image caption, This is an axe made from bronze. It would have had a wooden handle and been used by the Shang warriors to fight enemies. It is now in the British Museum in London.
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What was happening in Britain?
Think like a historian
Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.
Why might the Yellow River have been important to the Shang Dynasty?
Why is archaeology useful when studying history?
Maybe you thought about how the Shang used the fertile land near the rivers for farming. Water from the river was used to irrigate farms - helping crops grow. Perhaps you thought about how the river was important because people could have used it for transport and travel or used water from it for bathing, cleaning and drinking.
Perhaps you thought about how archaeological evidence can show where people lived in the past and how large their settlements were. It can tell us about where people lived and their ways of life. Did you think about the different types of objects archaeologists can identify? For example, when they find tools they can find out what they did and why they were needed. Maybe you thought about how archaeology helps people to build a detailed understanding of what a specific period was like and also shows how things have changed over time.
Activities
Activity 1: Fill in the gaps about the Shang dynasty
Click through the interactive and fill in the gaps to show your knowledge of the Shang Dynasty.
Activity 2: Shang Dynasty quiz
Let's find out what you know about the Shang Dynasty.
Grown-ups corner
Are you a parent, carer or teacher?
Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.
History KS2: The Story of China - How People Were Created
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
History KS2: The Story of China - How King Yu Controlled the Flood
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
History KS2: The Story of China - How We Know About the Shang
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game! game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
More on China
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