Ancient China was first unified in 221 BC under Qin Shi Huang. The geography was defined by the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers where most people settled, as well as the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts and Himalayan Mountains. The economy was based on trading goods like silk, salt, and iron along the Silk Road. Society was stratified between wealthy nobles who lived in palaces and poor farmers who lived in huts. Women had few rights and were subject to practices like foot binding. Ancient Chinese practiced religions like Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism and believed in the concepts of yin and yang. China was ruled by dynasties led by different families until a new

1. Ancient China

2. Background
 China is one of the world's
oldest continuous
civilizations.
 221 BC is the commonly
accepted year when China
became unified under a large
kingdom or empire.
 China was first united by Qin
Shi Huang in 221 BC.

3. Geography
The geography of ancient China
can be conveniently divided up
into three regions:
1) The Yangtze and Yellow
Rivers
2) The Gobi and Taklamakan
Deserts
3) The Himalayan Mountains
In ancient China, the
importance of the Yangtze and
Yellow Rivers is hard to
overstate. People mostly settled
along these rivers, and different
settlements were ruled by
different kings

4. Economy
 Ancient Chinese people
traded salt, iron, fish, cattle,
and silk.
 Silk was traded for goods
and services – Silk route
 At the eastern end of the
route, the Chinese traded
with people from India,
providing them with silk
and getting lapis lazuli,
coral, jade, glass, and pearls
in exchange.
 .

5. Society
 In ancient China there was
a massive demographic
gap between farmers and
kings and the nobles.
 The farmers worked very
hard for little money.
 The nobles lived in palaces
while the farmers survived
in tiny huts.
 The nobles were highly
regarded and lived with
great riches.

6. Position of Women
 Male domination was common
in ancient China. The women
were asked to take care of the
children and household. They
never had their choice in
marriage and were not included
in any decision making.
 The ancient Chinese had many
peculiar customs one being foot
binding.
 Girls at the age of puberty were
made to go through this painful
custom. Their toes were broken
and bandaged. This normally
reduced the size of their feet.
This process continued for a
long time.

7. Religion
 Ancient China practiced
mainly three religions
 Buddhism
 Confucianism
 Taoism
 They had a rich spiritual
heritage and they believed
in YIN and YANG - the
male and female energies
which complimented each
other.

8. Politics
 Ancient China had
dynasties
 Dynasties were led by one
family
 When another family took
over it was a new dynasties
 Examples include:
 Han Dynasty
 Qin Dynasty
 Manchu Dynasty

9. Achievements
Invented Paper
Invented the compass