HIST 270: Chapter 1 Reading Guide

Ebrey, A History of China — Chapter 1: China in the Bronze Age: The Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties (ca. 1500–771 B.C.E.)

Note: This is a reading guide, not a study guide. It is designed to be completed while you read — directing you to specific passages, keeping you engaged, and holding you accountable as you move through the text. The goal is comprehension and evidence-gathering, not review.

Chinese history can feel unfamiliar at first. This guide will help you identify and understand the most important events and processes, so that by the time you finish the chapter, you will have a solid grasp of the material your professor wants you to know — and be well prepared for the Chapter Quiz.

Step 1: Find the sentence using the page and opening words provided. Type it verbatim into the first box.
Step 2: Answer the question in your own words. No outside research needed or permitted.
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Review Question 1

On Page 10, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Mountains, deserts, and..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

How did the diverse geography of early China influence its agricultural development and its relationship with outside cultures?

Review Question 2

On Page 10, find the sentence beginning with the words: "The oracle bone..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What role did oracle bone divination, ancestor worship, and the Shang king’s religious authority play in establishing and maintaining Shang political power?

Review Question 9

On Page 10, find the sentence beginning with the words: "There is no..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Although early Chinese civilization developed largely independently, what important technologies and crops were introduced through diffusion from other parts of Eurasia?

Review Question 3

On Page 12, find the sentence beginning with the words: "From inscribed bones..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What do the royal tombs at Anyang, particularly the tomb of Lady Hao, reveal about social hierarchy, military leadership, wealth, and ritual sacrifice in Shang society?

Review Question 4

On Page 12, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Whatever the status..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

How did the Shang state mobilize labor for major construction projects and warfare, and what does this reveal about the relationship between rulers and ordinary people?

Review Question 5

On Page 12, find the sentence beginning with the words: "What impact did..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What does the development of writing during the Shang Dynasty reveal about government administration, communication, and political control?

Review Question 6

On Page 13, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Thus, the Chinese..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What is a logographic writing system, and why did the continued use of Chinese characters contribute to political and cultural unity over time?

Review Question 7

On Page 13, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Shang bronze-making required..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

How did Shang bronze production demonstrate advanced social organization, and what do bronze vessels reveal about Shang beliefs and culture?

Review Question 8

On Page 15, find the sentence beginning with the words: "The existence of..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

How do the archaeological discoveries at Sanxingdui and other regions outside the Shang core challenge the traditional view that the Shang Dynasty was the sole center of early Chinese civilization?

Review Question 12

On Page 16, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Divining by heating..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

In what ways did Western Zhou culture continue Shang traditions, and what important Shang practices began to decline?

Review Question 10

On Page 17, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Because the theory..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Explain the concept of the Mandate of Heaven and how the Zhou used it to justify their overthrow of the Shang Dynasty.

Review Question 11

On Page 17, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Rather than attempting..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Describe the decentralized, quasi-feudal political structure established by the Western Zhou to govern their territories.

Review Question 13

On Page 18, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Glimpses of what..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What can historians learn about early Zhou political ideas, social hierarchy, and everyday life from the Book of Documents and the Book of Songs?