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Maps courtesy of http://www.chinahighlights.com
Ancient China is the world’s oldest continuous civilization. It began in 1766 with the rise of the Chang Dynasty. The Shang made up a very small part of the population, and they presided over everyone else.
In 1122, however, the Chou rebelled successfully and used the Mandate of Heaven to justify their usurpation. Their dependence on their feudal system was their ultimate downfall: as fiefs grew in size and power, the royal family lost more and more control. Eventually, the fiefs morphed into warring states, each with its own army. Following the extinguishment of the Chou Dynasty, there was the Period of Disunity.
Shi Huangdi rose from the mess, and founded the Ch’in (Qin) Dynasty. Shi Huangdi was efficient but ruthless. He also got rid of the feudal system. The Ch’in Dynasty ended relatively quickly after his death, and the Han Dynasty rose. At first, it was characterized by strong leaders, but then there was a rebellion by a man named Wang Mang, who started the brief Hsin Dynasty. When the Hsin Dynasty ended, the Han Dynasty resumed, but it wasn’t at the peak of it’s power. The emperors were weak, and it fell in 202 AD.