Shang Dynasty

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/shang-dynasty

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is Shang Dynasty known for?Advanced piece-mold bronze casting for ritual vessels and weaponry
2. What is the dynastic dates?c. 1600 BCE – 1046 BCE
3. What is the primary archaeological evidence?Oracle bone inscriptions, bronze artifacts, royal tombs at Yin
4. What was the Shang Dynasty and when did it exist?The Shang Dynasty was an ancient Chinese civilization that ruled from about 1600 to 1046 BCE. It was the first Chinese dynasty with written records.
5. How did the Shang people write on bones?Shang people carved characters onto ox bones and turtle shells, called oracle bones, to ask questions. They heated the bones, watched the cracks, and interpreted them to find answers.

Oracle Bone Script: The earliest form of Chinese writing, inscribed on animal bones and turtle shells for divination.
Taotie Motif: A stylized, often symmetrical zoomorphic mask found on Shang bronze vessels, representing a mythical creature.
Piece-Mold Casting: A complex bronze casting technique involving creating molds in sections, allowing for intricate designs.
Shangdi: The supreme deity worshipped by the Shang people, often translated as 'Lord on High'.