Author: Robert Heaney

Lesson 1
To find out about the Shang Dynasty of China and explore how we know about it.

Lesson 2
To explore the evidence surrounding the Shang kings.

Lesson 3
To find out about Shang royal burials.

Lesson 4
To find out what ordinary life was like for people during the Shang Dynasty.

Lesson 5
To find out about the writing and calendar created during the Shang Dynasty.

Shang Dynasty

Key Vocabulary
Oracle bones	Usually the shoulder bones of animals or the belly shells of turtles. Dug up centuries later by farmers, they were thought to be dragon bones and were ground up to be used in traditional Chinese medicine. In 1889, Wang Yirong and his friend Liu E worked out that the ‘dragon bones’ had been used in ancient ceremonies
Fu Hao	Not only the first known female military leader, but also the most influential military leader of her time, either male or female, responsible for leading 13,000 soldiers into battle. She was also a high priestess, which was very unusual for a woman at the time
Intact	Complete, not robbed by looters.
Jade	A hard mineral stone, usually green.
Bronze	A metal made from a mixture of copper and tin.
Cowrie shells	Small, flat, yellowish seashells, used like coins in trading.

Lesson 6
To find out why the Shang Dynasty Ended.

Shang Dynasty

At the beginning of Spring 2:

At the end of Spring 2: