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The Xia Dynasty has fables dating back to 2852 referencing many heroes such as Fuzi, Shen Nong, and Huangdi, also known as "The Yellow Emperor." Throughout time, myth and fact become separated. Xia Society focused on the importance of bronze casting, pottery, and was even successful in flood control regarding the Yellow River. Xia leaders supported family rule and ended in 1766 BCE.
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Yu, the last sage kings considered to be the founder of the Xia dynasty. Although it is hard to determine what is myth and what is real, he is also considered to be the "Tamer of the Yellow River."
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The Shang Dynasty was kingship based, with family members acting as certain political or religious roles in society. The Shang had a great contribution in their writing system. They had a centralized political and religious system, and a social stratification system. The Shang dynasty ended in 1122 BCE.
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After the Zhou finally destroyed every last Shang capital and city, burning it to the ground, the Zhou justified all their actions by referencing the Mandate of Heaven. It states that, "A dynasty's rule depends on the moral correctness of its rulers."
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All of northern China and over 100 smaller territories at this time were all under Zhou rule. These Zhou rulers placed mostly family and allies in leadership positions. Towards the end of the Western Zhou rule, many of the territories started consolidating and promoting their own interests. After half a century of war, the Western Zhou dynasty ended in 771 BCE.
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Following war, natural destruction, border struggles, and more, the capital of the Zhou dynasty got moved to the easy in Luoyang. Once moved to Luoyang the Zhou started to decline as a dynasty, facing nearly all the same problems they encountered in the west. The Eastern Zhou Dynasty was officially ended in 256 BCE due to war.
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What once started as the Zhou's poorest of dependencies, became the last standing dynasty following the warring states period. The Qin replaced old Zhou institutions with a uniform and centralized government.
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Although the first Qin ruler, Cheng, was leading the Qin since 246 BCE, he did not become the "Emperor," until 221 BCE. He followed a Legalist point of view, believing in harsh punishment divided put by the government. After Cheng's death in 209 BCE, the dynasty crumbled into a rebellion, as they were tired with such severe punishments and strict laws.
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After the Qin rebellion, Liu Bang became emperor of a new dynasty what would now be the Han. Although they had Confucian ideas, the introduction of labor obligations led to the downfall of the Han dynasty, due to a decline in agriculture. In addition to the economic problems, there were many internal battles within the royal family, and the Han generals rose to power, ending the Han dynasty in 220 CE.
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Lasting until 24 CE, the Han rule was disrupted by a member of the royal family, Wang Mang, rose to power. He tried to introduce reforms on land distribution, to reduce the gap between rich and poor. These ideas led to a revolt by a secret society of Daoists called the Red Eyebrows, who eventually killed Wang Mang and captured the Capital. Only later in 24 CE did a relative of Mang restore order to the Han dynasty.
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