Buy essay on What was distinctive about the Shang dynasty?

It is considered that the Shang dynasty was founded by a rebel leader who managed to overthrew the last ruler of Xia. The period of ruling of this prominent dynasty may be characterized by development of writing system and use of bronze metallurgy. Generally the civilization was based on agriculture, hunting and animal husbandry. In those times the king was worshipped. There were numerous rituals connected with their cult. During the dynasty of Shang there were frequent wars with the settlements situated nearby.
How did the Zhou rulers justify their conquest of the Shang?
The leader of the Zhou tribe, which settlement was located in the Wei Valley, succeeded in overthrowing the last Shang king. The Zhou dynasty shared the culture and traditions of the Shang dynasty; moreover the Zhou rulers extended them to the neighboring settlements. During that period it was stated by the philosophers that the ruler was the son of the sun and he had divine right to rule. This concept both justified the demise of the earlier dynasties and supported the legitimacy of the present kings. The Zhu dynasty lasted the longest time among all the dynasties.
What are some of the main events of the two stages of the Zhou dynasty?
Historians divide the epoch of Zhou into the Western Zhou era and the Eastern Zhou era.
The Western Zhou era is characterized as the time of feudalism comparing with medieval ruling systems in Europe. Nevertheless the ruling system of the early Zhou period was proto-feudal. There were established impersonal political and economic institutions and the amalgam of city-states gradually became more centralized. The control over local governments was strict then.
In 771 B.C. the king of Zhou was killed by invading barbarians. The capital was relocated to Louyang. This event points out the beginning of the era of Eastern Zhou (770 – 221 B.C.). As the royal line was broken, the court had little power. The era of Eastern Zhou may be also divided into two sub-periods: the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 B.C.) and the Warring States Period.



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