Major rivers, like the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, had a huge impact on how Ancient China was run and how its economy worked.
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Economic Impact:
- The Yellow River, known as "Huang He," is really long—about 5,464 kilometers!
- It was super important for farming, helping grow crops like rice, millet, and wheat.
- Because of these crops, the population increased a lot, jumping from about 20 million people in 3000 BCE to around 100 million by 1000 CE.
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Political Influence:
- These rivers made it easier for people to trade goods and communicate with each other.
- This connection helped create strong central governments.
- Dynasties like the Shang (1600-1046 BCE) and Zhou (1046-256 BCE) formed near these rivers. They used the rivers for safety and to share resources.
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Cultural Unity:
- Rivers also helped bring different groups of people together, creating a shared Chinese culture.
- By the time of the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BCE), these rivers helped build a strong and united civilization in China.