Drew Holt

fine yellow soil that is easily carried by wind and rain

a lack of food resulting in hunger and starvation

mountain pass with steep rocky sides

a dry, grassy, treeless plain

a high mountain plateau in Asia

a large lowland region that is watered by the Huang He

a river that flows from the Tibetan Plateau into the Yellow Sea

the longest river in China, flows into the East China Sea

a line of rulers who belong to the same family

in China, bones used to predict the future

the belief that the emperor's right to rule came from the gods

period after Zhou Empire ended and local ruler went to war with each other

Chinese philosopher who stressed the need to respect tradition

Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism

the supreme ruler of an empire

a division of land within a empire or country

a philosophy of strict government in China

Chinese emperor who united China

a long defensive wall extending along China

a system of beliefs based on the teaching of Confucius

an ancient network of overland trade route from China to Iraq 

ruling dynasty loses the approval of the gods, a new dynasty takes over