Xia dynasty facts for kids

Map of the Xia Dynasty

The Xia dynasty (pronounced "Shyah") was the very first dynasty in ancient China. It began around 2100 BC and lasted until about 1600 BC. For a long time, people weren't sure if the Xia dynasty was a real historical period or just a legend. But then, archaeologists found amazing things when they dug at a place called Erlitou in Henan Province. These discoveries helped show that the Xia dynasty was indeed real! The last king of the Xia was named Jie. People say he was a very mean and selfish ruler. He was eventually defeated by a leader named T'ang, who became the first king of the next dynasty, the Shang.

Who Were the Xia Kings?

The Xia dynasty had many kings who ruled one after another. Here is a list of the kings and how long they might have ruled.

Images for kids

• 

  Gu Jiegang, a historian who studied ancient China

• 

  A pottery jue from the Erlitou culture

See also

In Spanish: Dinastía Xia para niños