The Yangtze River
"Chiang Jiang" (Long River)

About the Yangtze River: The Yangtze is the third longest river in the world (3,859 miles). It flows West to East from the higher Tibetan Plateau (16,542 ft. above sea level in the Tanggula Mountains in the Qinghai Province) down to the East China Sea. The Yangtze has over 700 tributaries and about 350 million people live in the Yangtze region. The watershed area of the Yangtze River is about 700,000 square miles, approximately 20% of China's total land area, and 25% of its total farming land area. Almost all of the boating traffic in China is on the Yangtze River. Archeological evidence shows that humans settled along the Yangtze as far back as 2 million years ago. The river has been the political boundary between North and South China.

Yangtze River N.A.S.A. Satellite Picture    Google Earth Picture with Tour Destinations

Overview of Project: You are going to complete the following assignments trying to answer the essential question: What role has the Yangtze River played in shaping China's history and development? First, you are to complete the Map Assignment to familiarize yourself with China's geography, specifically in relation to the Yangtze River. Second, you are going to take a Yangtze River Web Tour with pictures, videos, maps, etc., describing some important locations on the Yangtze and its tributaries. While traveling on this tour, you will answer each Focus Question and record your answers on the Yangtze River Web Tour Note Sheet (Remember to also illustrate something about what you have learned for each location.). Third, now that you will have seen so much of China's longest river, you will create a Travel Brochure that demonstrates your understanding of how the Yangtze River shaped China's history and development. Good luck!

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