Shang Dynasty from Primary Sources

Imagine that you are a historian who is doing a research on the Shang society.
You have the oracle bone inscriptions, the Shiji, and the archaeological remains.
Using these primary sources that we have read and learned from this class, explain the Shang society.
How can you explain the society, and why do you think so? Do not forget showing enough evidence using the sources when you explain.
(Remember. The readers and the audiences will keep asking you “how do you know that?”, or “why do you think so?”)
Do not simply declare your ideas, or do not reiterate textbook information without showing primary sources.

Your thesis should be something that can be supported by evidence you have as primary sources.
You should provide the evidence, and explain/analyze the evidence precisely so that everyone can clearly understand your argument.

To support your theis, examine (at least) three aspects of the society from your perspective.
For example, if your thesis is an argument about the gender role during the Shang period, you can examine the issue from political aspect, cultural aspect and economy aspect (or more).
If your thesis is about the King’s purpose(s) of divination and oracle bone inscriptions, you should propose/examine three or more aspects to support your thesis.

Again, this is about your ideas and your understandings on the Shang society with the given sources. Your thesis should be proposed based on your own analyses on the primary sources.
If you need additional information to support yours, you may use a couple of academic journal articles or science research data to get primary sources from their research. But, do not simly rely on their own arguments to support yours. Use the raw data or primary source they provide in their works.
Never use sources from internet blogs or non-academic site without credibility. You may use the primary source from museum database if you need.

You can use any citation style you are familiar with (MLA, APA, Chicago…) as long as you use it correctly and consistantly through the paper.
Provide the full bibliographic information for all the sources you used for this paper (see the provided lecture slides below for the examples of the bibliography information of the class materials).

As long as you can show strong evidence and reasoning, you can make a new theory or interpretation on the society.

Due: 3/10 (Wednesday)
Font 12, Times New Roman (preferred), Double spaced
Minimum 4 pages (4~5 pages) and one bibliography page