Final answer:
The claim that the Shang king was overthrown by the Zhou king is true; the Zhou defeated the Shang around 1046 BCE, justified by the 'Mandate of Heaven'.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the Shang king was overthrown by the Zhou king is true. The Shang dynasty, known for its heavy reliance on warfare and sacrificial rituals, eventually sparked discontent among its people and was overthrown by the Zhou around 1046 BCE. The Zhou, initially vassals of the Shang and based in the Wei River Valley, rose up under the leadership of King Wu and claimed victory in a defining battle. This violent transition was justified by the Zhou through the concept of the 'Mandate of Heaven', which became a central political ideology asserting that the right to rule was granted by celestial favor, and could be revoked in the face of tyranny or misrule. This ideology sustained the conviction that a legitimate ruler must maintain a moral and orderly government, which the Zhou believed the Shang had failed to uphold.