The Shang government was led by a powerful king. To extend his power, a king set up smaller kingdoms led by his younger brothers and nephews. When a king died, his power was often preserved by passing it to a younger brother or to a son. The Shang were among the 1st civilizations in the world to discover how to make bronze from a mixture of copper and tin. Shang armies were made up of large numbers of foot soldiers, archers, men mounted on horses and elephants, and fighters in chariots.