chinese history
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Chinese History. Shang Dynasty 1700-1027 BCE. Huang He River. Oracle Bones. Zhou 1029-258 BCE Longest Dynasty. Mandate of Heaven The Zhou justified taking over from the Shang by saying that they had lost divine approval to rule. Zhou Dynasty 1029-258 BCE. Leaders/Traits Walled cities - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Mandate of Heaven
The Zhou justified taking over from the Shang by saying that they had lost divine approval to rule
Zhou Dynasty1029-258 BCE
Leaders/Traits• Walled cities• Trade routes between
cities• Feudalism • Agriculture
Philosophy• Daoism
• Laozi• 500’s BCE
• Confucianism• Mencius• Chaotic government• 522 BCE
Shi HuangdiFirst Emperor
Unifies China as one empire Ruthless—Totalitarian
Legalism adopted Territorial Expansion 214 BCE Book burning-213 BCE
WHY??? Standardized weights and measures Single money system Uniform writing system Postal system
Why does one currency, language, and standards of weights and measures help to unify???
Qin Continued Massive building projects
Massive roads and canals made travel easier Great Wall
Bankrupted China Farmers forced to work as part-time soldiers and builders
Pottery Army-210 BCE Forced labor
Agricultural Changed laws so that powerful lords didn’t get land
End of Primogeniture Peasant farmers could own land
Still attacked by Mongols from north Trade/merchants
Qin Legacy• Ruling family fell but
• Bureaucracy continued• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBCAlZPF0D0
• Empire continued• Tradition of centralized imperial rule continued
Liu Bang202-195 BCE
• Xiognu Confederation threatens from north
• Commoner• Founder of Han Dynasty
• Centralized government• Education system• Encouraged non-governmental people
to practice Confucianism and Daoism WHY???
• Ends prohibition against books• Combines Legalism and Confucianism
• Retains draft and forced labor for public works
Emperor Wudi [Wu-ti]140-87 BCE
Sixteen when he came to the throne• Reigned for more than 50 years
• Two policies—centralization and expansion• Beginnings of Chinese Civil Service-tests • State monopolies on essential goods- salt, iron,
and liquor• Foreign Wars=territorial expansion• Imperial bureaucracy expanded and standardized
• Relies on Legalist principles• Confucian=official philosophy
• Schools only taught Confucian thought• Land Distribution—fiefdoms
• 138 BCE Wu Ti sent diplomatic expedition to Central Asia to try to find allies against the Hsiung-nu (Huns).
• RESULT: Chinese leaders
became aware of other nations and cultures to the west -- India, Persia, and somewhat of the Roman Orient. Eventually, this would lead to the Silk Road.
121-119 BCE: Hsiung-nu driven north of Gobi desert.• Great Wall is extended to the Jade Gate. • Colonists are sent to Kansu. • Silk Road opens between China and the Parthian Empire.
• 108 BCE: Korea conquered• 87 BCE: First general history of China written
Expansion of the Empire
• Papermaking• 100 BCE
• Wheelbarrow• Foot stirrups• Acupuncture• Movable type• Horse collar• Two bladed plow
Later Han Dynasty: 25-220 CE
• c. 25: Buddhism introduced to China.
• 74-94: States of Turkistan submit to Chinese authority.
• 89: Hsiung-Nu submit to Chinese authority.
• 166: Traders from the Roman Empire arrive in Tonkin
Diplomatic Ties Begin• Zhang Qian successively sent envoys to other
kingdoms including Parthia and India where they were welcomed.
• When a Han envoy reached Parthia, its king sent 20,000 cavalrymen to welcome him on the eastern frontier.
• At the same time, the kingdoms sent their own envoys to Han. From then on, the diplomatic missions were dispatched regularly along with commercial trading.
• The traffic on the Silk Road began to flourish as never before.
The Silk Road• Once the trade route was opened up, it benefited
people and governments from all sides.
• The Chinese imported horses, cattle, and furs and hides from Central Asia, while the Central Asians obtained silk from China.
• Cucumbers, walnuts, sesame, alfalfa and pomegranates were introduced to China during the Han period as well as grapes that served as a new material for the Chinese to make wine.
Decline of HanExternal
• Surplus wealth depleted• Long borders• Cost of defense staggering• Agricultural colonies in central
Asia• Borders overrun
• Technology gap with neighbors closing
Internal
• Epidemic diseases• Decline in population• Decline in economy
• Loss of trade• Oppression• Class divisions led to Peasant revolts
• Yellow Turbans [Late Han]• Weak leaders
• Faction fighting at court• Poor harvests
• famine• Confiscation of land and increased
taxes to pay for defense and colonies• Discouraged investment in trade and
manufacturing