China Day 1

Ancient China What factors helped China unify into a single state under the Han Dynasty? What social customs and government policies made the centralized state so powerful? How did the establishment of the Silk Road increase trade, the spread of Buddhism, and the connections between China and other regions of Afroeurasia? How did the philosophical system of Confucianism support individuals, rulers, and societies?

Questions Notes Title: Key Dates Questions: Around 1500 B.C. the Chinese began building walls to protect against Northern Nomads and against other Chinese kingdoms. 475-221 B.C. China was divided into 7 different warring states that fought for control of what is now China. 221-206 B.C. the Qin Empire unifies China into a single empire under Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di. After his death, the Han royal family takes control of the Chinese empire. 206 B.C.- 220 A.D. the Han Empire controls China, expands China, builds more of the Great Wall, and establishes trade with the Middle East and Rome. 220 A.D. The Han Empire Collapses

China Day 2

Questions Notes Title: Geography Questions: Chinese Civilization started around the Yangtze and the Yellow river. First signs of civilization developed around 3000 B.C. China is surrounded by the Gobi Desert and Taklimakan Deserts in the North and steppe lands in the west. The Majority of China around the Yellow and the Yangtze rivers is extremely fertile making it easy to farm in these areas.

Questions Notes Title: The Great Wall Questions: Independent states ruled over China until the Unification of China under the Qin. Nomads from the North and West of China constantly invaded and disrupted the settled Chinese. This resulted in the building of walls ranging from 15-30 feet high in the North and West. In the Ancient times, the Qin Dynasty unified these walls into the Great Wall of China. Dynasties after, such as the Han, added to and reinforced the wall.

Questions Notes Title: Religion Questions: In terms of beliefs systems created in China were Confucianism and Daoism. Confucius was a philosopher who, emphasized people respecting their elders and their place within society. Confucianism is a set of ideals created for the proper order of human relations. Daoism is a belief system that focuses on introspection and harmony with the natural world. Daoism was often paired with Confucianism because the two belief systems did not contradict each other.

Questions Notes Title: The Art of War Questions: The Chinese during the Warring States period to the collapse of the Han Empire, all used Iron weapons. The Chinese used, Bows, Crossbows, cavalry, infantry, chariots, and were experts at siege warfare. The Han had a military force of approximately 1 million soldiers. In a single battle they fielded an army of 400,000 soldiers. Many Chinese used Sun Tzu’s ”Art of War as a military philosophy and strategy.

China Day 3

Questions Notes Title: Government Questions: Initially in Dynasties like the Shang and Zhou use a Monarchy as a form of government with family aiding the king with ruling. They attempted to keep other nobles weak and keep most of the power within the Royal family. The Qin Dynasty changed this system and made government more effective. He organized China into 36 provinces, used officials loyal directly to the Emperor instead of his family, and forced all other royal families to live in the Capital where they could be watched. The Han Dynasty created a Civil Service exam, to pick officials based off of intelligence and skills.

Questions Notes Title: Culture Questions: Women in Ancient China were required to be house makers or assist their husbands in trade. Women were to be subservient and loyal to their husbands according to Confucian scholars. The Population of China under the Han increased from 20 million to 60 million people living in China. Silk trade became lucrative and was demanded all over the Eurasia and China prospered as a result. The Han invented paper which became the popular medium for written works and allowed for Calligraphy to spread as an art form.

Questions Notes Title: Rise of the Qin Empire Questions: The 7 states that fought for control of China during the 400s to 200s B.C. were the Qin, Zhao, Han, Qi, Chu, Yan, and Wei. During this time period a doctrine and idea lead to the unification of China before the rise of the Qin Dynasty, which was Legalism. Legalism is the ideology in which scholars focus solely on strengthening the state and expanding the state at all costs, regardless of morality. In the 3rd Century B.C. the Qin, who had expanded in population and military power launched attacks against its fellow states. Despite massive death toll and assassination attempts on the Emperor, the Qin were able to unite China for the first time under the Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

Questions Notes Title: Qin Shi Huang Di and the Collapse of the Qin Dynasty Questions: The Qin Emperor set a precedent for all other Chinese rulers to follow. He moved all nobility of other states to the Qin capital of Xianyang to keep a better control of their power. He forced the Chinese people into his military or conscripted them into working on his massive building projects such as the Great Wall of China. He Built 3,000 miles of the Wall. He standardized money and the written language of China as well. He reigned until 210 B.C. when he died of Mercury poisoning, attempting to find an elixir of life.

China Day 4

Questions Notes Liu Bang was able to unify China after the collapse of the Qin dynasty in 207 B.C. by his ability to plan and the ability of those he surrounded himself with. Liu Bang was able to use persistence and the loyalty of soldiers from the original state of Han to restore order in 206 B.C. The Han Dynasty lasted over 400 years with only a small interruption from 6 A.D. to 23 A.D. Liu Bang established the Han Capital at Chang’an which was move by later emperors to Luoyang. The Han copied the Qin government format and used a highly centralized government led by officials. Title: Rise of the Han Dynasty Questions:

Questions Notes Title: Key Han Emperors Questions: Han Wudi was considered the greatest of the Han Emperors, he ruled for 54 years from 141 B.C. to 87 B.C. Han Wudi expanded the size of the central government greatly and relied heavily upon legalist ideas to govern his Empire. Created an Imperial university to teach young men the information they needed to effectively serve in his administration. He Built roads, canals, expanded the Great Wall of China, and created monopolies on iron and and salt trade. Han Wudi conquered Vietnam and Korea, putting them under Chinese rule along with defeated and subjecting the Xiongnu Empire that arose during his lifetime.

Questions Notes Title: Collapse of the Han Dynasty Questions: By 100 B.C., land was owned mostly by a small group of wealthy individuals, this led to the poor mounting various rebellions or resorting to banditry. A Han minister Wang Mang attempted to address the issue by taking control of China from a young Emperor. He tried to redistribute land, this resulted in chaos and his eventual assassination in 23 A.D.; the Han Dynasty retook the throne but were never as powerful. The peasants were not satisfied with the return to status quo and continued to rebel (Yellow Turban Rebellion). Factionalism developed in the court which led to continuous civil war, and this led to the fall of the Han Dynasty in 220 A.D.

Questions Notes Title: Contributions Questions: They established trade routes that connected the East with the West. They improved iron working, established the trading and use of silk, and created paper. Later dynasties created paper money. China had more advanced military technology than any ancient civilization. They created governments ran by the educated. The work of Sun Tzu is still highly read today as a book of military and business strategy.