Power and Ritual in Asia

Vocabulary 1. Great Wall of China : A fortress built around the country that extends 6,400 KM from the Bo Gulf of the Yellow River to North Central China; the Great Wall was built during the Qin Dynasty, beginning around 200 BCE.

Vocabulary 2. Himeji Castle: A large indestructible Japanese fortress that was built in 1933; has never been damaged.

Vocabulary 3. Qin Dynasty: An empire in China from BCE where a strong central government was established in China.

Vocabulary 4. Samurai: Members of the warrior class in Japan; influenced Japanese culture from the 11 th to the 19 th century.

Vocabulary Silk Road: The network of primary trade routes linking China and Europe that was used from 100 BCE to the 1500s.

Behind the Great Wall Preview Question: Is a wall a good way to protect a society?

Behind the Great Wall Post Viewing Question: Why was the Great Wall Built?

Behind the Great Wall Post Viewing Question: Why was the Great Wall Built? The Great Wall was built to protect civilized China from the outside world’s “barbarians”.

Emperor Qin Preview Question: What does it take to unify a country under one ruler?

Emperor Qin Post Viewing Question: What were some of Emperor’s Qin’s contributions to China?

Emperor Qin Post Viewing Question: What were some of Emperor’s Qin’s contributions to China? A unified writing system, a standardized weight and measurement system, better roads and canals for transportation, and the Great Wall.

Building the Wall Previewing Question: What materials do you think were used to construct the Great Wall?

Building the Wall Post Viewing Question: How was the Great Wall built?

Building the Wall Post Viewing Question: How was the Great Wall built? Compressed earth filled in the spaces between parallel wood planks that were laid down as wide apart as the wall’s thickness. The process of watering and stomping down the earth was continued until the wall stood tall and long.

The Han Previewing Question: What is expansionism?

The Han Previewing Question: What is expansionism? Expansionism is a policy of territorial growth by a nation.

The Han Post Viewing: Why was the Great Wall Important to the Han?

The Han Post Viewing: Why was the Great Wall Important to the Han? The Great Wall protected the Silk Road, thereby ensuring continued trade for China. Trade was the most important income during the Han Rule.

Trade and Buddhism Previewing: How might modern day China be different if trade had not blossomed along the Silk Road?

Trade and Buddhism Post Viewing: Why did Buddhism become popular in China? Buddhism offered a promised escape from suffering through prayer, good work, and devotion. Buddhism also offered a promise of eternal happiness.