1. Classical China Qin, Han Dynasties
World History
Foundations: 600 BCE CE

2. Chinese Dynasties
Shang - Ancient Zhou - Ancient Qin - Classical Han - Classical Sui – Post Classical Tang – Post Classical Song – Post Classical Yuan - Mongolian Ming – Early Modern Qing – 1700s-1800s Republic – Early 20th century

3. Era of Warring States: 402 BCE - 201 BCE
Chinese Dynasties
Era of Warring States: 402 BCE BCE
Qin: BCE
Han: 202 BCE CE

4. Mandate of Heaven
Belief that the heavens transfer their power to a specific family in China that is meant to establish a dynasty and rule the region
Emperors were Sons of Heaven
Justification for Political Authority

5. Chinese Dynastic Cycle
New family establishes dynasty
New institutions, Economy, Unities China
Authority passed on Here
Dynasty grows weak
Internal rebellions and/or external rebellions
New dynasty emerges

7. Chinese Dynasties
Shang - Ancient Zhou - Ancient Qin - Classical Han - Classical Sui – Post Classical Tang – Post Classical Song – Post Classical Yuan - Mongolian Ming – Early Modern Qing – 1700s-1800s Republic – Early 20th century

8. Warring States Period ‘Era of 100 Philosophers’
(5th Century BCE - 221BCE)

10. Period of ‘100 Philosophers’
Politics – conflict and corruption
Constant War and Fighting over land and power
Aristocratic court system bred corruption
Society – recession and hardship
Deteriorated in the wake of incessant violence
Families lost estates, wealth and social status
Economy – crippled and unorganized
Lack of universal systems
Fear of raiding armies
Inequalities in states’ resource wealth

11. Rise of Chinese Philosophies
Develop to fix the problems that faced China during between dynasties
Confucianism
Daoism/Taoism
Legalism

12. Qin Dynasty Unifying China under an Iron Fist
(221 BCE - 206BCE)

13. Shi Huangdi (meaning first emperor)
Unified China
Politically
Economically
Socially/Culturally
Legalism philosophy
Ruled with harsh punishments
Constructed monumental projects
Great wall of China
Terracotta Warriors

14. The Qin Unifications in China
Politically
Unifies China
Emperor had complete control over all aspects of society
Use of brutality and force to accomplish goals
National census
Single law code
Executed all competition

15. The Qin Unifications in China
Economically
Conscripted Labor
Promoted Silk production
Standardized
Monetary System
Weights and Measurements
Vehicles track and road width
Built up infrastructure

16. The Qin Unifications in China
Socially/Culturally
Common Written Language
Tried to remove all history of rival kingdoms in China
Burned & Banned Books
Executed Confucian Scholars

17. Monumental Projects
Conscripted labor – every male had to work on government projects for one month a year
Defensive Projects
Great Wall
Water Projects
Lingqu Canal, Dujiangyan Reservoir, and Zhengguo Canal.
Personal Projects
Mausoleum, Terracotta Warriors

18. Why did the Qin Dynasty Fall?
Shi Huangdi
Extremely paranoid; killed off suspected enemies (nobles, intellectuals, warlords)
Desire to control EVERYTHING
High taxes, forced labor, harsh laws
Shi Huangdi dies in 210 BCE; followed by 8 years of peasant revolts to determine successor - winner establishes Han Dynasty

19. The Han Dynasty of China: A Chinese Golden Age
Image courtesy of Wikipedia.
(206 BCE-220 CE)
© Student Handouts, Inc.

20. Expansion of the Han Imperial Empire Centralized bureaucracy
Spread it boundaries by conquering neighbors
Korea
Vietnam
Manchuria
Centralized bureaucracy
Well organized
Examination system
Used locals to govern locals

22. Chinese Bureaucracy Departmentalizing
Civil Servants
Departments
Emperor
Emperor Rules from the Capital City
Tax Revenue
(Decide how much to tax)
Tax Collectors
Record Keepers
Military
(Decide the direction of the military)
Generals
(Train armies, carry out missions)

23. Chinese Centralized Government
Locally
Regionally
Centrally
Emperor runs whole empire
One Governor in region w/ departments
Many Officials for each City - work in departments performing government tasks
Many Officials in Rural Areas work in departments performing government tasks
Governors
Focus on maintaining law, taxes, economy and building public works
Officials
enforce the law, taxes, economic regulations and design public works

24. Civil Service under the Han
Over 130,000 employees
18 ranks of employees
Civil service exams
Formal examinations in Confucianism, history, law, and literature for civil service positions
Theoretically a merit-based system
But poor could not afford to educate their children
In effect until the downfall of China’s last dynasty in 1912*

25. Society in Classical China
Legalism under Qin
Very tough life – especially on peasants
Confucianism under Han
People preferred living under Confucian philosophy
Lasting Trends in China
Examination system
Peasant conscription
Taxation of resources

26. Commerce and Trade under the Han
Government had monopolies
Salt mining
Iron forging
Coin minting
Alcohol brewing
Growth of trade along the Silk Roads
Cultural diffusion
Trade goods reflected the many cultures across this trading region

28. Technology under the Han
Invented in 105 CE
Books became inexpensive to produce; expanded education
Bureaucracy grew and became more efficient
Paper
Horses could carry heavier loads
Best harness available at the time worldwide
Collar harness
The Chinese made one with two blades
Much more efficient
Plow
Invented independently (Greeks had invented as well)
Central wheel and axle let Chinese wheelbarrows carry very heavy weights
Wheelbarrow
Used to power things such as the bellows for smelting iron
Waterwheel