1. September 30th
In your notebook write down the term and definitions:
dynasty: when the right to rule is passed down through a family line
ex. The British Royal Family

2. Ancient to Imperial China
Prehistoric Time: 1.7 million years ago - Stone Age began living in maternal clans
Ancient China: 2000 BCE to 221 BCE - dynastic rule, but little is known and much information is mythicize (fact and fiction are mixed)
Imperial China: 221 BCE to 1911 CE - Defined by a centralized government and concrete recording of history
Modern China: 1912 CE to Modern Day- Collapse of the dynastic model and empires of China and a Republic of China is Created.
Thank you China for being fastidious (diligent and detailed) record keepers.

3. Timeline of Chinese Dynasties:
Song Dynasty
16 Kingdoms
Han Dynasty
Northern Song
Southern Song
Five Dynasties & Ten Kingdoms
Eastern Zhou Dynasty
Xin
Three Kingdoms Period
Jin
Xia Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
Western Zhou
Western Han
Yuan Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
Eastern Han
Western Jin
Eastern Jin
Spring & Autumn Period
Warring States Period
Sui Dynasty
Western Xia
Ming Dynasty
Qing Dynasty Wu
Tang Dynasty
Southern & Northern Dynasties
Liao
Three Kingdom Dynasties: Shu, Wu, Wei
Southern & Norther Dynasties:
Southern: Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang, Chen
Norther: Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Northern Zhou
Five Dynasties & Ten Kingdoms:
Five Dynasties: Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, Later Zhou
10 Kingdoms: Wu, Wuyue, Min, Chu, Southern Han, Former, Shu, Jingnan, Southern Tang, Northern Han
2000 BCE
2000 CE
Ancient China
Imperial China
Modern
China
*Why are there different regional dynasties (ex. the 2 Zhous, Hans, Songs, Jins)
Dynasty had to move it’s capital and/or restore itself from a usurper
The W. Xia & 3rd Jin Dynasty has no relations with previous
*Why are there overlapping dynasties?
usurpers  Xin & Wu Dynasties
Ruling different region of China

4. John Green’s Crash Course in History: China
Write down these questions in your notebook:
What is the “Mandate of Heaven”?
How did the Mandate of Heaven help us understand the constant overturn of dynasties in Imperial China?
What are the principles (main ideas or most important ideas) of Confucianism?

5. John Green – 2,000 Years of History

6. What is the “Mandate of Heaven”?
T’ian = Mandate of heaven
Favor of the gods given to rulers that behaved properly.

7. How did the Mandate of Heaven help us understand the constant overturn of dynasties in Imperial China?
Over 3,000 years of dynastic overturned is explained by early historians as divine intervention (the gods are getting involved)
Emperors were behaving badly so the gods took their power away and allowed another dynasty to take their place.

8. What are the principles (main ideas or most important ideas) of Confucianism?
The key to creating a strong and peaceful state was to look to past rulers and follow their example of upright, moral behavior.
KNOW YOUR PLACE in the hierarchy! Know who is above you and act in a honorable way.
5 key relationships:
ruler to subject
father to son
husband to wife
elder to younger
friend to friend
Study of past leaders and history as well as art were very important

9. The Rise of Qin 5th century BCE- Zhou dynasty  no effective control
Fighting among city-states over control  Waring states period = 7 major states trying to conquer each other
Qin (one of the waring states) advantages:
control of 2 most fertile region
Centuries of fighting northern nomadic tribes  strong killed army
Ministers made political reforms more stability  Farmers migrate to region  stimulate economy (wealth increases)

10. 19th–century illustration of Qin Shi Huang
The First Emperor
Zhao Zheng = the 1st Emperor of China (Qin Shi Huang)
became king of Qin in 246 BCE (age 27)
military campaigns to conquer the other remaining states
After two hundred years of war, Zhao Zheng conquered all the states in twenty-five years  All of the states of ancient China were unified under the control of a central government = Qin dynasty
19th–century illustration of Qin Shi Huang

11. Legalism
Reforms Qin ministers had created to strengthen and stabilize the state were modeled on the new political philosophy of Legalism.
Once Qin Shi Huang’s (Zhao Zheng) armies had conquered the other states, he applied Legalist policies to the rest of the empire.
One of the most important Legalist philosophers was Han Fei.
In your groups read and discuss this quote written by Han Fei and answer the question:
According to this quote, what seem to be the main principles (rules or ideas) of Legalism?
“Punishment should not be other than severe and definite, thus making the people fear them; and laws should not be other than uniform and steadfast, thus making the people comprehend them the enlightened [ruler] uses his men's strength but does not listen to their words, rewards them for their meritorious services but always eliminates the useless.”
– Han Fei ( BCE)
The reforms Qin ministers had enacted to strengthen and stabilize the state were modeled on the new political philosophy of Legalism. Once Qin Shi Huang’s armies had conquered the other states, he applied Legalist policies to the rest of the empire. One of the most important Legalist philosophers was Han Fei. Read this quote from Han Fei describing Legalism. According to this quote, what seem to be the main principles of Legalism? Students should note that Legalism emphasized clearly stated laws, strict adherence to those laws, and harsh punishments for anyone that disobeyed.

12. Legalism: Emphasized stated/written laws
“Punishment should not be other than severe and definite, thus making the people fear them; and laws should not be other than uniform and steadfast, thus making the people comprehend them the enlightened [ruler] uses his men's strength but does not listen to their words, rewards them for their meritorious services but always eliminates the useless.”
– Han Fei ( BCE)
Emphasized stated/written laws
Strict adherence to those laws
Harsh punishment to anyone that disobeyed.
The reforms Qin ministers had enacted to strengthen and stabilize the state were modeled on the new political philosophy of Legalism. Once Qin Shi Huang’s armies had conquered the other states, he applied Legalist policies to the rest of the empire. One of the most important Legalist philosophers was Han Fei. Read this quote from Han Fei describing Legalism. According to this quote, what seem to be the main principles of Legalism? Students should note that Legalism emphasized clearly stated laws, strict adherence to those laws, and harsh punishments for anyone that disobeyed.

13. Qin Dynasty Qin Shi Huang unified the empire:
The Great Wall of China between Inner Mongolia and Shanxi province in 2006
Portion of the Great Wall first built under Qin and rebuilt during the Ming dynasty more than a thousand years later
Qin Shi Huang unified the empire:
standardize units of measurements
Currency (money)
The length of cart axles (to improve transport on roads)
Chinese script
massive construction projects:
road systems
Canals
unification of various northern states’ walls  became Great Wall of China
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
Qin model of central government influenced governments in China for centuries, and it’s believed that the Western name for China comes from the name Qin.
A 209 BCE bronze plaque with official order from the Qin dynasty
Seal Script- official script of the dynasty

14. Fall of Qin
Despite these achievements, the Qin dynasty lasted only fifteen years, just three years after the death of Qin Shi Huang in 210 BCE. Pictured here are some of the estimated 8,000 terracotta soldiers that guard the tomb of the First Emperor.
Terracotta Army in the Mausoleum of the first Qin Emperor, built BCE

15. Central Historical Question
What caused the fall of the Qin dynasty?