1. Ancient Governments

2. Ancient China

3. YELLOW RIVER
YANGZI RIVER

4. Dynasties “A sequence of powerful leaders in the same family”
Shang Dynasty 1766 to 1122 B.C.
Zhou Dynasty 1122 to 256 B.C.
Tang Dynasty 618 to 907 A.D.
Song Dynasty 960 to 1279 A.D.
Shang Dynasty

5. Religion and Education
Bronze wine vessel used for rituals to
honor ancestors during Shang Dynasty

6. Religion
Ancient China did not have an organized religion or official priesthood
Did not recognize a personal supreme deity
Instead, the patriarchal head of the family presided over rites and ceremonies venerating ancestors’ spirits

7. Confucius

9. Confucius
BCE

10. Confucianism
Concerned primarily with restoring social stability and order
What is the basis of a stable, unified, and enduring social order?
A system of social and ethical philosophy
“only when character is cultivated are our families regulated; only when families are regulated are states well governed.”

11. Parts of Confucianism li ren rituals, norms, institutions, or mores
the outer, conforming aspect of Confucianism
ren
humaneness, love, kindness, benevolence, or virtue
the inner, reforming aspect of Confucianism

12. Five relationships father-child ruler-subject husband-wife
elder brother-younger brother
friend-friend

13. New Technologies: Silk
During the Zhou era, the Chinese discovered how to make silk from the cocoons of silkworms.
Silk would become China’s most valuable export,
Silk Road leads to cultural diffusion and the spread of Buddhism and the mixing of cultures throughout Asia

14. New Technologies
The Great Wall of China originated as a defensive barrier against tribal intrusions
Construction started in the seventh century B. C. and spanned over 20 states and dynasties
Two sections were built during the Zhou era
As China unified, the various sections were connected

15. New Technologies: Zhou and Military Failure
Zhou kings were not able to monopolize bronze production as the Shang had.
Iron technology was spreading rapidly throughout China
Iron ores were cheaper and more abundant than copper and tin so Zhou could not monopolize iron.
Leaders were able to equip their forces with iron which enabled them to resist the central government.
When nomads invaded the Zhou capital at Hao in 771 B.C., the subordinates refused to support the king.

16. Art and Writing
Writing on bamboo strips
Bronze from Sang Dynasty

17. New Technologies: Bookbinding
Chinese artisans learned how to bind together long, thin strips of wood or bamboo to make books

18. Writing The earliest form of Chinese writing was the pictograph.
Pictographs were combined into ideographs to represent complex or abstract notions
The combination of “mother” and “child” renders “good”
Unlike most other languages, written Chinese did not include an alphabetic component.

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

20. Historical Setting of the Han
Followed the Qin dynasty
BCE
Qin ended in rebellion and civil war due to weak ruler and unrest ( BCE)
Han dynasty was China’s second imperial dynasty
202 BCE-220 CE
Over 400 years
Followed by the Three Kingdoms CE

21. Two Periods of the Han Dynasty
Former Han
Also called the Western Han
202 BCE-9 CE
Interrupted by the Xin dynasty
9-23 CE
Later Han
Also called the Eastern Han CE

22. Liu Bang – Emperor Gaozu of Han
Civil war
202 BCE Liu Bang rises to become emperor
He:
Centralized government
Lowered taxes
Less harsh punishments
Liu Bang reigned
202 BCE-195 BCE.

23. Image courtesy of Wikipedia: http://upload. wikimedia

24. Empress Lu One of Liu Bang’s widows
Retained power by naming various children as emperor in turn
Example of power gained through the manipulation of court politics

25. Wudi – The Martial Emperor
Wudi lived BCE
Used warfare to expand the Chinese empire
Modern-day Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam, etc.
Conquered and colonized
Borders under Wudi nearly what they are today

26. Social Classes under the Han
Emperor
Governors and Kings
Nobles, Scholars, and State Officials
Peasants (Farmers)
Artisans and Merchants
Soldiers
Slaves

27. Bureaucracy under the Han
Taxes supported the government and military
Merchants
Paid taxes
Peasants
Gave the government a portion of their annual crops
Each year gave a month of labor (for public works projects) or of military service

28. Civil Service under the Han
Over 130,000 employees
18 ranks of employees
Civil service exams
Confucian principles described the qualities that emperors wanted in civil servants
Formal examinations 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

29. 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

30. Commerce and Trade under the Han
Trade and commerce were not respected but were still very important
Government had monopolies
Salt mining
Iron forging
Coin minting
Alcohol brewing
Government engaged in industry
Silk weaving
Growth of trade along the Silk Roads

31. Silk Roads under the Han
Trade routes across Asia
To Mediterranean (access to Europe) in the west
Chinese silks were sold in the marketplaces of the ancient Roman empire
To Yellow Sea and China Sea (access to Japan) in the east
Cultural diffusion
Trade goods reflected the many cultures across this trading region

32. Unification of the Han Empire
Colonization
Farmers sent to settle new areas
Settlers encouraged to marry locals
Assimilation
Established Confucian schools in colonized areas
Chinese became the common written language

33. Rich Get Richer, Poor Get Poorer
Peasant farmers grew poorer as they could not afford to pay taxes
Peasants were forced to borrow money from rich aristocratic landowners who didn’t pay taxes
Rich aristocratic landowners foreclosed on the peasants’ farms, decreasing the land owned by peasants
With less land owned by peasants, the government took in less tax revenue, and had to pressure the remaining peasant landowners even harder for tax money

34. Xin Dynasty under Wang Mang
Changes under Wang Mang
Minted more money to solve the budget crisis
Led to inflation
Established public granaries to feed the poor
Cost more money
Land redistribution
Upset wealthy aristocratic landowners

35. Later (or Eastern) Han DynastyCE
Imperial family eventually regained power after Wang Mang
Initially brought prosperity to China
Eventually fell apart for largely the same reasons that the Former (Western) Han fell apart
Followed by the Three Kingdoms

36. Han Dynasty vs. Roman Empire