300 likes | 560 Views
Chinese History. Shang Dynasty 1700-1027 BCE. Huang He River. Oracle Bones. Zhou 1029-258 BCE Longest Dynasty. Mandate of Heaven The Zhou justified taking over from the Shang by saying that they had lost divine approval to rule. Zhou Dynasty 1029-258 BCE. Leaders/Traits Walled cities
E N D
Shang Dynasty1700-1027 BCE Huang He River
Mandate of Heaven The Zhou justified taking over from the Shang by saying that they had lost divine approval to rule
ZhouDynasty1029-258 BCE Leaders/Traits • Walled cities • Trade routes between cities • Feudalism • Agriculture Philosophy • Daoism • Laozi • 500’s BCE • Confucianism • Mencius • Chaotic government • 522 BCE
Shi Huangdi First Emperor • Unifies China as one empire • Ruthless—Totalitarian • Legalism adopted • Territorial Expansion 214 BCE • Book burning-213 BCE • WHY??? • Standardized weights and measures • Single money system • Uniform writing system • Postal system Why does one currency, language, and standards of weights and measures help to unify???
Qin Continued • Massive building projects • Massive roads and canals made travel easier • Great Wall • Bankrupted China • Farmers forced to work as part-time soldiers and builders • Pottery Army-210 BCE • Forced labor • Agricultural • Changed laws so that powerful lords didn’t get land • End of Primogeniture • Peasant farmers could own land • Still attacked by Mongols from north • Trade/merchants
Qin Legacy • Ruling family fell but • Bureaucracy continued • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBCAlZPF0D0 • Empire continued • Tradition of centralized imperial rule continued
Liu Bang202-195 BCE • Xiognu Confederation threatens from north • Commoner • Founder of Han Dynasty • Centralized government • Education system • Encouraged non-governmental people to practice Confucianism and Daoism WHY??? • Ends prohibition against books • Combines Legalism and Confucianism • Retains draft and forced labor for public works
Qin Dynasty Han Dynasty
Emperor Wudi [Wu-ti]140-87 BCE Sixteen when he came to the throne • Reigned for more than 50 years • Two policies—centralization and expansion • Beginnings of Chinese Civil Service-tests • State monopolies on essential goods- salt, iron, and liquor • Foreign Wars=territorial expansion • Imperial bureaucracy expanded and standardized • Relies on Legalist principles • Confucian=official philosophy • Schools only taught Confucian thought • Land Distribution—fiefdoms
138 BCE Wu Ti sent diplomatic expedition to Central Asia to try to find allies against the Hsiung-nu (Huns). RESULT: Chinese leaders became aware of other nations and cultures to the west -- India, Persia, and somewhat of the Roman Orient. Eventually, this would lead to the Silk Road.
121-119 BCE: Hsiung-nu driven north of Gobi desert. Great Wall is extended to the Jade Gate. Colonists are sent to Kansu. Silk Road opens between China and the Parthian Empire. 108 BCE: Korea conquered 87 BCE: First general history of China written Expansion of the Empire
Papermaking • 100 BCE • Wheelbarrow • Foot stirrups • Acupuncture • Movable type • Horse collar • Two bladed plow
Later Han Dynasty: 25-220 CE • c. 25: Buddhism introduced to China. • 74-94: States of Turkistan submit to Chinese authority. • 89: Hsiung-Nu submit to Chinese authority. • 166: Traders from the Roman Empire arrive in Tonkin
Diplomatic Ties Begin • Zhang Qian successively sent envoys to other kingdoms including Parthia and India where they were welcomed. • When a Han envoy reached Parthia, its king sent 20,000 cavalrymen to welcome him on the eastern frontier. • At the same time, the kingdoms sent their own envoys to Han. From then on, the diplomatic missions were dispatched regularly along with commercial trading. • The traffic on the Silk Road began to flourish as never before.
The Silk Road • Once the trade route was opened up, it benefited people and governments from all sides. • The Chinese imported horses, cattle, and furs and hides from Central Asia, while the Central Asians obtained silk from China. • Cucumbers, walnuts, sesame, alfalfa and pomegranates were introduced to China during the Han period as well as grapes that served as a new material for the Chinese to make wine.
Decline of Han External • Surplus wealth depleted • Long borders • Cost of defense staggering • Agricultural colonies in central Asia • Borders overrun • Technology gap with neighbors closing Internal • Epidemic diseases • Decline in population • Decline in economy • Loss of trade • Oppression • Class divisions led to Peasant revolts • Yellow Turbans [Late Han] • Weak leaders • Faction fighting at court • Poor harvests • famine • Confiscation of land and increased taxes to pay for defense and colonies • Discouraged investment in trade and manufacturing