Korea: Land of the Morning Calm

1. Korea: Land of the Morning Calm

2. The Basics: • Gojoseon (2333 B.C.)- (300 B.C.) • Three Kingdoms Period (313 A.D. -688 A.D.) • United Silla Dynasty (688-935 A.D.) • Koryo Dynasty (935-1392 A.D.) • Choson (Joseon) (YI) Dynasty (1392-1910 A.D.)

3. The Three Kingdoms

4. Three Kingdoms Period (around 50 B.C. -688 A.D.): • Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla • Buddhism spread through Korea • China has civil war- not messing with Korea

5. United Silla Dynasty (688-935 A.D.) • Silla joined the Chinese Tang Dynasty and defeated the Goguryeo and Baekje • China invades Silla with one million soldiers • Silla drives out Chinese and unify Korea • Constant civil war breaks Korea apart again

6. Koryo Dynasty (935-1392 A.D.) • Unified most of Korea • Freed all of the slaves in 958 • Created Civil Service Exams (like China) for government jobs • Mongols invade and take over • Mongols fade away- Japan begins raiding • General Yi Song-gye of Korea starts a new dynasty, kills off the old ruling family

9. Choson (Joseon) or (YI) Dynasty (1392-1910 A.D.) • Highly organized state • Economic and Agricultural Reforms • Paper Money • Schools and Academies Prospered • Great King Sejong 1397-1450 (height of Choson Dynasty) 1. Founder of the modern Korean language 2. New Laws 3. Civil Rights

10. Downfall of the Yi Dynasty • Japan unsuccessfully invades in 1590s, but weakens the Yi • After Japan, the Manchus (China) invade - Next 250 years Manchus are overlords of the Yi Dynasty - Famines and poor government continue until the 20th century

12. Social Structure • 1) Royals • 2) Civil and Military officials known as the yangban • 3) Palace people of lower official rank • 4) regional clerks and other lower government officials • 5) tax-paying free citizens, mostly peasant farmers, fishermen, artisans, etc. 6) Considered inferior people: low class merchants and slaves.

13. Religion • Buddhism and Confucianism dominated • Both religions/philosophies adopted at different times in government 1. Buddhism popular in Koryo Dynasty-state religion 2. Neo Confucianism popular in Choson Dynasty- exams for government jobs • Today • Christianity dominates South Korea • North Korea is officially atheist

14. Korea: 20th – 21st Century • Late 19th Century Japan and Western powers force Korea to end its isolation and open up for trade • Early 20th Japan and China fight for control, Japan wins and annexes Korea in 1910, Yi Dynasty officially ends • Japan runs Korea… Koreans second class citizens in their own country • 1945: Defeat of Japan • - North Korea influenced by Communists (China/Russia) • - South Korea influenced by America/UN • 1950-1953 Korean War • - North Korean success • - Americans/UN land drive North Koreans back • - China enters and a stalemate • - Cease-fire signed… no peace agreement

16. Korea Since the End of the War • South Korea • - Slowly transitioned to a Democracy • - Modernized through government support of giant corporations (Chaebols) and protectionism • - Asian Tiger: Seen as a great economic world power • North Korea • Communist government dominated by Kim-ll Sung and now son Kim Jong-il • Poor human rights record • Highly developed military (15%+ of GDP) • Inadequate energy and food resources for population • Tense relations with neighbors and the U.S. • Nuclear Weapons- a few • - uses them as a negotiation tool

17. Korean Buddha Statue Korean Confucius Statue

18. Granite Carved Buddha 751 A.D. Pictures of Korean Culture Silla Era Pagodas Artistic Poetry, Koryo era Korean Letters