The Ming Dynasty 6th Grade UBD - Unit 5 – The Ming Dynasty

Preview

Chinese Ideas Spread- After the Ming dynasty

took control of China back from the Mongols,

Chinese ideas and goods spread across the world.

As Trade Expands, the Empire Grows- The

expansion of trade led to the growth of the Ming

dynasty’s empire and its people.

Overseas Trade Ends- China produced several

goods other nations were eager to import. But in

1433, the Ming emperor cut off trade and outlawed

overseas expeditions.

Reach Into Your Background

At the height of its

commercial activity,

Chinese leaders

decided to reduce their

contact with the rest of

the world. How do you

think this impacted

China’s economy and

culture.

(5 minutes)

Partner Activity

Work with a neighbor and compare your answer with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)

Key Ideas- Chinese Ideas Spread

Admiral Zheng He’s ocean journeys increased China’s trade

and status.

The Chinese continued to use and improve on navigational

tools and developed new improvements in ship design,

which helped improve trade and lead to exploration.

During the Ming dynasty, the Chinese improved the process

of papermaking and continued to use moveable type which

made the manufacture of books much quicker.

In 1363, China was a

fragmenting group of

kingdoms making up the

eastern realm of the

Mongol Empire.

The Mongols had overrun

China and seized power

from the Song dynasty.

Birth of a Dynasty

Birth of a Dynasty

Ironically, the Mongols

admired Chinese culture

and were dedicated to

preserving it.

But the Chinese people

could never accept the

rule of people they

considered to be

barbarians.

Birth of a Dynasty

Despite the wealth and

peace China

experienced the

Mongols were

overthrown in 1368.

The man who led the

rebellion, Zhu

Yuanzhang, called his

new dynasty Ming,

which means “brilliant.”

Key Term

Zhu

Yuanzhang-

Founder and

first emperor of

the Ming

dynasty,

became the

leader of a rebel

army and led

them against

the Mongols.

The Forbidden CityVideo- The Forbidden City

The Forbidden CityReading Handout- The Forbidden City

Culture and Trade

The Ming period, which

lasted from 1368 to 1644,

was indeed a high point

of Chinese civilization.

Literature and painting

thrived, and new arts

were introduced,

including silk weaving

and porcelain pottery.

Key Term

Porcelain- A

type of pottery

first developed

in China. It is

famous for its

white, smooth,

nonporous

surface.

Culture and Trade

New crops and farming

tools helped build the

population and were part

of the expanding trade

that fueled China’s

economy.

Naval innovation and

trade especially marked

the Ming period.

Key Term

Economy- The

way a country

manages its

money and

resources (such

as workers and

land) to produce,

buy, and sell

goods and

services.

Masters of the Oceans

As well-built ships

were critical to a

successful sea

trade, elaborate

systems were in

place to keep the

ships in good

working order.

Masters of the Oceans

Supporting industries

around the shipyards

created sails, ropes, and

nails and helped provide

jobs to the Chinese

people.

The most popular type

of boat in the Chinese

fleet was called a junk.

Key Term

Junk- An

ancient

Chinese

sailing

vessel/ship

design still

in use today.

Masters of the Oceans

Through advances in

naval technology and

navigating skill,

Chinese ships explored

India and Africa and

established trade

relationships with West

Asian kingdoms and

with Europe.

Masters of the Oceans

This growth in trade

increased China’s wealth

and power and created a

large demand for

Chinese luxury goods.

It also encouraged an

exchange of ideas that

opened the west’s eyes

to China’s achievements

and exposed Chinese

culture to new ideas.

The Explorations of Admiral Zheng He

The voyages of Admiral

Zheng He characterize

the energy and daring of

Ming China.

Zheng led a fleet of 62

large ships and

approximately 30,000

sailors on an expedition

to the “Western Oceans”

in 1405. 

Key Term

Admiral Zheng

He- Commanded

the Ming

dynasty's fleet of

immense trading

vessels on

expeditions

ranging as far as

Africa.

The Explorations of Admiral Zheng He

The three-year voyage

took Zheng to western

India. 

Zheng voyages helped to

spread Chinese goods and

trade and also served to

increase China’s influence

and control of the waters

around Asia.

The Explorations of Admiral Zheng He

Zheng continued

exploring through

1433, reaching the

Persian Gulf and

eastern Africa,

establishing trade

relations and, in some

cases, receiving tribute

payments from peoples

who were impressed by

the power of the Ming

emperor.

Crash Course- 15th Century MarinersVideo- 15th Century Mariners

Key Ideas- As Trade Expands, the Empire Grows

Porcelain, jade, silk, and other goods

reached the West by the Silk Road.

The growth in trade led to a higher

standard of living for Chinese

merchants.

The stability of the Ming Empire

allowed art, poetry, and literature to

thrive.

Transcontinental Trade

China’s luxury goods

were in high demand

outside of China.

Chinese merchants

carried these goods to

other countries using

the Silk Road, a

network of

interconnected trade

routes.

Transcontinental Trade

Chinese trade routes

linked Asia with Europe

and Africa.

Ideas, technology, and

culture were also

exchanged by the

traders as they traveled

the Silk Road.

Global Demand

To wealthy European

leaders and nobles, silk,

porcelain, and other

goods from China were

symbols of success and

power.

Explorers and traders

from Europe were eager

to expand this trade.

Global Demand

Because of the

increased trade by

land and sea

during the first

years of the Ming

dynasty, the

merchant class

grew in wealth,

power, and status.

Key Ideas- Overseas Trade Ends

Traders were forced to come to China to obtain

Chinese goods.

Explorers sought new trade routes to the East.

The Chinese junk was such a successful design

that it is still in use today. In 1433, the Chinese

government halted the construction of large

ships, forcing explorers to find new ways to reach

China.

The Empire Turns Inward

After Zheng’s death

in 1433, the emperor

decided that the

expensive voyages of

exploration could be

halted.

The size of the fleet

was cut by two-thirds.

The Empire Turns Inward

After Zheng’s death

Western traders had to

come to China to get its

goods, which made

Chinese trade more

expensive.

As the supply of

Chinese goods like and

silk fell, the prices for

those goods rose.

Key Term

Supply and

Demand- An

economic concept

that states that

the price of a good

rises and falls

depending on how

many people want

it (demand) and

depending on how

much of the good

is available

(supply).

Supply and DemandVideo- Supply and Demand

The Empire Turns Inward

China reveled in its

status as the most

desirable trading partner

of the West and in its

power to command trade

without making the effort

to transport its goods to

foreign markets.

The Empire Turns Inward

Finding the fastest way

to China became the

driving goal of

European exploration—

a goal that led

Christopher Columbus

to look for a western

route to China.

He found the Americas

while looking for Ming

China.

Crash Course- 2,000 Years of Chinese HistoryVideo- 2,000 Years of Chinese History

Independent Activity

What has been the

“muddiest” point so

far in this lesson? That

is, what topic remains

the least clear to you?

(4 minutes)

Partner Activity

Work with a neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)