the ming and qing dynasties

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The Ming and Qing Dynasties In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms:

Ming DynastyForbidden City

Zheng HoManchus

Qing Dynasty

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During the Ming Dynasty, China enjoyed

nearly three hundred years of stabilityand prosperity.

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Ming China

• The Mings ruled China from 1368-1644.

• The Mings restored Chinese rule to the Chinese. The Mings replaced the Mongol rulers.

• Chinese art and literature flourished.

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Ming rulers constructed a magnificentImperial Palace in Beijing.

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The Forbidden City

• Ming rulers constructed a magnificent Imperial Palace in Beijing.

• This Imperial Palace was called the Forbidden City.

• It was the home of all later Chinese emperors.

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During the Ming Dynasty, Zheng Ho traveled to India and even Arabia.

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Zheng Ho

• Early Ming rulers sponsored great naval expeditions.

• Zheng Ho was an admiral of the Chinese navy.

• He even traveled to India and Arabia.

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Compare Zheng Ho’s ship to Columbus’ship.

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Chinese Ethnocentrism

• However, the Chinese looked down upon Europeans as barbarians, lacking the civilized ways of the “Middle Kingdom”.

• This ethnocentric attitude eventually led to a policy of isolationism.

• Due to ethnocentrism, Chinese emperors eventually halted naval expeditions.

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Eventually, the Manchus invaded Chinaand overthrew the Ming dynasty.

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The Decline of the Mings

• Population pressure led to peasant uprisings.

• Many Chinese felt the Mings had lost the Mandate of Heaven.

• In 1644, the Manchus invaded and conquered China.

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The Manchu dynasty was known as theQing dynasty. It lasted from 1644-1911.

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Initially, the Manchus brought peace toChina. They built new roads and clearedadditional land for farming but European

technology began to surpass China.

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Questions for Reflection:

• What were some of the accomplishments of the Ming rulers?

• Why did Ming rulers build the Forbidden City?

• Who was Zheng Ho and why were his voyages eventually stopped?

• Who were the Manchus and what did they do?