CHINESE EMPIRE CHAPTER 12

QIN DYNASTY

Strong kingdom

Efficient government

Qin decided to declare himself Shi Huangdi or “First Emperor”

Tore down walls of local kingdoms.

Began Great Wall- a long wall running east to west

Defending the enemy• - started public

works projects• -Great Wall- defend

the empire from nomads• -Wall went up

quickly.• -200,000 workers

made to work

220 B.C., Shi Huandi

began restoring and linking separate sections of the Great Wall which had been built years before.

UNIFORM STANDARDS Standards for Daily Life standardize- set rules that make

things more similar Unified China’s economy and culture Single written language with standard

characters Transportation- standard axles to

vehicles Uniform weights and measure

ORGANIZING THE EMPIRE Central governing system 36 provinces Shi Huangdi forced thousands to

move to the capital. Government spies could keep an eye

on them. Legalism- stronger leader and strong

legal system are need to create social order.

HARSH LAWS

Uniform legal code Penalties for breaking laws were

severe. Severe punishment Censor- ban ideas he found

dangerous or offensive. Ordered burning of all books that

didn’t follow his rule.

Dynasty collapsed with death of Qin Shi Huangdi in 210 B.C.E.

His oppression brought backlash

Rebellions in regional capitals

The Qin had lost the Mandate of Heaven

The Fall of the Qin Dynasty

SECTION 1 REVIEW

Why did Shi Huangdi create harsh laws?

EXPANSION OF HAN DYNASTY

One of the longest lasting and most influential of all dynasties.

Han dynasty ruled for over 400 years.

New Ideas of Han

encouraged learning

lowered taxes

ended harsh rules

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkNEvPly5WU

SOCIAL CLASSES UNDER THE HANEmperor

Governors and Kings

Nobles, Scholars, and State Officials

Peasants (Farmers)

Artisans and Merchants

Soldiers

Slaves

WUDI – THE MARTIAL EMPEROR

• Wudi lived 141-87 BCE• Used warfare to expand the Chinese empire

– Northern steppes• Fought Xiongnu –nomads that raided Chinese villages• Traditionally kept at bay through bribery• Wudi made allies of the Xiongnu’s enemies and sent in 100,000 soldiers• Then pushed the Xiongnu back • Settled soldiers on former Xiongnu lands• But the nomads of the steppes provided ongoing conflict

– Modern-day Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam, etc.• Conquered and colonized

• Borders under Wudi nearly what they are today

CIVIL SERVICE System that government

employees selected for their skills and knowledge.

Not hereditary-appointed to positions

Exams created to find talented people

Wanted employees to be loyal

SILK ROAD Network of trade routes that crossed Asia over 4000

miles

Silk Road, was a major trade route which sold China’s secret commodity (silk)

Chinese Silk Road connected China to the Roman Empire

Silk Road was protected by Great Wall

Employed mandatory military service to maintain empire

Also a path to spread ideas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfe-eNq-Qyg

JOURNEY OF ZHANG QIAN

Was captured by Xiongnu and was a prisoner for 10 years.

Stepped up to find Xiongnu Zhang described travel to

exotic lands Wudi and Han emperors sent

envoys to create relations to west. Trade began to flourish.

SECTION 2 REVIEW

How did the Silk Road influence Chinese culture?

HAN SOCIETY Social Order- based on Confucian

values Mental rather than physical labor

Farmers respected for providing food and cloth.

Artisans respected for skill and hard work.

Merchants fell in social order since they don’t produce anything.

FAMILY LIFE ROLE OF WOMEN

Loyalty Respect for elders Parents report

children who did not behave with filial piety

Women considered lower than men.

Worked in the home

Weaving and caring for children

Ban Zhoa- educated female became historian in the royal court

ECONOMIC LIFE Farming

-wheat, millet, barley, beans and rice

- silkweaving Industry

- iron –tools and weapons

-salt mining

Monopoly-single group controls the production of a good or service

Literature

The Han created realistic scenes from everyday life, advanced figure painting, and depictions of religious figures and Confucian scholars. Calligraphy-art of beautiful writing.

Fu style: combination of prose and poetryShi style: short lines of verse that could be sung

The Han Chinese made paper by grinding plant fibers into a paste and then setting the paste out to dry in sheets. Later they rolled the dried pulp into scrolls.

HAN ACHIEVEMENTS

Invention of Paper

Art

Seismograph

A device for telling time, the sundial uses the position of the shadows cast by the sun to tell the time of day.

This device measures the strength of an earthquake. Chinese scientists believed that the movement of the earth was a sign of evil times.

Acupuncture is the practice of inserting needles into the skin to cure disease or relieve pain. This practice is still widely used today.

HAN ACHIEVEMENTS

Acupuncture

Sundial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcVFuIccf5c

SECTION 3 REVIEW

Why was silk an important industry during Han dynasty?