The Qin and the Han Dynasties

Before Qin came to power, China was divided into seven states that were constantly at war. By what year did he unite them all?

221 B.C.

How long were the Network of trade routes all put together?

4,000 miles (6,436 km) long and stretched from western China to the Mediterranean.

Why Did the Han Dynasty Collapse?

Corrupt officials and greedy aristocrats took over more of the land, forcing many farmers to give up their property. People began to rise up and rebel against the Han rulers, destroying the Han capital, Luoyang in a.d. 190, and by a.d. 220, civil war divided China. (For the next 400 years, China remained divided into many small kingdoms.)

What are tenant farmers?

Farmers who work on land, owned by someone else and pay rent in cash or as a share of the crop.

Civil Service

Government workers who were chosen on the basis of competitive tests.

China's trade increased in part as a result of Chinese exploration. In 139 b.c., what emperor sent out who to explore areas west of China?

Han Wudi sent out a general named Zhang Qian

Currency

Type of money, that everyone had to use.

Tenant Farmer

Work land owned by someone else.

What kind of routes led to the exchange of many different goods and ideas between China and other areas?

Both Sea and Trade routes

By what date had Buddhism become one of China's major religion?

By the a.d.400s

What one major development broke up soil more easily than wooden plows?

Cast-iron plows

Qin also increased the power of his government by appointing officers known as what?

Censors

During the years of Han rule, China's by how much did the population rise to?

China's population rose to about 60 million.

Acupuncture

Doctors also relieved pain by piercing patients' skin at vital points with thin needles. Acupuncture renews the body by increasing the flow of energy.

What was so special about each of the terra-cotta warriors?

Each terra-cotta warrior was unique in every way there is for example: the facial structure was different in each one and eve their expressions were different.

Earlier emperors chose family members and loyal aristocrats to help them run the government. Han Wudi wanted to end this practice. What did he do to stop this?

He recruited dedicated and talented people for civil service, (government workers who were chosen on the basis of competitive tests.)

When Qin wanted to strengthen and unify China, what he do?

He took direct control of China's provinces.

Used a variety of _____ to treat illnesses.

Herbs

What was the difference in art works from "earlier times," to the times under the Han ruler?

In earlier times, artists had created religious works for rulers and aristocrats. Now, under Han rule, artists created beautiful works of art for less prominent families.

What is the type of money Qin developed that everyone had to use?

It is called currency.

For how long was the Silk Road the main trade link between Asia and Europe?

More than 1,000 years

Both when and why did Qin's dynasty end?

The Qin dynasty ended in 210 b.c. Both aristocrats and farmers revolted against the harsh Qin rule. (Causing fighting throughout China.) By 206 b.c. the Qin dynasty was over and a new dynasty arose.

What were some other uses of the the Silk Road? Give an example.

The Silk Road served as a way to spread knowledge, culture, and religions. For example, Buddhism spread across the Silk Road from India to China.

Censor

The censors' job was to make sure government workers did their work.

Who was the first strong emperor of the Han dynasty?

The first strong emperor of the Han dynasty was Han Wudi, who ruled from 141 b.c. to 87 b.c.

What was so special about the cast-iron plows?

The plows were made of a newly discovered material, cast-iron, which would break soil up more quickly that wooden ones.