Ch. 3.3

What is a Xiongnu?

A xiongnu is a nomadic people had become increasingly active in the area of the Gobi Desert.

Why were the Nomadic Xiongnu a threat to China?

By the end of the third century BCE, the nomadic Xiongnu had unified many of the groups operating in the region and began to pose a serious threat to the security of China's northern frontier.

Describe the centralized bureaucracy.

Centralized government Created centralized state divided into 3 ministries (civil, authority, military) Created centralized government divided in 2 levels (provinces, counties) Unified the system of weights and measure - standardized monetary system and written forms of chinese characters

How did climate affect the nomads?

During the Qin period, the climate of northern China was somewhat milder and moister than it is today, and parts of the region were heavily forested. The local population probably lived by hunting and fishing, practicing limited forms of agriculture, or herding animals such as cattle or sheep. As the climate gradually became drier, people were forced to rely increasingly on animal husbandry as a means of livelihood. Their response was to master the art of riding on horseback and to adopt the nomadic life.

The Qin dynasty established a unified government.

Legalistic theory gave birth to a number of fundamental administrative and political developments, some of which would survive the Qin and serve as a model for future dynasties.

How did the Qin dynasty create an economic government monopoly?

Private commercial activities were severely restricted and heavily taxed, and many vital forms of commerce and manufacturing, mining, wine making, and salt distribution were placed under government monopoly.

Explain the fall of the Qin Dynasty.

Qin Shi Huang Di alienated many key groups. Landed aristocrats and Confucian intellectuals, as well as the common people, groaned under the censorship of thought and speech, harsh taxes, and forced labor projects. Shortly after the emperor died in 210 BCE, the dynasty descended into factional rivalry, and four years later it was overthrown.

What economic and society advances were made under the Qin Shi Huangdi?

Qin Shi Huangdi, who had a passion for centralization, also unified the system of weights and measures, standardized the monetary system and the written forms of Chinese characters, and ordered the construction of a system of roads extending throughout the empire. He also attempted to eliminate the remaining powers of the landed aristocrats and divided their estates among the peasants, who were now taxed directly by the state. He thus eliminated potential rivals and secured tax revenues for the central government.

How did the first emperor of Qin dynasty transform the political,social, and economic institutions of early China?

Qin dynasty transformed Chinese politics. Philosophical doctrines that were present during Zhou's period were prohibited. Legalism was adopted as the official ideology. Opposers of policies were punished or sometimes executed. Created centralized state divided into 3 ministries (civil, authority, military) Created centralized government divided in 2 levels (provinces, counties) Unified the system of weights and measure - standardized monetary system and written forms of chinese characters Constructed roads and restricted private commercial activities. Commerce and manufacturing, mining, wine making, and salt distribution were placed under government monopoly Aggressive foreign affairs: Extended border of China to the edge of the Red River in modern Vietnam.

What were some advantages to the Qin dynasty?

The Qin dynasty benefited from a strong defensive position in the mountains to the west of the great bend of the Yellow River, as well as from their control of the rich Sichuan plains.

Which dynasty established a unified government?

The Qin dynasty established a unified government.