Ancient China
What types of crops are grown in China?
wheat, grain,vegetables,rice,corn,and beans.
Qin Dynasty
(221-207 BCE) The first centralized dynasty of China that used Legalism as its base of belief.
Confucius
(551-479 BCE?) Chinese philosopher,he was a teacher and thinker. He believed people had a duty to to put the needs of family and community vefore themselves.
"Which culture did the Chinese traders come into contact with because of the Silk Road?
General Qin gave reports of the people from the roman empire.
Who discovered the route the Silk Road would take?
General Zhang Qian discovered kingdoms to the west.
Who was Hanfeizi?
Hanfeizi was a person who developed a philosophy called Legalism because of its emphasis on strict laws.
How was the government organized?
He appointed government officials called censors to make sure government officials did their jobs.
According to Confucius how should people live and behave?
He believed people should have a sense of duty,people should put the needs of family and community before his or her own needs.
Who was Liu Bang?
He founded the Han dynasty. He was a peasent who became a military leader and defeated his rivals. He was called Han Gaozu.
What did Shihuangdi place in his tomb?
He placed an entire life like terracotta army, 6,000 soldiers and horses built of clay.
Who was Han Wudi?
He ruled from 141-87 B.C. he created a large army to defend China from the Huns and the Xiongnu in the north.
Who was Laozi?
He was a philosopher who is credited for the ideas of daoism
What major mountain ranges are in China?
Himalaya mountains to the south west and the Kun lun Shan and the Tian Shan are on the western border.
What was Shihuangdi's program of standardization?
His system of standardization made thing that were important the same such as money.
What was the Mandate of heaven?
If you wanted to acheive goodness; keep virtue order given by Tian to rule over heaven to base over goodness
Confucianism
Teaching that all men with a talent for governing should take part in government.
What is Legalism and how did it develop?
the idea that people were rewarded for good behavior and punished for bad behavior; believed that for the most part people were bad; Shi Huangdi used it
Han Dynasty
(202 BC - 220 AD) dynasty started by Lui Bang; a great and long-lasting rule, it discarded the harsh policies of the Qin dynasty and adopted Confucian principles; Han rulers chose officials who passed the civil service exams rather than birth; it was a time of prosperity
Qin Shihuangdi
(r.221-210 BCE) The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty who believed strongly in Legalism and sought to strengthen the centralized China through public works.
What types of social groups existed during the Shang Dynasty?
1. king and family 2.upperclass-warlords and nobles and officials 3.farmers 4.traders, artisans 5. slaves
When was the Zhou Dynasty?
1045 BC to 256 BC
Zhou Dynasty
1045-256 B.C. Wu Wang led the Zhou dynasty. philosophy was confucianism
Shang Dynasty
1750-1045 B.C. Tang and numerous other kings led the Shang dynasty. They worshiped gods and ancestors
When was the Han Dynasty?
202 B.C to 220 A.D.
What happened following Shihuangdi's death?
4 years after his death in 210 B.C. the people overthrew his dynasty and civil war began.
Legalism
400 B.C. Emperor Qin used the ideas of Legalism: A Chinese political philosophy based on the idea that a highly efficient and powerful government is the key to social order
Hanfeizi
A CHINESE SCHOLAR WHO BELIEVED THAT SOCIETY NEEDS A SYSTEM OF HARSH LAWS AND STRICT PUNISHMENT., founder of legalism and believed that harsh laws and punishments were the only way to control people; believed that all men were born bad., a strict leader of China. He believed that man was evil and needed harsh punishments. He used legalism.
What did confucianism teach?
A code of behavior for everyday life that focused on proper conduct: respect elders have a sense of duty, attain virtue, study and worship
civil service
A collective term for the body of employees working for the government. Generally, civil service is understood to apply to all those who gain government employment through a merit system.
seismograph
A device that measures the strength of an earthquake.
loess
A fine, light silt deposited by wind and water. It constitutes the fertile soil of the Yellow River Valley in northern China.
General Zhang Qian
A general that attempted to find allies, but only managed to find a kingdom west from China.
aristocrat
A member of a rich and powerful family
Who was Confucius?
A philosopher who talked about the importance of education, loyalty to one's family, and order. His teachings became the basis of the philosophy of Confuciansim
Hinduism
A religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms
bureaucracy
A system of managing government through departments run by appointed officials
What was life like for China's farmers?
About 9 out of 10 Chinese were farmers. They lived in simple houses to pay for the use of land they gave part of their crop to the land owners. They had to work 1 month out of the year building roads or government projects.
Laozi
Also known as Lao Tsu; major Chinese philosopher; recommended retreat from society into nature; individual should seek to become attuned with Dao. Founder of Daoism (religion)
Silk Road
An ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean Sea extending some 6,440 km (4,000 mi) and linking China with the Roman Empire. Marco Polo followed the route on his journey to Cathay.
oracle bones
Animal bones or shells used by the Chinese priests to receive messages from the gods. some of the earlier forms of chinese writings.
Where was the capital of the Shang Empire?
Anyang
What was lif like for China's aristocracy?
Aristocrats owned land and houses they had fin furniture and silk hangings they relied on farmers to grow their crops for them.
How did the population of China grow?
At the beginning of the Han dynasty there were about 20 million. At the time of Han Wudi there was about 60 million.
What was life like in a Chinese family?
Because farming was a big part of China. People had big families to help them produce more and become wealthier.
Eightfold Path
Buddha's teachings. Eight steps to avoid suffering. "(1) right views, (2) right desires, (3) right speech, ( 4)right conduct, (5) right livelihood, (6) right effort, (7) right mindfulness, (8) right contemplation"
pictographs
Characters that stand for objects
How did farming improvements affect China?
Chinese could plow more and produce more crops. since they had more food the population increased to about 50 million.
acupuncture
Chinese medical practice of inserting needles into certain areas of the body
Daoism
Chinese philosophy based on the teachings of Laozi; taught that people should turn to nature and give up their worldly concerns
How are China's regions different from each other?
Culture,dialect,climate,geography
Under what leader was the silk road created?
During the reign of Han Wudi
Buddhism
Founded by Siddhartha Gautama. believed giving up the desire for fame, money, and the desire for worldly things, pain and sorrow would vanish.
When did the Qin come into power?
In 221 B.C. The Qin ruler declared himself Qin Shihuang which means the first Qin Emperor
How was order restored in China?
In 221 B.C. the ruler of the Qin dynasty used a large calvary force to gain control and set up a new dynasty.
filial piety
In Confucian thought, one of the virtues to be cultivated, a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors.
How did the Mandate of Heaven work?
It allowed new rulers to justify the overthrow of a declining dynasty
What rights did the Mandate of Heaven give?
It gave the people the right to overthrow a dishonest or evil ruler and made it clear that the king was not a god.
What was the civil service?
It is government jobs.
How did legalism affect life for people in China?
It led to cruel laws and punishments for Chinese farmers.
How did Chang Heng's seismograph work? How did combine both form and function?
It was called the dragon jar with eight dragon heads arranged around its brim, each dragon had a ball in its mouth. Around the foot of the jar were eight frogs facing south, north,east,west, etc. when an earthquake happened the ball would fall from the dragons mouth into the frogs mouth and it would let them know which direction the earthquake was in.
How did Legalism affect the government of China?
Legalism taught that in order for people to do their duty the government should be harsh and strong. A strong ruler would maintain order in society.
Who was Yu the Great and which dynasty was he a part of?
Legendary ruler, known for inroduction to flood control and moral character. He was part of the Xia Dynasty.
Why did the people rebel?
Many Chinese viewed Qin Shihuangdi as a cruel leader. Aristocrats were angry bcause he reduced their power. Scholars hated him for burning their writings. Farmers hated him for forcing them to build roads and the Great Wall.
How were roles for men and women different?
Men where respected because they grew the crops. They went to school, ran the government, and fought the wars. Chinese women could not hold government jobs. Wives of rulers were sometimes able to influence decisions. Women raised children and saw to their education. They also managed the family finances.
What are the two areas of China with the largest populations historically?
North China plain and the Huang He Valley.
Zoroastriansism
Persian religion. its founder, Zoroaster, born in 660 B.C He began preaching after seeing visions as a young man. He believed in on god, the creator of all things. He taught that humans had the freedom to choose between right and wrong and that goodness would triumph in the end.
Which philosophy did Qin adopt for his government?
Qin based his rule on the idea of legalism, people that opposed him were punished and the government was stronger.
How should leaders govern?
Rulers should lead by example. Laws were not neccesary if people were performing their duties.
How did the Qin Empire solve their communication problems?
Shihuangdi ordered the construction of roads and a huge canal. He used the canals to ship supplies to his troops.
What improvements were made in agriculture?
The Chinese developed irrigation and flood control systems. as a result, farmers could grow more crops.
What is the largest river in southern China?
The Chang Jiang or the Yangtze River. The river flows for about 3,400 miles east across central China and empties into the Yellow Sea.
What borders the North of China?
The Gobi, a vast, cold, rocky desert.
Where was the first center of civilization in China?
The Huang He Valley
Largest river in northern China?
The Huang He or Yellow River, flows across China for more than 2,900 miles. GETS ITS NAME from the rich yellow soil it carries from Mongolia to the Pacific Ocean.
What was the secondary dynasty in China?
The Shang Dynasty 1750-1045 B.C.
Explain the religious practices of the Shang.
The Shangs worshiped gods and spirits who lived in the mountains, rivers, and seas. They brought offerings of food and other goods.
What was the first dynasty in China?
The Xia Dynasty
What inventions were invented during the Han Dynasty?
The chinese invented water wheels to grind more grain and more iron drilling bits to mine more salt, they also invented steel and paper.
What military innovations were developed during this period?
The crossbow, saddle and the stirrups.
How can we see the Han Dynasty as a blending of ideas on how government should be run?
The government of Han Dynasty used the ideas of confusionism to model how a good leader should lead and how people should follow and supoort their leader.
Why was the Great Wall built? how large was it?
The great wall was built to keep out the Xiongnu. they were master at fighting on horseback. The great wall was built by farmers. The wall was 30 feet high with 40 foot tower.
How was the Zhou empire managed?
The king divided the kingdom into smaller territories and by aristocrats.
How did the geography affect early Chinese Civilizations?
The mountains and desserts separated China from most other peoples. They were isolated and developed with little influence of other cultures.
Who was the head of the family?
The oldest male usually the father. However a son could take over the role and the mother had to obey him.
why did the Han Dynasty collapse?
The rulers after Wu Di were weak adn foolish, the aristocrats were greedy and officials were dishonest. The country fell into civil war and was attacked by nomads in the north.
What did the three major Chinese philosophies begin to be developed after the Zhou kingdom?
The three Chinese philosophies confucianism ,daoism, and legalism grew out of a need for order.
How did the Shang honor their ancestors?
They brought offering of food or other goods
What medical advancements did the Chinese make?
They created acupuncture it was used to cure illness and ease pain.
Who were the merchants in Chinese society?
They included shopkeepers, traders and bankers.
What advancements did the Chinese make in sailing?
They invented the rudder and a new type of sail that allowed ships to sail into the wind for the first time. it expanded the Chinese trading routes.
What helped the Shang Dynasty gain control of China?
They used chariots and weapons made of bronze.
What were the civil service examinations?
They were tests designed to allow the people with the right skill to get jobs with the government. wealthy families would get these jobs because they could afford to send their kids to school.
What was the major difference between the Shang and the Zhou?
They worshiped a new god named Tianor (heaven)
How did Buddhism enter into Chinese culture?
Through the silk road merchants and teachers from India brought the teachings of buddhism into china
Why is the silt of Huang He so important?
When the river floods, it leaves behind rich silt in the Huang He valley. The soil is so rich that farmers can grow large amounts of food on very small farms.
What was the period of Warring States?
for 200 years the states battled each other. instead of the nobles driving chariots. they used foot soldiers and they fought with spears and swords.
Wu Wang
an aristocrat that led a rebelion against Shang. He began a new Dynasty called Zhou.
Who was Wu Wang?
an aristocrat who led a rebellion against the Shang. After defeating the Shang, he began a new dynasty
ideographs
characters that combine two or more pictographs to represent an idea
What problems did the population growth create?
farmers has less and less land to pass on to their sons, eventually the land was sold to aristocrats and became poor and tenant farmers.
Liu Bang
helped overthrow Qin dynasty, 1st emperor of the Han dynasty, was born a peasant and worked way up to emperor
standardization
making everything the same, the use of standardized coins, weights and writing helped make trade and communication easier in China.
What is filial piety?
respect for one's parents and ancestors, an important teaching of Confucianism
What types of things did the Shangs produce?
silk for clothes, statues of ivory and jade, bronze objects such as sculptures and containers called urns.
What expensive items where traded?
silk spices, tea and porcelain
What is Daoism?
the teachings of Laozi, a philosophy and religion that developed in China and stressed the belief that one should live in harmony with nature and the Dao
Why did the Shang Dynasty end?
they faught too many wars and the king spent to lavishly on palaces and monuments.
