Ancient China Summary Guide

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1 Name Period Date Ancient China Summary Guide Be able to spell and define the following key concept terms from chapter Inner China: The two regions in the southeastern part of modern China that has the best conditions for farming. These two regions are the North China Plain and the Chang Jiang Basin. Most people lived in Inner China. Outer China: The western part of modern China that features high mountains, a cold and rocky plateau, and large deserts. Outer China helped isolate Inner China f rom the rest of Asia. Tributary: a stream or river that feeds into a larger stream, river, or lake. Shang Dynasty: one of the first Chinese dynasties. Clan: a large group of family members and friends. Bronze: a strong metal alloy made from copper and tin. Oracle bone: a piece of bone or shell that had a question written on it that was then heated until it cracked. The cracks were read by holy men to seek advice from a king s ancestors. Zhou Dynasty: a family line of rulers in China from about 1045 to 256 B.C.E. The Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty. Mandate of Heaven: the power to rule as granted by the power that controlled the destiny of mankind. It is the support of heaven that says a king should be the king. feudalism: a system of government based on kings, lords, and peasants. The king gives land to the lords in exchange for support and loyalty. The lords allow the peasants to farm on their land and protects them in exchange for a huge chunk of what the peasants grow. The peasant also serve as soldiers in the lords army. civil servant: a person who works for a government yin & yang: the Daoist concept of the opposing forces of nature. Yin means shaded and yang means sunlit. Confucianism: a Chinese philosophy that emphasizes relationships and proper behavior Daoism: a Chinese philosophy that emphasizes living in harmony with nature Legalism: a Chinese philosophy that emphasizes strict obedience to the law Qin Shihuangdi: the first emperor to rule a united China after the Warring States period. Immortal: able to live forever.

2 Han dynasty: the dynasty that ruled China following the Qin dynasty. Bureaucracy: a large, complex organization that functions under a given set of rules and conditions. Silk Road: a network of trade routes that stretched for more than four thousand miles across Asia. Caravan: a group of people traveling together. Cultural diffusion: the spreading of cultural traits, inventions, and ideas, from one culture to another. The geography of China is like a set of steps. The lowest step is in the east near the coast. The plains of the east coast had the best farmland and early farmers settled near the Huang River and the Chang Jiang River. This is known as inner China. The majority of people still live in this part of China. As you travel west, you rise in elevation to areas with that are unsuitable for large scale farming. There are high mountains, a cold and rocky plateau, and large deserts. This is outer China. The people that live here are mostly nomads and herders. The Shang dynasty was one of the first Chinese dynasties. This dynasty ruled for about 500 years. The Shang were known for their bronze work. They had powerful kings, but in the end, constant warfare, lavish spending, and corruption in the ruling class led to its downfall. The Shang were conquered by the Zhou (joe). The Zhou dynasty ruled China for about 700 years. The Zhou dynasty overthrew the Shang dynasty. The first few centuries of the Zhou dynasty were a time of stability in China. The feudal relationships between the king, the lords, and the peasants helped bring order and peace, and stabilize China. Zhou rulers believed they had gained the Mandate of Heaven and were chosen by the powers of heaven to rule all of China. The last centuries of the Zhou dynasty were a time of disorder, political unrest, and war. The lords stopped supporting the Zhou emperor and became more power hungry and greedy. The Zhou emperor still sat on the throne, but had little real power. It was during the social and political chaos of the later Zhou dynasty that the new philosophies of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism began During the later part of the Zhou dynasty, some of the more powerful lords banded together to fight other groups of lords. This was the Warring States period in which the conflict between the powerful lords and nobles lasted about 250 years. In the end, the state of Qin defeated all the other warring states and unified China. This brought an end to the Zhou dynasty. Emperor Qin (chin) united all of China. His longer name is Qin Shi Huangdi. He rule for only a short period. He followed legalist ideas and was very strict. He punished

3 people he did not like, even having many killed. However, he also brought order to China by standardizing Chinese laws, money, weights, measures, and the writing system. He ordered the people to build the Great W all of China to protect the northern border. He had the terra-cotta army built to guard his tomb and the emperor in the next world. Revolts broke out after Emperor Qin died, possibly being poisoned by a magic potion that would make him immortal. The Han dynasty came to power after the Qin dynasty. This dynasty lasted about 400 years and is considered to be a Golden Age in Chinese history. Han leaders followed Confucian ideal of moral leadership. The Han expanded their empire with new weapons. Civil servants were chosen for their ability. The Han dynasty saw many advances. Farmers used a chain pump for irrigation and iron plows. They used new machines to spin silk thread and iron drills for mining salt. Paper was invented and changed the way people communicated. Han scientists invented the seismograph to detect earthquakes and a magnetic compass. The Silk Road was a new trade route that was actually a network of smaller trade routes. Both goods and ideas traveled along the Silk Road. Confucianism: The philosophy of Confucianism had more influence on Chinese life than any other philosophy. The goal of Confucianism is to build a just and peaceful society. People need to use proper behavior in their relationships with others. People should be kind, honest, wise, and faithful; people should act morally and do the right thing. Confucius taught, Do not do to other what you would not want done to you. Leaders should set a good example for others and those lower in status must obey. Civil servants should be hired based on their ability and not because of family background or connections. Civil servants needed to pass exams to prove they could do the job. Daoism The Dao is defined as The Way. It is the spiritual, guiding force that controls the universe, and it is found in all things. The Dao is the ultimate reality. People should strive to live in harmony with the Dao, nature, and the people around them. People should not try to gain a lot of material wealth or possessions. They should not seek power or honors. People should live simple lives. People should practice meditation. A Daoist leader does not want to interfere in the lives of the people he rules; people should be free to discover the Dao on their own. Government should stay out of people s lives. Rulers should govern less harshly and try to let things alone. The best rulers are the ones that rule the least.

4 Laws should be kept to a minimum because all the people will choose to do the right thing on their own. People can find happiness by living in harmony with nature. The world is made up of opposing forces and is symbolized with the yin and yang. Legalism Legalism was concerned with politics and a way to create a strong society. It is based on the belief in power. The goal is to have a strong government and a well-organized society. Rulers should have absolute power backed up with military might. Governments need strict laws to keep people in line. Strict laws will control behavior. Rulers needed to establish strict laws and then enforce them by rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior. The law is most important. The laws must be clearly written. They must be made public. People were equal before the law. Punishment were harsh, but intended to fit the crime. Fear would compel everyone to obey the laws. People are born bad and need to be controlled. By nature, people are selfish, untrustworthy, and even evil. People will do bad things if they think they can get away with it. Legalism was the central governing idea of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi. Even though he did some good things to stabilize China and create a powerful empire, he is often remembered for his cruel methods (which were based on legalism). Ancient China had a stable food supply. The plains that cover most of eastern China form one of the world s largest farming regions. The Huang He River and the Chang Jiang Rivers both flooded and deposited rich silt which made the land ideal for farming. North, along the Huang He River, the land was good for growing millet and wheat. Further south, along the Chang Jiang River, farmers grew rice. The Chinese invented the iron plow, which was stronger and more efficient than wooden plows. Emperor Qin built a better irrigation system to improve farming. Chinese farmers used a chain pump to raise water from low areas to higher field as part of the irrigation system. Ancient China had a system of government.

5 Ancient China had a monarchies. The rulers were kings or emperors. The Chinese believed in the Mandate of Heaven, which was the power that was granted to a king to rule. If the king behaved correctly, they kept the Mandate of Heaven and the throne. If they behaved poorly, they lost the Mandate of heaven, all kinds of problems arose, and a new king would overthrow the old king. There were many dynasties throughout Chinese history. The Shang dynasty was replaced by the Zhou dynasty, which was replaced by the Qin dynasty. The Qin was replaced by the Han, and so on. The last emperor of China (Qing dynasty) was overthrown in Nobles served the king as advisors and helped him rule. During the Zhou dynasty, the king used the feudal system to bring order to China by sharing power with lords in exchange for loyalty and military service. Powerful lords had complete control over their regions during the Warring States Period. During the Qin dynasty, Emperor Qin practiced legalism as the way to organize the government. During the Han dynasty, Confucianism became the organizing philosophy. Civil servants and government officials had to take tests to prove they were qualified to do their jobs. Emperor Qin had the early version of the Great Wall of China built. Emperor Qin standardized the writing system, money, laws, weights & measures, and even axle width throughout China. Emperor Qin divided China into districts with a governor, and divided districts into counties with appointed government officials. There were government officials that helped enforce the king s laws and collect taxes. Confucius said that a king should lead my example, display high moral values, and inspire good behavior in all his subjects. Legalists believe that the government needs many strong laws with strict punishments to force people to behave. Ancient China had specialization of labor. Bronze metal workers made beautiful bronze containers for cooking and religious ceremonies, as well as bronze axes, knives, statues, and ornaments. Weapons makers developed military weapons, war chariots, powerful bows, and bronze body armor. Scholars studied ethics, moral values, and the teachings of Confucius. Sculptors crafted the more than 6,000 life-size terra-cotta soldiers for Emperor Qin s terra-cotta army. Silk workers spun silk thread from silkworm cocoons, and then wove this thread into beautiful, soft, light, and very valuable silk fabric. China had government officials who collected taxes, administered the outlying towns, and acted as judges. Ancient China had merchants and traders who bought and sold luxury goods like silk cloth, jade objects, spices, and gold along the Silk Road. Most merchants only traveled a small part of the Silk Road, selling their goods to other traders along the way. Ancient India had iron workers who made a type of iron that didn t rust.

6 There were guilds of craftsmen for each type of job including tailors, potters, ivory carvers, carpenters, and weavers. Ancient China had Social Levels The social levels of China changed over time. The feudal system under the Zhou dynasty had three levels. The king was at the top Lord and warriors received land from the king and in return, promised loyalty, military service, and paid taxes. The lord also protected the peasants Peasants farmed the lords lands and served in the army when needed. During the Han dynasty, social levels were based on the teachings of Confucius. At the top was the king/emperor. Right below the king was the royal court and government officials. Next came the largest group - the peasants. Most peasants were very poor, but they were respected because they grew the food for the empire. Under the peasants were the skilled artisans who made the items for daily life and luxury goods. Merchants occupied the lowest class because they didn t produce anything; they only bought and sold what others made. Even though they had little respect, they could become very rich and wealthy despite being in the lowest class. Not having the peasants in the lowest class was different from the other river valley civilizations. Ancient China had a highly developed culture. Religion: During the Shang dynasty, people believed in many gods that controlled the sun, moon, stars, rivers, and mountains. Part of the Shang religion included making offerings to the ancestors, including human sacrifice. Many kings were buried with the things they might need in the next life including weapons, ornaments, dogs, war chariots with horses, guards, and warriors. Buddhism became a very popular and important religion in ancient China. Writing: The Shang created China s first writing system which is the basis for the Chinese writing system of today. The Shang wrote questions on oracle bones to seek answers from the ancestors to predict the future.

7 Advances in Technology: The ancient Chinese invented paper. They also invented block printing, which is a wooden block that works like a rubber stamp, and paper money. The ancient Chinese invented the crossbow. The ancient Chinese invented gunpowder and many uses for gunpowder such as fireworks, rockets, cannons, and guns. The ancient Chinese invented ways to spin and weave silk. The ancient Chinese invented the iron plow for farming and iron-tipped bamboo drills for deep drilling into the ground. The ancient Chinese invented the wheelbarrow to help transport heavy loads. The Qin dynasty build roads and canals to connect different parts of the empire. The Chinese built the Great Wall of China to protect the northern border from invaders. Science, Arts & Literature: Chinese astronomers learned how to predict eclipses and created a lunar calendar. Chinese writers wrote books on philosophy, history, poetry, mathematics, and medicine. The Analects was put together by the followers of Confucius as a collection of his teachings. Chinese doctors studied the human body and used acupuncture to relieve pain or cure disease. The ancient Chinese invented a bronze seismograph which was used to detect earthquakes.

CHINESE EMPIRE. AP World History Notes Chapter 4

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