Chapter 6: The First Chinese Empires, 221 B.C. A.D. 220 Lesson 3: The Han Dynasty
World History Bell Ringer #27 10-24-17 1. In 1974, farmers digging a well about 35 miles east of Xi an discovered A. A water mill. B. An army of terra-cotta warriors. C. The ruins of a Xiongnu temple. D. The lost city of Beijing. 2. The system of walls linked by Qin Shihuangdi became A. The civil division. C. The military division. B. Terra cotta. D. The Great Wall of China.
It Matters Because The fall of the Qin dynasty was followed by a period of civil war, but it did not last long. One of the greatest and most long-lasting dynasties in Chinese history the Han dynasty emerged in 202 B.C. The Han dynasty, and the Qin before it, made contributions to culture and technology that have endured to the present.
The Han Dynasty Guiding Question: How did the Han dynasty refine the political structures of the Qin dynasty? The founder of the Han dynasty, Liu Pang, was of peasant origin but became known by his title of Han Gaozu Exalted Emperor of Han. Under his strong rule and that of his successors, the new dynasty quickly established its control over the empire and began the Han era of classical Chinese civilization.
Political Structures The first Han emperor had expressed his desire to discard the harsh policies of the Qin dynasty. He did abandon the use of cruel and unusual punishments that had been part of the Legalistic approach to law enforcement. Confucian principles continued to prove politically influential in China. These, rather than Legalism, soon became the basis for the creation of a new state philosophy. However, Han Gaozu and his successors found it convenient to keep some of the practices of the First Qin Emperor, including the division of the central government into 3 ministries the military, civil service, and censorate. The Han rulers also kept the system of local government that divided the empire into provinces and counties.
Political Structures Most importantly, when the Han rulers took over, they looked to Confucianism for guidance. The Han rulers continued the Qin system of choosing government officials on the basis of merit rather than birth. To create a regular system for new officials, the Han dynasty introduced the civil service examination and established a school to train these candidates. This system for officials developed in classical China influenced Chinese civilization for 2,000 years. Students were expected to learn the teachings of Confucius, as well as Chinese history and law. By creating a group of well-trained officials well versed in Confucian thought, the system ensured the influence of Confucianism on government for a long time. China under the Han dynasty was a vast civilization. The population increased rapidly by some estimates rising from about 20 million to more than 60 million at the height of the dynasty. The large size of the population created a growing need for a large and efficient bureaucracy to maintain the state in proper working order.
Political Structures In addition to providing a strong central government, the Han emperors also continued to expand the Chinese Empire. Han rulers, especially Han Wudi, Martial Emperor of Han, added the southern regions below the Chang Jiang into the empire. Part of what is now northern Vietnam, along the South China Sea coast, became part of the empire. Han armies also went westward into Central Asia, extending the Chinese boundary there. Han Wudi also had to deal with the Xiongnu- the nomads beyond the Great Wall to the north. His armies drove the Xiongnu back, and after Han Wudi died in 87 B.C., China experienced almost another 150 years of peace.
Society in the Han Empire Although the Han period was prosperous, free peasants began to suffer. Land taxes on land-owning farmers were fairly light, but there were other demands on them, including military service and forced labor of up to 1 month per year. Then, too, as the population tripled, the average size of the individual farm plot was reduced to about 1 acre per person barely enough for survival. As time went on, many poor peasants were forced to sell their land and to become tenant farmers, paying up to half of the annual harvest in rent. Once again, aristocrats owned thousands of acres. These powerful nobles could bully free farmers into becoming tenant farmers.
Society in the Han Empire Although the economic problems in the countryside helped lead to the eventual downfall of the dynasty, in general the Han era was one of great prosperity. There was a major expansion of trade and manufacturing. Much of this activity was directed by the state. The government owned shipyards, manufactured weapons, and controlled mining and the operation of granaries. The government also participated in foreign trade, mostly with neighboring areas in Central and Southeast Asia. Trade relations were even established with countries as far away as India and off the Mediterranean. Some of the long-distance trade was carried by sea through southern ports, but more was transported by overland caravans on the Silk Road and other similar routes through the vast deserts and plateaus that led westward into Central Asia.
Technology & Culture New technology added to the economic prosperity of the Han era. Much progress was made in areas such as textile manufacturing, water mills for grinding grain, and iron casting. Iron-casting technology led to the invention of steel. In addition, paper was developed under the Han dynasty. The art of papermaking spread eastward from China beginning in the 7 th century A.D. First India and then the Arab world developed the technique. Paper was shipped from the Arab cities of Baghdad, Damascus, and Cairo to the West, but Europeans did not begin their production of paper until the 12 th century.
Technology & Culture With the invention of the rudder and fore-and-aft rigging, ships could sail into the wind. This made it possible for Chinese merchant ships carrying heavy cargoes to travel throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and India, leading to a major expansion of trade in the Han period. The Han dynasty was also known for its influential cultural achievements. The key works of the Confucian school were made into a set of Confucian classics, which became required reading for generations of Chinese schoolchildren. This literature directly reflected the Han devotion to Confucian ideals. These classics introduced children to the forms of behavior that they would need as adults. During the Han dynasty, the writing of history became the chief form of literary effort. The major histories of the Han period, written by Sima Qian and Ban Gu, captured Chinese culture of the time and influenced future dynastic histories. These works combined political and social history with biographies of key figures.
Try to imagine the world without paper. The Development of Paper Paper has been the basic material for communication and the spread of information for centuries. People may not have recognized the significance of paper, however, when it was first invented. It took hundreds of years for the technology to travel westward to Central Asia and Europe. It was only after the invention of the printing press in the 1450 s that demand increased significantly. In the 1800 s, people learned to make paper from wood pulp instead of cotton rags to accommodate rising demand. Today, we find paper increasingly replaced by electronic methods of communication. What impact do you think the rise of electronic communication will have on the modern world?
Fall of the Han Empire Guiding Question: What factors contributed to the fall of the Han dynasty? Over a period of time, the Han Empire began to fall into decay. As weak rulers amused themselves with the pleasures of court life, the power of the central government began to decline. The great noble families filled the gap, amassing huge landed estates and forcing free farmers to become their tenants. Official corruption and the concentration of land in the hands of the wealthy led to widespread peasant unrest. The population of the empire had been estimated at 60 million in China s first census in the year 2 A.D. 200 hundred years later it had declined to less than 20 million. Then, too, nomadic raids continued in the north. At one point, a group of marauders reached the gates of the capital city.
Fall of the Han Empire By 170 A.D., wars, intrigues at the court, and peasant uprisings brought the virtual collapse of the Han dynasty. In 190 A.D., rebel armies sacked the Han capital. The final blow came in 220 A.D., when a general seized control. He was unable to maintain his power, however, China again plunged into civil war, made worse by invasions of northern tribal peoples. The Han empire had achieved the lasting greatness of a classical civilization. The next great dynasty would not arise for 400 years.
Assignment Complete Chapter 6, Lesson 3 Quiz. You are allowed to use your notes to assist you on completing your quiz, but NOT your Chromebook or phone! Turn your quiz into the organizer after you have finished completing it. Make sure your name is on your quiz before you turn it in!