Unit 6: China

Part 3: Imperial Dynasties

Essential Question: How did Chinese philosophies affect government and society?

Click each assignment to go to its worksheet.

6.10 Chinese Belief Systems

6.11 Hundred Schools of Thought

How did Shi Huangdi unite China and the Han Dynasty
Essential Question:
advance Chinese civilization?

Click each assignment to go to its worksheet.

6.12 The Unification of China

6.13 Life and Death to the Emperor

6.14 The Han Dynasty

6.15 The Silk Road

Remember!

Only submit this packet after we have reviewed the LAST assignment.
 6.10 Chinese Belief Systems
Part 1: Reading
Directions: Complete the notes based on your reading.

1. How did the ancient Chinese view spirits, heaven and 2. How did the Chinese try to get their ancestors to
earth? help them and what could this result in?

● They saw by seeing if their crops were growing ● The ancestors would help them with protecting
well and guiding the living
● They saw if people were working well together ● When they were not, honored they would cause
people trouble

Part 2: Video Notes

Directions: Watch “The Chinese Zodiac, Explained” and "Myth Behind the Chinese Zodiac" to answer the questions.
Add class discussion facts to the right.

The Chinese Zodiac, Explained

Question Your Notes Class Discussion Notes
1. How much of the world’s
population is influenced ● A quarter 25%
by the Zodiac?

2. How are the western and

Western: 12 months related to stars
Chinese Zodiacs ● No constellations
Chinese: 12 years related to animals
different?

3. What life events does the When to give birth, attitude, whom to
● ???
Zodiac influence? date/marry, and personal finances

4. What is a positive of
being born in an ● Less competition Less competition
undesirable animal year?

Myth Behind the Chinese Zodiac

Question Your Notes Class Discussion Notes
● Metal
1. What are the five ● Wood
elements of the Chinese ● Water
zodiac? ● Fire
● Earth

2. How did the emperor ● Made the 12 animals travel

decide the order of the across the water to be apart of
zodiac signs? the calendar

3. How has the Chinese ● People changed it to the

zodiac changed as it animals of the other countries
spread through Asia? and replaced some of them
 6.11 Hundred Schools of Thought
Essential Question: How did Chinese philosophies affect government and society?

Part 1: Video Notes

Directions: Watch “Hundred Schools of Thought” to answer the questions. Add class discussion facts to the right.

Question Your Notes Class Discussion Notes

1. What did Confucius want? ● Wanted to restore order

2. What did all five of Confucius’ ● All had to respect elders and
relationships have in common? men

3. What was Confucius’ ● Government should benefit

revolutionary idea about people
government? ● Should be open for everyone

4. What did Legalists think of ● Humans were evil by nature

human nature? and needed good laws

5. What is the Daoist belief of Accepting inaction and let things

● ???
Wu Wei? happen

Part 2: Reading
Directions: Complete the notes based on your reading.

The Three Ways

1. What environment did the philosophies come from? 2. What were they all trying to solve?

● China ● How they can rebuild and maintain a stable

● Chaotic, place where people were not working Chinese society
together

3. Who founded each philosophy and what were they trying to answer?

Life and Teachings of Confucius Beliefs of Daoism A Legalist Government

Rujiao, known as Confucius in the Laozi, creator of a book, Daodejing Shang Yang, an important advisor
West ¨the natural way of the universe¨

What do the Three Ways Believe?

Directions: Write a summary describing each philosophy’s views on the four topics below. Do NOT copy the reading.

Confucianism

How should society be set up? ● The place and family comes before the person

What is their view on people? ● Needs good examples of people so they can respect their elders
 ● An elder should get lots of respect, however the elders are to set that
How should people behave?
example

What is their ideal government? ● Violence should be the last resort not first

Daoism
● Opposite of things that work together
How should society be set up?
● Example: Yin and Yan

What is their view on people? ● Must find out a good example on their own

How should people behave? ● Not being greedy and be close to nature

What is their ideal government? ● Violence should be the last resort not first

Legalism

How should society be set up? ● Works only with good efficient government

What is their view on people? ● People are greedy and evil

How should people behave? ● Government has to make laws to enforce goodness

What is their ideal government? ● Government has strength but no goodness

Part 3: Vocabulary
Directions: Fill in the definition for each yellow highlighted word from the chapter(s).

Confucianism Dao

● the teachings of the thinker Kongzi ● the natural way of the universe

Legalism Filial Piety

● philosophy that a strong leader and a ● the love and respect of children for
strong legal system are needed to create parents
social order

Part 4: Analysis Questions

Directions: Answer the following questions in the boxes using complete sentences and facts from your reading.

1. How did traditional Chinese The traditions influenced the teachings because the lessons of these
spiritual traditions influence the teachings taught the people of China good things and told people what is
teachings of Confucianism, wrong and right.
Daoism, and Legalism?

2. Which of the Three Ways do you The three ways could help rebuild China by giving rules so that the people
think would best help rebuild would follow them and not start trouble or chaos. Which is wrong or right.
China after the Warring States
Period and why?
 6.12 The Unification of China
Essential Question: How did Shi Huangdi unite China and hold on to power?

Part 1: Video Notes

Directions: Watch “The Empire is Born” to answer the questions. Add class discussion facts to the right.

Question Your Notes Class Discussion Notes

1. What did the Qin create High centralized state
instead of a feudal state with
lords?

2. What did the Qin build to help Stone cattle road

conquer the southern state of
Shu?

3. Why was everything in the Qin Make china a single cohesive unit
Empire standardized?

4. What motivated the emperor Over the years people would use
to standardize Chinese writing different characters
into the Small Seal Script?

5. What were all the wonders of Millions of servants and peasants labor

the Qin Empire built off of?

Part 2: Reading
Directions: Complete the notes based on your reading.

The Unification of China

1. Where was the state of Qin located Qin was a mountainous kingdom located in northwestern China.
and describe what it was like.

How Were the Warring States United?

2. What challenges to unity did the Qin face? 3. What is the significance of the title Shi Huangdi?

● Languages and customs varied ● Means First Emperor

● Rebellion
● Invasion by nomads from north and west of China

4. What did Shi Huangdi use to defend China and who 5. How was Shi Huangdi’s wall constructed?
was it used against?

● many Chinese kingdoms built walls to protect ● Workers connected old walls together
themselves ● Building the wall was hard and dangerous
● Shi Huangdi had these walls torn down to make ● These workers included the many prisoners and
rebellion more difficult citizens Shi Huangdi forced from their homes to
work on this project
 Ways Shi Huangdi Promoted Unity
6. Why and how did Shi Huangdi use standardization? 7. How was the Qin Empire organized?

● Standardized many aspects of daily life in order ● Shi Huangdi introduced the concept of
to unify China’s economy and culture centralization
● Anyone who did not follow the standards was ● He organized China into 36 provinces
punished as a traitor ● Forced noble to move to the capital

Rule of the First Emperor

8. Why was Shi Huangdi’s rule seen as harsh? 9. How did Shi Huangdi use legalism to control China?

● Forced lots of people to leave their homes for big ● He used legalism to control China by trying to
projects ban anything that could offend anyone or
anything dangerous

10. How did the Qin Dynasty try ● People were not allowed to praise past rulers or criticize the present one
to control how people thought?

Part 3: Vocabulary
Directions: Fill in the definition for each yellow highlighted word from the chapter(s).

Shi Huangdi Great Wall

● "first emperor" ● a long wall running east and west along

China’s northern border

Standardize Censor

● to set rules that make things more similar ● banning of ideas seen as dangerous or
offensive

Part 4: Analysis Questions

Directions: Answer the following questions in the boxes using complete sentences and facts from your reading.

1. How could standardizing currency Standardizing currency would help unify the empire because it would help
and measurements help unify the make sure everyone would use the same value.
empire?

2. Why would Shi Huangdi use book To make sure that all of the false information would never be ever heard of
burning as a way to control his again.
empire?

3. Was Shi Huangdi’s government No, because after a long time, his government was unstable, not able to

successful? Why or why not? make their kingdom grow even more.
 6.13 Life and Death to the Emperor
Part 1: The Great Wall
Directions: Watch “The Great Wall of China” to answer the questions. Add class discussion facts to the right.

Question Your Notes Class Discussion Notes

1. What is the Great Wall if it’s not a

● Made of multiple walls
single wall?

2. How did soldiers communicate

between watchtowers along the ● Using fire as signals
Great Wall?

3. What materials was the Great Wall

● Bricks and stones
originally made from?

4. What purpose has the Great Wall ● To keep people out of

held throughout Chinese history? China

● Yes because the wall keeps

5. The Wall cost many lives to build. Do
chinese civilians safe from
you believe it was worth it and why?
nomads

Directions: Describe what you thought was the most impressive part of the Great Wall from your virtual tour.

The most impressive part of the Great Wall is that, how long and how massive it is.

Part 2: Terracotta Warriors

Directions: Study the images and description to help you answer the following questions.
1. What do you notice about the individual soldiers? 2. What information can the size of the army tell you?

They are wearing unfamiliar clothing. That they had lots of people signed up for the army.

3. How could this collection of clay statues help us 4. What type of statues would you place in your tomb
understand the military of the Qin Dynasty? and how would you arrange them?

They had lots of people in the army and Bob the minion all around me

Part 3: Death to the Emperor

Directions: Answer the questions after performing the play.
1. Can you recognize examples of Legalism in the play? 2. How could Shi Huangdi living forever be good?

No, because it only talks about how the emperor was He could live out the same rules forever.
going to die.

3. Why did the advisors try so hard to pretend the 4. How could you make this play even better (more
emperor was still alive? dramatic, intense, action, etc.)?

Because if they has not pretended the enemies would try I think it needs more people speaking because it was only
to take over and overthrow the kingdom. a couple of people speaking for the entire thing.
 6.14 The Han Dynasty
Essential Question: How did the Han dynasty use China’s new unity to advance their civilization?

Part 1: Video Notes

Directions: Watch “Rise and Fall of the Han” to answer the questions. Add class discussion facts to the right.

Question Your Notes Class Discussion Notes

1. What percentage of China’s population ● 90%

identifies as ethnically “Han?”

● Lowered taxes ● Disbanded a large chuck of

2. How did Liu Bang help build internal ● Freed slaves the army
stability after becoming emperor? ● Let common people
complete higher level jobs

3. How did the Han rebuild China’s ● ??? ● Creating peace with the
population and economy? Xiongnu nomads

4. What was the cost of Emperor Wu’s ● Hundreds of thousands of ● Depleted treasury (No
expansion? soldiers died Money)

5. What did the invention of paper help ● It made goods more

promote? valuable

6. What are the two dominant factors to ● Meritocracy ,

the fall of the Han Dynasty? ● Corruption

Part 2: Reading
Directions: Complete the notes based on your reading.

History of the Han Dynasty

1. How did the Han Dynasty begin 2. What did the Han base their 3. Why is emperor Wudi important?
and its importance in China today? government on?

● The Han ruled China for ● governed by Confucian ● He created the expansion of
about 400 years principles using the Han dynasty
● The largest ethnic group in scholar-officials ● Greatest Han emperor
China still call themselves ● Ended Qin legalism
the “Han.”
● Started by Liu Bang

Economic Power
4. Describe the two backbones of the Han economy. 5. What was turned into state monopolies and why?

● Farmers were the backbone of China’s economy ● Profits from selling iron and salt helped support
● about 90 percent of the population. Wudi’s military adventures
● Silk production

Han Social Order

6. What was Han society based on and how did this 7. Why were scholars and farmers ranked higher in Han
impact women? society than merchants?

Based on how people used women to connect ● Silk production was especially important as trade
civilizations. along the Silk Road increased
● Created better things
● Brought more to the dynasty than other jobs

Government of the Han Dynasty

8. What did the Han adopt from the Qin’s government? 9. Describe how the Han civil service worked.

● Confucianism: women seen as lower status than ● Confucianism valued those who made things not
men those who just sold them
● Few rights

Han Achievements
10. What were traditional arts of the Han Dynasty? 11. What inventions did the Han Dynasty create?

● Strong centralized government ● 130,000 officials based on who could do the best
job

Decline of the Han

12. How long did the Han Dynasty last and how many 13. How did the Han Dynasty fall?
people did it rule over?

● Painting Seismometer and wheel barrow

● Sculpture
● Pottery
● Calligraphy
● lacquerware

Part 3: Vocabulary
Directions: Fill in the definition for each yellow highlighted word from the chapter(s).

Monopoly Calligraphy

● when a single group controls the ● the art of beautiful writing

production of a good or service

Lacquer Seismometer

● a protective paint coating made from the ● a tool to detect earthquakes

sap of a special tree

Part 4: Analysis Questions

Directions: Answer the following questions in the boxes using complete sentences and facts from your reading.

1. Why do you think the Han needed Han needed so many people to work as a farmer because the farmers would
so many people to work as create lots of money and work the hardest when it came to the resources and
farmers? being productive.
2. Why would a strong, centralized If the Han told the Qin about a good government, they would be taken over
government be something the because if they told them it would call for organization which the Qin did not
Han kept from the Qin? have.
 6.15 The Silk Road
Part 1: Video Notes
Directions: Watch “War of the Heavenly Horses” to answer the questions. Add class discussion facts to the right.

Question Your Notes Class Discussion Notes

● Form a alliance
1. Why did Emperor Wu
send an envoy west?

2. How long did the ● 40 days

Greeks hold out and ● Large number of soldiers
what 3 things helped ● Battering rams
China to break them? ● Assault cart

● Opened up the silk road

3. What resulted from
● Chinese control over central asia
the Greeks and
Chinese interacting?

● Converted greeks to Buddhism

4. What effect did Greek ● Helped to start Mahayana
culture have on eastern Buddhism
Asian civilizations? ● First human images of the Budda
made

Part 2: Reading
Directions: Read "The Silk Road" then answer the questions below.

The silk road is a trade route that connects Asia. The Silk Road connects
1. Explain what the Silk Road was in
China to Central and Southeast Asia.
a 3 sentence summary.

The silk road affected the land because the goods gave them money so that
2. How did the Silk Road affect the
they could use that money for an expansion in a better land.
land that the Han expanded into?

The Silk Road helped China with advanced culture and trading silk.
3. How did the Silk Road help China?

● Silk is made from the silk worms

● Harvesting silkworm cocoons by hand
4. Use the infographic and images to
● Silk weaving process
summarize how silk was made.
● Golden and white silk yarn
● Silk cloth