India china

STANDARD WHI.3a
The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient river valley civilizations, including Egypt,
Mesopotamia, the Indus River Valley, and China, and the civilizations of the Hebrews,
Phoenicians, and Kush, by
a)locating these civilizations in time and place.
Indian civilization—Indus River Valley (South Asia)
• Chinese civilization—Huang He Valley (East Asia)
These river valleys offered rich soils for agriculture, and they tended to be in locations easily
protected from invasion by nomadic peoples.
b) describing the development of social, political, and economic patterns, including slavery.
• Hereditary rulers (dynasties of kings, pharaohs)
• Rigid class system, where slavery was accepted
Development of political patterns
• World’s first states (city-states, kingdoms, empires)
• Centralized government (often based on religious authority)
• Written law codes (Ten Commandments, Code of Hammurabi)
Development of economic patterns
• Metal tools and weapons (bronze, iron)
• Increasing agricultural surplus (better tools, plows, irrigation)
• Increasing trade along rivers and by sea (Phoenicians)
• Development of the world’s first cities
• Specialization of labor
c) explaining the development of religious traditions.
Development of religious traditions
• Polytheism was practiced by most early civilizations.
e) explaining the development of language and writing.
• Pictograms (earliest written symbols)

STANDARD WHI.4b
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the civilizations of Persia, India, and China in terms of
chronology, geography, social structures, government,
economy, religion, and contributions to later civilizations by
b) describing India, with emphasis on the Aryan migrations and the caste system.
Physical barriers such as the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Indian Ocean
made invasion more difficult.
Mountain passes in the Hindu Kush provided invasion routes into the Indian subcontinent.
The Indus and Ganges were the most important rivers in the Indian subcontinent.
Aryans (Indo-Aryans)
• Migration, assertion of dominance
• Rigid caste system (hereditary), which influenced all social interactions and choices of occupations
Gupta empire
• Golden age of classical Indian culture
• Contributions—mathematics, new textiles, literature
c) describing the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Hinduism.
Hinduism
• Caste system in religious law based on occupations
• Belief in many forms of one major deity
• Reincarnation: Cycles of rebirth
• Karma: Future reincarnation based on present behavior
• Vedas and Upanishads: Sacred writings
d) describing the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Buddhism.
Buddhism
• Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
• Four Noble Truths
• Eightfold Path to Enlightenment
Asoka’s missionaries and their writings spread Buddhism from India to China and other parts of Asia.

STANDARD WHI.4e, f
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the civilizations of Persia, India, and China in terms of
chronology, geography, social structures, government,
economy, religion, and contributions to later civilizations by
e) describing China, with emphasis on the development of an empire and the construction of the
Great Wall;
f) describing the impact of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
Migratory invaders raided Chinese settlements from the North. The Great Wall was built by Qin Shi
Huangdi as a line of defense against invasions.
China was governed by a succession of ruling families called dynasties.
Chinese rulers were considered divine, but they served under a Mandate of Heaven only as long as their
rule was just.
The Silk Roads facilitated trade and contact between China and other cultures as far away as Rome.
Contributions of classical China
• civil service system
• paper
• porcelain
• silk
Contributions of Confucianism in forming the social order in China
• Belief that humans are good, not bad
• Respect for elders
• Code of politeness, still used in Chinese society today
• Emphasis on education
• Ancestor worship
Contributions of Taoism in forming Chinese culture and values
• Humility
• Simple life and inner peace
• Harmony with nature
Yin/Yang represented opposites for Confucianism and Taoism. Chinese forms of Buddhism spread
throughout Asia.

Indus
Civilization
Maurya and
Gupta

India is a land of great: Diversity
India has over 110 different languages
with over 1100 dialects spoken. Its
geography ranges from fertile forests,
to desert, to high mountains.
Indian Subcontinent: A landmass that
is smaller than a continent. India is a
subcontinent of Asia. It is divided
from Asia by the Himalaya and Hindu
Kush mountain ranges.

Himalaya
Tallest mountains
in the world.
Hindu Kush
To the NW,
above the Indus
river.
Khyber Pass
Mountain pass in
the Hindu Kush.
This was the
passage for
invaders who
entered India.

Ganges River
Most sacred river
of India.
Indus River
Site of the first
Indian Civilization
Deccan Plateau
Triangular region in
central India
between E. and W.
Ghats.
Is very arid.
Eastern and
Western Ghats
Mountains frame
the Deccan, have
fertile coastal
plains

Winter
Monsoon

Arabian
Sea

Bay of
Bengal

Summer
Monsoon
Indian Ocean

Monsoons
Monsoons are
seasonal winds.
These winds blow
from different
directions during
different times of
the year.
Summer Monsoon
Blows over the
Arabian Sea and
Indian Ocean
bringing rain to
India.
Winter Monsoon
Blows over land
and is dry.

Began in: 3000 B.C. to 1500 B.C. in the Indus River
Valley. It is thought that a civilization existed here
that reached hundreds of miles from the Himalaya
mountains to the shore of the Arabian Sea.
Two main cities found are:
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
India First Civilizations

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
Population: It is thought that
Harappa had up to 35,000 people
at its height and that MohenjoDaro has between 35,000-40,000
people.
Organization: These cities were very carefully planned.

Features: There is evidence of streets laid out in grids, walled
neighborhoods, multi-story buildings, water and sanitation
systems, garbage chutes that took trash from houses to streetlevel garbage bins.
Houses were made of mud bricks baked in ovens are were square
forming a grid pattern.
Rulers and Economy: Rulers said their powers came from the
gods. It is thought that religious and political life were closely
linked.
Their economy was based on agriculture, including wheat, barely,
and peas. They probably traded with other city states in
Mesopotamia by sailing across the Persian Gulf. They traded
copper, lumber, gemstones, and luxury goods for Textiles and
food. Trade may have also gone over land through the Khyber
pass.

One of 8 public wells found so far

The Aryan Invasion Theory of India
Historians are not exactly sure what
brought an end to the Indus Valley
Civilizations. It may have been a natural
disaster, climate change or a change in the
course of the Indus River.
1500 B.C.: In this year many historians believe a group of IndoEuropean nomads began to move out of C. Asia. These people
were known as the Aryans.
It is thought that they migrated south through the Hindu Kush
using the Khyber pass.
Arrival in India: Advanced East from the Indus Valley,
eventually occupying almost all of India. Some theorize that the
Dravidians (The original people of India) (Dasas) recognized
the advanced technology of the Aryans and eventually
assimilated into Aryan culture and were not forced to migrate
south.
Warfare: Were advanced fighters.

A Caste System Develops
• When they first arrived the Aryans called
the natives “Dasas” (dark-referring to their
skin)
• The Aryans had an existing social class
system.
• The Dasas became the fourth group
(Shudras)
• As Aryans developed closer contact with
the Dravidians class restrictions became
more rigid to regulate those contacts.

The Caste System
The Caste System is a system of social division in India.
There is some debate as to it origins, but it is made up of four main castes
and several sub-castes. You are born into your caste and may not change
your caste within your lifetime.
Brahmins
The top caste, the priests. They are
the closest to Brahman
Kshatryias
Second Caste, the
warriors and princes
Vaishya
Merchants, artisans and landowners
(Skilled workers)
Shudra
The workers, the lowest caste.
(unskilled workers)
Each caste has its own Dharma, or duty. You must obey the dharma of
your caste to earn good Karma and be able to be reincarnated at a higher
caste in the next life.

Untouchables
These people were the bottom of Hindu society, they are not
considered part of the caste system.
About 5% of the population of India. They were required to perform
the dirtiest jobs dealing with trash, human waste, and death.
People of other castes refuse to do these jobs because they may
damage their Karma.
Due to ritual purity, in the past Untouchables were not allowed to
associate with people of other castes. They were even required to
carry of noisemaker to warn people of the approach so they would
not accidentally run into someone.
Discrimination against them continues today, even though the caste
system has been declared illegal.

Influence of Iron: Iron tools allowed for improvements in
Agriculture including the plow.
Agriculture: Tools and irrigation made it possible for the people
to clear the jungle around the Ganges and create a rich farming
region.
Basic crops in the north were grains, and in the south rice was
common. People also began to grow cotton and spices.
Sanskrit: 1000 B.C: The written
language known as Sanskrit enabled
the people to write down their stories
and religious chants and rituals.
These eventually became the sacred
texts of Hinduism, the Vedas.
Rajas: Princes of the Aryans, warring
chieftains who fought each other
seizing territory and prisoners.

Family Life in Ancient India
Family was the most basic unit of Indian society. There was an
ideal of an extended family including multiple generations living
together.
Patriarchal: Indian society was male dominated. Only men could
inherit property and only boys were educated.
Arranged Marriages: Parents usually arranged marriages for
political and economic reasons when children were very young.
Status of Women: Women had very
low social status.
There was a ritual of Suttee (Sati)
where women were expected to throw
themselves on the crematory fires of
their dead husbands.
If they refused they were disgraced.

Brahman: Brahman is the all-powerful spiritual force of Hinduism.
Hindus believe that Brahman is too complex for people to
understand and so it is divided into the many different gods and
goddesses of Hinduism to simplify it. These gods and goddesses
represent different aspects of Brahman.
Because of this Hinduism is often seen as Polytheistic, but some
argue that it is not because all of the gods are part of the one
universal god.
Atman: The Essential self or the Soul.
The essence of Brahman that is inside every living thing.

Important text and writings of Hinduism
Collectively referred to as the Shastras, there are two types of
sacred writings in the Hindu scriptures: Shruti (heard) and Smriti
(memorized).
Vedas
Four collections of prayers, spells and
instruction for performing rituals
Upanishads

The Bhagavad Gita

Collection of writings
from oral discussion
concentrates on how a
person can reach moksha

Scriptures about the
nature of God

The Mahabharata
Epic poem

Siddhartha Gautama
The Buddha, began his life as a prince in India.
Birth: Was born into the wealthy warrior caste.
It is believed that before his birth his mother had a dream
of an elephant piercing her side with its tusk. This was
interpreted to mean that he would be a great leader or a
wandering holy man.
Childhood
His mother died shortly after his birth. His father lavished
him with wealth so he would never want to leave the palace.
He was completely sheltered from the outside world.

The Three Visions
Siddhartha grew up never knowing much about the outside
world.
He married young and had a son.
When he was in his 20’s he went outside the palace and
experienced three visions which changed his life.

1. The saw someone in advanced old age.
2. He saw a very sick person
3. He saw a dead body.
Siddhartha had never before been aware of human suffering.
He felt his life was a lie and abandoned it to become an
ascetic, or wandering holy man in an attempt to find a way to
end human suffering.

Seeking Truth
Siddhartha tried many different ways
of achieving enlightenment.
He tried mediation, fasting, physical
discomfort, but none along worked for
him.
He almost starved himself to death at one point.
After that he knew he needed to try something
different.
Enlightenment
Siddhartha decided that he would meditate until he discovered
the way to end human suffering.
Bodhi Tree: He sat under a Bodhi tree and said that he would not
get up until he had achieved enlightenment.
He mediated for 40 days amidst temptation, and at the end said
that he was “awake” he had achieved, Nirvana, or Enlightenment.
This is when he became the Buddha, or enlightened one.

Teachings of the Buddha
The Buddha gave his first sermon in the
deer park where he taught the four main
ideas of his teachings.
Four Noble Truths
1. All life is full of suffering
2. We suffer because we desire things
that are illusions. We want material
possessions.
3. The way to not suffer is to overcome
our desire
4. To do that one must follow the
Eightfold path, or Middle Way

The Eightfold Path (The Middle Way)
1. Right view
One must understand the four noble truths.
2. Right intention
Know what you really want
3. Right speech
Speak truth and speak well of others.
4. Right action
Do not kill, steal, lie, be unchaste, or take drugs or alcohol.
5. Right livelihood
Don’t do a job that harms others.
6. Right effort
Do your best, always
7. Right mindfulness
Keep control of yourself and your urges.
8. Right concentration
One must meditate to understand the world.

Spread of Buddhism
Convents and Monasteries: The Buddha had many followers,
both men and women. He did not discriminate based on gender.
Death of the Buddha: He died of food poisoning at the home
of a friend.
Scriptures: His teachings were collected in the Tripitika, or
three baskets of wisdom.
Teachings
Caste System: The Buddha rejected the caste system. He said
all people were capable of achieving enlightenment in one
lifetime. Although not everyone did, so Buddhism does believe
in reincarnation.
Meditation: Taught that one should meditate. Yoga and Martial
arts are seen as a form of mediation.

Reincarnation: The
Buddha taught the
belief of Samsara, or
Reincarnation. As long
as one is tied to
material possessions of
this earth and does not
achieve enlightenment
then one will have
suffering.
Nirvana: The ultimate
goal of Buddhism, to be
released from the cycle
of death and rebirth.

Founding of the Mauryan Dynasty
Founded by Chandragupta Maurya,
who ruled from 324 to 301 B.C.
Organization
The King set up his government
with governors and secret police.
He feared being poisoned and so
had people taste all of his food.

Asoka (Ashoka): The empire flourished under his rule
He is often considered the greatest ruler in the history
of India.
Religious Conversion
After he converted to Buddhism he used Buddhist ideals for
his rule.
Buddhist Ideals
He set up hospitals for animals and people. He ordered
trees to be planted along the roads to provide shade for
travelers. He gave up war and violence being almost the
exact opposite of his grandfather, Chandragupta. He freed
his prisoners and gave them back their land
Missionaries
Asoka sent missionaries throughout Asia.
He is greatly responsible for spreading Buddhism outside
India into the rest of Asia.

Ashoka erected
pillars
throughout his
empire and
beyond. He
inscribed them
with Buddhist
teachings to
spread the
religion.

Kushan Kingdom and the Silk Road
Afghanistan: Located in Afghanistan,
Pakistan and down into the Ganges river
valley in northern India
Kushan: Established their empire after
the fall of the Mauryan Empire.
Trade Empire: had diplomatic contacts
with Rome, Persia and China, and for
several centuries were at the center of
exchange between the East and the West
Silk Road
Trade route connected China to the West.
Arose between 200B.C.-100 A.D..
Covered 4,000 miles. People and camels
carried goods through mountains, deserts,
and across the water.

The Guptas: India had its golden age under the
Guptas
Chandragupta (No Relation): Founder of the Gupta
Empire. He established his capital at the old Maurya
city of Pataliputra.
Samudragupta: Expanded the
Empire
Dominant Political Force
The Guptas became the most
powerful force in the region.
They engaged in trade with
China, SE Asia, and the
Mediterranean.

H Notes C 3 S 2 pt 2

Chandragupta II: The Gupta Empire reached its
greatest point under him. He controlled a vast empire,
from the mouth of the Ganges to the mouth of the
Indus River and from what is now North Pakistan
Trade: The Guptas traded with people from China, SE
Asia, and the Mediterranean.
Pilgrim routes: Religious trade was also vital to their
economy. Religious travelers, or pilgrims, journeyed
through India for different religious reasons.
Huns: Eventually the Huns invaded from central Asia
and brought an end to the Golden age of the Guptas.

Indian Culture
Literature
Vedas: main scriptural texts of Hinduism
Upanishads: are part of the Vedas and form
the Hindu scriptures which primarily
discuss philosophy, meditation, and the
nature of God
Ramayana: an ancient Sanskrit epic
attributed to the poet Valmiki and is an
important part of the Hindu canon
Mahabharata (Bhagavad Gita): Holy text
of a conversation between Krishna and
Arjuna taking place on the battlefield of
just prior to the start of a war. It explains
many moral principles of Hinduism and
explains Karma

Architecture
Ashoka erected pillars to spread Buddhist
teachings throughout his empire.

Stupa: A shrine that houses Buddhist relics

Pagodas, also associated with Buddhism evolved from Stupas.
They are usually Buddhist temples or shrines.

Rock Chamber: Devolved by Asoka to house monks and serve as
halls for religious ceremonies.

Science and Mathematics
The decimal numeral system, including the
concept of zero, was invented in India during the
reign of the Guptas
Algebra
Our Numbering System, now called
Arabic Numbers
During the Gupta empire philosophers first proposed that the
earth was not flat, but was instead round and rotated on an
axis by viewing a lunar eclipses.

Chinese River Civilizations
Huang He
The Yellow River,
aka China’s sorrow
because of
frequent flooding.
Yangtze
(Chang Jiang)
Yellow Sea
North China Plain
Plain between two
major rivers. Most
populated area of
China.

Fertile Land
10% of the land
is good for
agriculture
Physical Landscape
Desert: Gobi
Taklimakan Desert
Mountains
Himalaya
Tian Shan
Plateau of Tibet
High plateau N. of
the Himalaya.

First Dynasty Xia Dynasty c.2070 BC–1600 BC
It was during this period that Chinese civilization
developed a ruling structure that had civilian
government and harsh punishment for breaking the
law. From this the earliest forms of Chinese legal
codes came into being.
Second: Shang 1750-1122 B.C.
Aristocracy: Rich upper-class land owners, ruled.
Economy was based on agriculture.
The Aristocracy was constantly at war.
Capital Cities
It is thought that they moved their capital
several times, finally establishing their capital
at Anyang, north of the Huang He.

Shang Bronze Mask
Corbis.com

Shang Bronze
The Shang were
master bronze makers.

Political and Social Structure
The Shang King ruled from his palace at Anyang.
He split his territory up among different generals.
He could appoint and remove these generals.
The Shang frequently waged war on the fringes of their kingdom.
When a Shang king died, the servants were buried in the tomb
with the king. The tomb was also filled with riches for the
afterlife.

Religion and Culture
Possessed a very strong belief in life
after death.
The Shang practiced human sacrifice to
win the favor of the gods or give the king
company in the afterlife.
Ancestor Veneration
The ancestors were seen as a link between the present world
and the spiritual world. They could bring good or bad fortune
to a family. Offerings of food and drink were offered to them
Oracle Bones
A way to communicate with
the ancestors. Animal bones
were carved with questions,
then heated or broken. A
priest then interpreted the
breaks.

Zhou Dynasty 1045-256 B.C.
Duration
Lasted for almost 900 years, longest
lasting dynasty in Chinese History.
Zhou Dynasty

Political Structure
Head was a king who ruled over an imperial bureaucracy. The
king was seen as the link between heaven and earth and had
divine-like powers.
The rulers of the different provinces were aristocrats, similar
to the way it was in the Shang dynasty.

The Mandate of Heaven/Dynastic Cycle
Mandate of Heaven:
The Zhou used the Mandate of Heaven to justify their rule.
Heaven, the law of nature, kept order in the universe by
choosing the king. The king was responsible for being a good
ruler.
Dao: The Way
The King was responsible to rule by the Dao, he had to keep the
gods happy to protect people from natural disaster, or bad
harvest.
If he didn’t do this he would lose power.
The mandate of heaven was used to explain the rise and fall of
different dynasties. When a ruler took over they claimed they
had earned the mandate of heaven, or they would not have been
able to win. This was closely tied to the Dynastic Cycle

The Dynastic Cycle
New Ruler Gains the
Mandate of Heaven
Dynasty founded by
powerful leader
Period of Rebellion
Ruler loses the
Mandate of Heaven

Period of Decline and
Corruption

Period of Great Power
and Prosperity
Golden Age

Decline of the Zhou
Later Zhou rulers began to become corrupt.
Civil war broke out between the kingdoms
This is called the “Warring States Period”
Changes in Warfare
Iron Weapons were developed.
Infantry (foot soldiers) and Cavalry (soldiers on horseback)
became more prevalent.
Began to use the crossbow

Life under the Zhou
Economic and Technological Growth
Made major advancements during this period that improved life
for the people.
Irrigation and Water Projects
Began to control the flow of rivers to water crops. Farming could
be more reliable without dependence on rains.
Farming Advancements
Iron plows, increase arable land.
An agricultural surplus led to an increase in
trade.
The most important trade item was silk.
It’s secret was closely guarded.
Sharing the secret of silk was punishable by
death.

Family
In an agricultural society families had to work together to
survive. Family, and extended families, were very important.
Filial Piety
Family members were responsible to obey the needs and wants
of the male head of the family.
Everyone had to know their place.
Children were expected to provide for their parents in old age.
Role of Women
Ancient China was a patriarchal, or male dominated, society.
Some women had power, but this was generally looked down upon.
Women were expected to raise children and work in the home.

Chinese Language
Pictograms
Written Chinese is made up of pictograms, or characters.
These are symbols that represent things.
Ideograms
Two or more characters arranged to represent an idea.

Pictograms for mountain,
sun, and moon

東

Ideogram for East, all the
pictograms are combined.

Trade
An agricultural surplus led to an increase in trade.
The most important trade item was silk.
It’s secret was closely guarded.
Sharing the secret of silk was punishable by death.
Silk is made from the cocoons of silkworms
These worms feed on Mulberry leaves.
The cocoons are boiled to kill the silkworm
Then the cocoons are unwound and combined to make silk thread

Chinese Philosophies
Chinese philosophers were less concerned with the
afterlife, and more concerned with how to improve
life presently on earth.
Confucianism
Founder: Confucius
famous Chinese thinker and social philosopher, whose teachings
and philosophy have deeply influenced Chinese, Korean,
Vietnamese, and Japanese life and thought.
Is known to the Chinese as the first teacher, his name was
“Master Kung”
Was born in 551 B.C.

Confucius originally wanted to be a political advisor.
He traveled around the country trying to persuade political
leaders to listen to him.
He was rejected and so he decided to become a teacher
instead.
Confucius developed a great following of
students.
These students collected his teachings
after his death.
This teachings are collected in The
Analects.
A collection of sayings and advice.
"In teaching, there should be no distinction of classes.“
-Confucius

Thought that people were:
Confucius taught that people were born good and that bad
behavior, or evil was learned behavior.
Treatment of Others
Confucius taught that you should be respectful of others.
Confucius believed that personal interests were subordinate to
the needs of the family and community.
Government Leaders
In order to govern others one must first govern oneself.
Leaders should practice self control and be moral.
Merit: Leaders should rule by example. If a ruler is fair and
just then his people will follow and do the same.
To govern by virtue, let us compare it to the North Star: it stays in its
place, while the myriad stars wait upon it." (Analects II, 1)

Filial Piety
Confucius taught that people should have Filial Piety, respect
for your elders and superiors.
Confucius taught that order in the universe would only exist
if people followed their role. He established five key
relationships which brought about an orderly society.
Ruler to Subject
Father to Son (Parent to Child)
Husband to Wife
Older Brother to Younger Brother
Friend to Friend
The only equal relationship was friend to
friend.

Specific duties were prescribed to each of the
participants in these sets of relationships. Such
duties were also extended to the dead, where the
living stood as sons to their deceased family. This
led to the veneration of ancestors.
In time, filial piety was also built into the Chinese
legal system: a criminal would be punished more
harshly if the culprit had committed the crime
against a parent, while fathers exercised enormous
power over their children.

Daoism (Taoism)
Founded by Laozi, the “Old Master”
It was said that he lived without leaving any
traces.
Holy Text: Tao Te Ching
Way of Life
He believed a person's conduct should be governed by instinct
and conscience. He believed "simplicity" to be the key to truth
and freedom. Lao Tzu encouraged his followers to observe, and
seek to understand the laws of nature; to develop intuition and
build up personal power; and to wield power with love, not force.
View of Government
Daoism views government as being unnatural.
“The universe is sacred, You cannot improve it. If you try to change it,
you will ruin it. If you try to hold it, you will lose it.”

Yin and Yang
Yin is the darker element; it is passive, dark, feminine,
downward-seeking, and corresponds to the night. Often
symbolized by water or earth
Yang is the brighter element; it is active, light,
masculine, upward-seeking and corresponds to the
day. Often symbolized by fire or wind.
These are complementary opposites rather than absolutes.
They do not represent good and evil, one force is not seen
as morally superior to the other.

Yin and Yang do not exclude each other.
Everything has its opposite: although this is never
absolute, only relative
Yin and Yang are interdependent.
One cannot exist without the other
Yin and Yang can be further subdivided into Yin and Yang.
Any Yin or Yang aspect can be further subdivided into Yin and
Yang.
Yin and Yang consume and support each other.
Yin and Yang are usually held in balance: as one increases, the
other decreases
Yin and Yang can transform into one another.
At a particular stage, Yin can transform into Yang and vice
versa. For example, night changes into day
Part of Yin is in Yang and part of Yang is in Yin.
The dots in each serve as a reminder
that there are always traces of one in the other

Legalism
Founded by: Han Feizi
Nature of Man
Legalism believed that man was born bad and
had to learn to be good.
The state is more important than the individual
Rulers
Rulers should be strong and rule with absolute power.
Laws
Legalists believed that if the punishments were heavy and the
law equally applied, neither the powerful nor the weak would be
able to escape state control

Qin (Chin) Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC)
The fall of the Zhou dynasty led to a period of
Chaos called the “Warring States Period”, at
the end of this the emperor Qin Shihuangdi
unified China under a single leader, becoming
the first Emperor of China.
First Emperor came to power in 221 B.C.
Shi Huangdi (Shihuangdi) First Emperor of
China.
He came to power at the age of 13.
He dramatically changed life in China.

Notes
Chapter 3 Section 4
corbis.com

Ruling Philosophy
Qin adopted Legalism to rule his regime (government in power)
Style of Rule
Centralized power to avoid another civil war.
Treatment of People
People who opposed his rule were punished or executed.
He held mass book burnings to get rid of ideas contrary to what
he believed.

Written Language
Shi Huangdi made many reforms
He unified written Chinese, having a common written language
allowed for easier communication.
He created a single currency to make trade easier
He built roads throughout his empire to make travel easier.
He dug the Grand Canal from the Yangtze to Central China to
make trade and travel easier.

Government Organization
Central Government

Political Division

Civil Division

Dealt with issues
that affected
the people

Censorate

Military Division
Dealt with
government/
defense issues.

Inspectors who
checked on
government
officials.

Answered to the
Censorate

Provinces

Counties

Larger divisions

Smaller Divisions

Xiongnu
Nomadic warriors to the north of China.
They kept invading along the northern borders.
Mastered the art of fighting on horseback,
using horse archers to attack.
Construction of The Great Wall
Shihuangdi ordered that a wall be built across the northern
border of the empire.
There were already some walls along the borders, he had them
jointed together.
This was a massive construction project, many people died
during construction and are allegedly buried inside the wall
itself.

The Great Wall is the
world's longest man-made
structure, stretching over
6,352 km
(3,948 miles)

Fall of the Qin Dynasty
The harsh rule of Shihuangdi angered many in his Empire
After his death there was another period of civil war
The next dynasty to arise was one of the greatest and
longest lasting in Chinese History.

The Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 220)
Liu Bang: A man of peasant origin, was the founder
of the Han Dynasty.
The Han Dynasty
corbis.com

Ruling Philosophy
The Han adopted Confucianism as their ruling philosophy
Choosing of rulers
Officials and rulers were chosen by merit, rather than by birth.
That way they were better qualified to rule.
Civil Service Exam
The Han set up schools to train people for government work.
Students had to learn Chinese history, law, and the teachings of
Confucius.
They had to pass an exam to be able to work in the government.

Expansion of Empire
Han rulers added territory to the north and out
to the South China sea into what is today Vietnam.
The Han Emperor Wudi, forced the Xiongnu back
north through war and diplomacy, and brought
peace to the empire for 150 years.
The Silk Road expanded during the Han Empire under Wudi, it
was said he heard of Heavenly Horses that were very powerful
Culture under the Han
Confucian schools were established during this time.
Life of Peasants
Peasant life was not good during this time.
A growth in population reduced the amount of available farm
land, forcing many farmers out of business.
Many were forced to sell their land and become tenant farmers.
Wealthy land-owners gained much of the land.

Technological Advancements
Rudder and Fore and Aft Rigging
The rudder allowed for the steering of ships.
The rigging and shape of the sails allowed
ships to use wind coming from different
directions.
A Chinese Junk (Ship)
Textiles
Began to weave cotton cloth
Paper
Writing on paper began about 100 A.D.
Paper was made with hemp/linen and Bamboo.
The Chinese also invented the
Magnetic Compass and gunpowder

Iron Casting: Steel
The Chinese were able to invent steel.
This led to stronger, and more durable,
tools and weapons.

Decline of the Han
Han rulers became corrupt over
time.
Power of the Central
government declines and
aristocrats began to fight over
power.
China fell into another period of
civil war.

Reproduction of
a Han style
sword

Culture of Han
Confucian Schools
Became the basis of education in China for many years to come.
Culture of Qin
Terra Cotta Army
Was created to guard the emperor Qin Shihuangdi in the
afterlife.
Each soldier is unique.
The army, dressed in uniforms, with weapons, is made to scale.
There are horses, wooden chariots, and several thousand bronze
weapons.
They were originally painted with bright colors, but this has
faded over time.

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