Overview of the advancements and achievements of early China- 6th grade sc state standards

1. Ancient China:
The Qin & Han Dynasties
6-3.1: SUMMARIZE THE
MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS
OF THE CHINESE
CIVILIZATION FROM THE
QIN TO THE MING
DYNASTIES

2. Main Ideas
Government- Shi Huangdi conquered he warring
states, unified China, and built a strong government.
Government-The Han Dynasty took over
China and established a strong empire that
lasted 400 years
 Culture-Life in Han China set a pattern that is
still seen today

3. ”
“How did the Qin
Dynasty unify China?
As we go through the next slides, ask yourself this question based on the
information given.

4. A Legalistic Ruler
 Under the Mandate of
Heaven ongoing wars
were signs for the new
ruler
Emperor Shi Huangdi
from the state of Qin-new
ruler (13 years old)

6. Shi Huangdi of Qin
 He began ending battles between the Warring
States in 221 BC
Conquered rival states, drove out nomad
invaders, expanded China
 Ran country as a Legalists, wiped out Confucian
teachings
 He had 460 critics of Confucianists killed & burned
books (Why do you think he killed so many?)

7. Uniting China
 Shi Huangdi wanted personal control of strong central
government
Weakened noble families by taking land, made them live in the
capital
 United his lands by building highways, irrigation projects
 Forced peasants to work on projects, used high taxes to fund
them (similar to how Egyptian Pharaohs built their pyramids)

8. Uniting China
Set government
standards fro weights,
measures, coins, writing
This made it easier to
trade and do business
everywhere in China

9. The Great Wall
 Shi Huangdi built a long wall on
the northern boarders to stop
invaders
 Forced hundreds of thousands
of peasants, criminals to built it
Many died from hard labor,
creating resentment among
people
 First Great Wall linked smaller
walls from Time of Warring
States

10. Predict how
this Great Wall
will play a part
in the future
dynasties and
government
control of
China.
Video 4:48

11. The Qin Dynasty Ends
 Shi Huangdi died in 210 BC
 Was buried in an elaborate
tomb (similar to a pyramid)
 Army of terra cotta soldiers
buried nearby
 Discovered in 1974
Q: Sound familiar?
Discovering the Qin video-2:50

12. Army of the Terra Cotta
Video:3:23

13. ”
“How did the Han
rule China?
The Han Dynasty

14. The Han Replace the Qin
 Civil War broke out at the end of
the rule of Shi Huangdi’s son
General Liu Bang defeated the
Qin, ended the war, reunited
China
 Liu Bang began the Han
Dynasty- lasted from 202 BC to
about 220 AD

15. Han Government
 Lui Bang kept strong government, lowered taxes, reduced
punishments
Had peasants build roads, canals, irrigation system
 Set up bureaucracy-chosen officials ran offices, bureaus
 Officials were often Han family members & trusted people
 To find officials, they gave people a system of tests on
Confucianism
Tests helped select educated, ethical people

17. Empress Rules
 Liu Bang died in 195 BC; his
widow, Empress Wu, ruled for
her son
Outlived her son, kept
power by placing infants
on the throne
Died in 180 BC; all her
relatives were executed.

18. Expanding the Empire
 Wudi, known as the Martial
Emperor, ruled from 141 to 87
BC
Wars expanded borders to
south China, north Vietnam,
north Korea
 Han stayed in power despite
rebellions, revolts, floods,
famines

19. Han Confucian
Social Class Emperor, his court, & scholars
that held government positions
Largest class: peasants
Artisans who made items for
daily life and luxury
Lowest class: Merchants
The military was not an official
social class because of
(lowest class b/c they did not
Confucian beliefs, but joining
made anything)
did increase a man’s chance
of rising in social status
because the military was
considered a government job https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lit3HMnp-g
Video: Tung Chung-shu: Confucianism in the Han Dynasty

20. Daily Life in Han China
 Much of Han society lived in villages,
worked on farms
 Most lived in one or two story mud
houses
 Rich farmers used oxen to pull plows;
poor pulled plows themselves
 Simple clothing included clothes
stuffed like a quilt for cool months

22. Daily Life in Han China
 They raised wheat, millet in the north, rice in the south
 Fish and meat were expensive so most people ate them in
small portions

23. City Living
 Han cities were centers of trade,
education, government
 Cities were crowed with merchants,
craftspeople. Government officials
 Entertainment included musicians,
judges, jugglers, acrobats
 Some writers say the cities also had
street gangs

24. Quick Recap of the info
 In 221 BC, the Qin ruler Shi Huangdi unified China and
ruled by harsh Legalist principles
 The Han Dynasty ruled over a large and successful land
 The Han Chinese way of life is reflected in Chinese life
today
 Why it matters now…. Strong government remains
important in Chinese life today.

25. Amazing Achievements
Art & Literature:
 figure paintings (portraits of people)
 Paintings of realistic scenes from life (some
on walls & tombs)
 Fu poets combined prose and poetry to
create long works of literature
 Shi featured short lines of verse that could
be sung

26.  Science: ancient
Seismograph (device that
measures the strength of an
earthquake).
 When an earthquake struck,
a lever inside caused a ball to
drop from a dragon’s mouth
into a toad’s mouth,
indicating the direction from
which the earthquake had
came.

27. Science: Sundial-uses
the position
of shadow cast
by the sun to tell
the time of day.

28.  Medicine: Acupuncture-the
practice of inserting fine
needles through the skin at
specific points to cure
disease or relieve pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re58c7swYAU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMWZmQth2GM

29. The Silk Road
4,000 mile-long network of routes stretched westward from
China across Asia’s deserts and mountain ranges, through
the Middle East, until it reached the Mediterranean Sea
 Expanded China’s trade and wealth
 Named after the most famous item traded on these route-
Silk
 Exchanged ideas: religion, law, advancements

30. The Silk Road-video

31. Buddhism Comes to China
 1st Century AD- came to China via culture
diffusion via trade of Silk Road with India
 During time of government chaos and
hunger throughout China, the people
could not find answers in Confucianism or
Taoism- they turned to Buddhism for those
answers
 Buddhism offered rebirth and relief from
suffering- promises that led to the Chinese
embrace its teachings
Largest statue of Buddha in
the world