Interactive Notebook Setup 9282017 Qin and Han Dynasty

Interactive Notebook Setup • 9/28/2017 • Qin and Han Dynasty • This will be one page

Background Qin Characteristics/Accomplishments Background Han Characteristics/Accomplishments

Background • By 221 BCE, warrior Shi Huangdi brought an end to the years of civil strife and disunity, ushering in the Qin Dynasty • 1 st Chinese Empire • Shi Huangdi vanquished all his rivals and founded a new imperial court • 221 - 207 BCE • The name Qin where the name China developed from

Qin Characteristics/Accomplishments • Self appointed title Qin Shi Huangdi , meaning First Emperor. • Brutal yet effective. Organized China into large provinces ruled by bureaucrats. • Shi Huangdi appointed officials from non-aristocratic groups, so that they would not dare to prevent independent bases of power.

Qin Characteristics/Accomplishments • Built Great Wall for defense and made to secure conquered areas with an eye to expansion • For defense, built first Great Wall (Ming built other part later), extending 3000+ miles. Largest construction project in human hist.

Qin Characteristics/Accomplishments • HARSH Legalism reinforced the bonds of obligation between bureaucrat and superior • Strict political philosophy also generated much resentment among the common people • Burned books, attacks on intellectuals and high taxes made him fiercely unpopular

Qin Characteristics/Accomplishments • Did a lot to unify China • Ordered national census • Standardized currency, weights measurements, laws • Unified written script throughout the region

• Qin Characteristics/Accomplishments Constructed an infrastructure of roads and bridges to increase trade and gather taxes from formerly isolated areas • Military used advanced technology and awarded positions to leaders based on accomplihsments

Qin Characteristics/Accomplishments • Shi Huangdi – Extremely paranoid; killed off suspected enemies (nobles, intellectuals, warlords) – Desire to control EVERYTHING • Shi Huangdi dies in 210 BCE

Background • Followed brief period of disunity after the Qin • Liu Bang - leads peasant revolts after death of Shi Huangdi • 202 BCE - Liu Bang has eliminated almost all of his competition through military might and diplomacy • Copied/Improved much from the Qin • 202 BCE - 220 CE

Han Characteristics/Accomplishments • Built on bureaucracy created by the Qin Dynasty • Introduced civil service exam (process of selecting gov officials based on merit rather than noble birth) – Based on Confucianism, with goal of social harmony • Some lower classes allowed into bureaucracy • Confucianism not only became deeply embedded in Chinese culture, it also came to re-enforce the political bureaucracy by advocating obedience and benevolent rule

Han Characteristics/Accomplishments • Emperor Wu sought alliances with small countries on his western border, most notably the king of Wusun • Offered a Han princesses in marriage to secure allies against nomadic tribes – Called matrimonial alliances

Han Characteristics/Accomplishments • Built a canal to better move grain to the capital and throughout the empire – Used corvée system of labor

Han Characteristics/Accomplishments • Army made up of soldiers drafted from the civilian population into military service • Officers were promoted by demonstrating knowledge of classic texts on military theory, such as Sun Tzu’s Art of War. • Expanded Chinese territory into Korea, Indochina, and central Asia

• Han Characteristics/Accomplishments Treated Confucianism as religion • The government created shrines constructed • Confucianists & Daoists tolerated each other • You could be politically a Confucianist & spiritually a Daoist.

Han Characteristics/Accomplishments • Confucianism used to establish proper social and political relationships • Patriarchal based on Confucian thoughts – Some could gain influence through male relatives • 3 main social groups: Landowning aristocracy, laboring masses, and mean people – Landowning aristocracy (educated bureaucrats or mandarins) – Laboring masses (peasant farmers, urban artisans) – Mean people (merchants, unskilled laborers, performing artists). Required to wear green scarves for identification. Punished for crime more harshly.

Han Characteristics/Accomplishments • Government funded and supported agricultural projects increased output – Agriculture looked at as “fundamental occupation” • Chang'an was the political and economic capital • Government controlled trade of luxury items on Silk Road – S. R. Introduced Buddhism to China

Theme Tuesday Bellwork • What is an example of Development and Interaction of Cultures in Han China? • Answers Vary • What is an example of Development and Transformation of Social Structures Qin China? • Answers Vary

Han Characteristics/Accomplishments • Buddhism begins to be introduced during the Han Dynasty by the Silk Road • Spread into China as a result of Silk Road trade • More magical and mystical form of Buddhism was followed • Some still felt Buddhism was foreign and suspicious