10/19/2015 What is the China Proper? How was the Huang river different than other rivers? (Think flooding)

Granted territories to family and allies Each new leader had to pledge loyalty Rulers believed that the God of heaven had determined who would rule China By the 700s B.C.E., the Zhou were losing power and began to fight among themselves By 400s B.C.E. each state became separate

Came to power in 221 B.C. E. and only lasted 15 years, but the name China stuck Cheng ruled and brought many changes He established an autocracy= The emperor held total power He suppressed and executed scholars who criticized government

The Qin guarded against opposing forces by building several walls that later became the Great Wall of China About 1,500 miles long in Qin times

Discontent spread as people were forced to do projects for the government In 206 B.C.E. a commoner, Liu Bang, who became a Qin general, overthrew the empire

More moderate rulers than the Qin, they kept power for 400 years Han eventually ruled over an area larger than the Roman Empire

Civil service= System that runs the day-to-day business of government At first… Government officials recommended individuals based on family connections Then, a university was established to train individuals for certain jobs

New economic policy…..leveling= Storing surplus goods during good years for bad years Silk Road= Trade Route from China to the Mediterranean Caravans carried jade, silk, and other valuables and came back with gold, silver, and wool Population grew to 50 million Han dynasty ended in C.E. 220

Ancient Chinese believed that the well-being of the nation rested upon the well-being of the family Values: Reverence for one’s family Respect for age Acceptance of decisions made by one’s superiors

Family was most important factor in Chinese society Upper-class families kept a careful genealogy Genealogy: A family tree Ancestors: Family members who passed away They are links between past, present, and future Most families had altars or temples in honor of ancestors

Families included the father, his wife, his sons with their wives and children, and unmarried daughters Often everybody lived in the same house The father ruled the family Arranged his children’s and grandchildren’s marriages Decided on how much education his sons would receive He chose his son’s careers

Women had little to no rights or powers They had no property rights but….. Society taught great respect for mothers and mothers- in-law They were like servants but treated with reverence Their most important duty was bearing children, especially sons

Most Chinese people lived as small village farmers Government required peasants To pay taxes Participate on local construction projects Standardized weights and measurements

There were a small number of texts to train scholars and civil servants By using the same books, the system: Emphasized respect for tradition Created a common culture all across China

What were they? The texts used to train scholars and civil servants Book of Poems – contains more than 300 songs about life, joy, love, and politics Book of History – Contains speeches and documents about government Book of Changes – Art of predicting the future Spring and Autumn Annals – record of events Book of Rites – Deals with manners and ceremonies Any educated person would also study Analects of Confucius

Huge Achievements: Astronomers learned the year was more than 365 days 28 B.C. – Chinese astronomers first observed sunspots Before A.D. 100 – Chinese astronomers built instruments to track the movements of planets Invented a seismograph Invented paper: First produced in 150 B.C. Made from fishing nets, hemp, old rags, and tree bark

Invented the sundial, the water clock, and process of printing Discovered substances for dyeing and glazing pottery Developed medicines based on herbs and minerals Invented acupuncture: Doctor inserts needles into certain points to move energy properly Today it is still used as anesthetic and relieves pains from arthritis, cancer, or strained muscles