1. Classical China: Qin/Han Dynasties

2. Chinese Dynasties
Shang
Zhou
Warring States
Qin
Han
Sui
Tang
Song
Yuan
Ming
Qing
Republic
Mao Zedong
Smelly zebras will quit having smoothies. Then sometimes you might quiet racist mice.

3. The Origins of Imperial China (Overview)
Qin create China’s first empire by unifying China
Barely survived after the death of their ruler, Shi Huangdi
Power then moved to the Han Dynasty
China remains unified for many centuries

4. Resources and Population
Most people lived in Eastern China, by fertile rivers and the Pacific Ocean
China is isolated due to mountains and deserts but trade routes finally spring up with Persia
Silk Road: Caravan routes connecting China to the Middle East
Agricultural production was the primary source of wealth and taxes
Qin and Han: Every male was required to donate one month of labor a year to a public works project (palaces, temples, military buildings, roads, etc.)
Also two years military service

5. Hierarchy, Obedience, and Belief
Ancestor veneration
Important to have sons to carry on family
Women were not to participate in public life
Women in lower classes may have had more privileges

6. Women in Classical China
“A woman’s duties are to cook the five grains, heat the wine, look after her parents-in-law, make clothes, and that is all! …She has no ambition to manage affairs outside the house… She must follow the “three submissions”. When she is young she must submit to her parents. After her marriage, she must submit to her husband. When she is widowed, she must submit to her son.”

7. Qin - The First Chinese Empire
Following a period of “warring states”
Qin becomes first empire, gives us word “China”
Qin is pronounced “Chin”
Shi Huangdi, name means first emperor
Totalitarian government
Used Legalism
Cracked down on Confucianism, which demanded kindness and nonviolence from its leaders
Unified Chinese culture following period of warring states
Weights, measures, coinage, law code, writing, the length of carts
Built many roads (like Romans)
Beginnings of the GREAT Wall of China

8. The Long Reign of the Han
Put an emphasis on Confucianism
Emperor Wu expands empire
Natural disasters or successful revolutions mean the leader has lost the Mandate of Heaven
Widow of emperor would choose his successor from their family
Like Romans, local government officials did most of the work
Government universities trained young men for high positions (gentry) in the ways of Confucianism
Daoism becomes popular with the common people

9. Decline of the Han Empire
Technology and Trade
Qin developed iron tools
Crossbow, watermill, horse collar
Silk: most important export
Decline of the Han Empire
Nomadic tribes seen as barbarians often invaded
Xiongnu: A collection of nomadic peoples
Cost of wars took a toll on their economy