1. The Classical Empires
AP World History

2. Population Growth

3. Urbanization

4. Afro-Eurasia in 500 BCE

5. Afro-Eurasia in 350 BCE

6. Afro-Eurasia in 200 BCE

7. Afro-Eurasia in 100 CE

8. Classical China Zhou Dynasty Decline of Zhou Dynasty
( BCE)
Feudalism
Mandate of Heaven
Decline of Zhou Dynasty
Confucianism
Daoism
Legalism
Warring States Period
481 BCE – 221 BCE
Kingdom of Qin began expanding during the 3rd century BCE

9. Qin Dynasty (221-202 BCE) Used Legalism to restore order
Land reforms weakened aristocracy
Peasants were given land rights to farm remote territories
Centralized bureaucracy
Unified China
Standardized script, laws, and weights & measures
Bureaucracy was divided into administrative provinces and districts; each with an officer appointed by the emperor

10. Qin Shi Huangdi Proclaimed himself “First Emperor” of China
Centralized Power
Disarmed local militaries
Built roads & defensive walls
Demanded burning of books
Used forced labor to complete public works projects

11. Terra Cotta Army

12. Terra Cotta Army

13. Early Han Dynasty (202 BCE-9 CE)
Founded by Liu Bang
Prevailed in warfare after collapse of Qin Dynasty
Used Legalism to lesser extent
Used Confucianism as basis of government jobs
Conquered northern Vietnam, Korea, and Central Asia
Tribute System

14. Economic Power Iron metallurgy was introduced
Allowed for innovations in weapons and agriculture
Monopolized iron, salt, and liquor
Government controlled these business’s
Why?
Silk Roads
Connected Han Empire with Central Asia, India, Roman Empire

15. Silk Roads

16. Emperor Wu Ruled from 141-87 BCE Two Goals Reforms Pax Sinica
Supported Legalism and Confucianism
Two Goals
Centralize government
Expand the empire
Reforms
Expanded bureaucracy
Started an imperial university
Confucian examination system
Expanded the Silk Roads
Pax Sinica
University enrollment started at 3,000 and ballooned to 30,000 by end of Han dynasty
University had to focus on Confucianism because it was the only philosophy developed enough to establish a curriculum

17. Fall of Han Dynasty Overextended Border pressure (Barbarian)
High taxes on peasants
Wealth disparity
Weak leaders and succession disagreements
Beginning of collapse 184 C.E.

19. Rome Beginnings Ruled by Etruscan’s Roman nobility overthrew Etruscans
509 BCE
Set up a Republic form of government
Elect people to do governing for the people

20. Roman Republic (509-44 BCE) Political System Twelve Tables
Consuls
Senate (patricians)
Tribunes (plebeians)
Twelve Tables
Created a standardized system of laws
Established rights for defendants
Military expansion
Assimilated conquered peoples
Patricians were the aristocracy
Tribunes could intervene in all political affairs and veto unjust laws

21. Expansion of Roman Republic

22. Social Classes Patricians Wealthy, land owners Senators Consuls
Inherited title/estates
Plebeians
Artisans, merchants
No Senate until later
Elected Tribunes to make changes for them
12 Tables (in Forum)

23. End of Republic Growing tensions between rich & poor Latifundias
Large plantations in conquered lands controlled by aristocrats
Julius Caesar
Dictator for life in 47 BCE
Reforms
Sought to relieve tension between the classes
Executed by aristocratic conspirators

24. Roman Empire (31 BCE-476 CE) Established by Augustus NOT a dynasty
Republic in name only
Continued military expansion
Pax Romana
NOT a dynasty
Succession often depended upon military strength
Tolerated local customs & religions (assimilation)
Laws & culture/patriotism held empire together

25. Pax Romana 27 BCE – 180 CE Trade Needed precious metals
Kept roads safe (silk road)
Cultural Achievements
Adopted Greek language, literature, architecture
Coliseum and Aqueducts
Religion
Paganism (Polytheism)
Tolerated unique pagan religions
Persecuted Jews and Christians

26. Fall of Roman Empire Barbarians Christianity Disease
Patricians v Plebeians
Christianity
Disease

27. Persian Empire

28. Persian Empire (558-332 BCE) Rise:
Founded by Cyrus the Great ( BCE)
Incorporated surrounding kingdoms
Darius I ( BCE)
Divided government into 20 provinces ran by satraps
Decentralized government
Built the Royal Road
Red Sea Canal

29. Persian Empire (Pax) Persian Economy Persian Religion
Government coined money
Facilitated trade from Greece to India
Persian Religion
Zoroastrianism
Local religions tolerated
First written Persian script
Protected system of roads
Legal codes
Reflected local usage
Construction of four capital cities

30. World in 350 BCE

31. Fall of Persian Empire Not enough tax revenue Loss of Hegemony
Unable to collect taxes efficiently
Loss of Hegemony
Never had a national identity
Alexander the Great
Conquered the Persian Empire in 330 BCE

32. Mauryan Dynasty
Founded by Chandragupta Maurya
Arthashastra

33. Ashoka (268-232 BCE) Conquered most of India Reforms
Used elephants in warfare
Battle of Kalinga
Reforms
Pillars of Ashoka
Centralized bureaucracy
Expanded agriculture
Built roads to promote trade
Promoted the spread of Buddhism
Empire declined after Ashoka’s death

34. Gupta Dynasty (320-565 CE) Founded by Chandra Gupta Gupta Government
Used alliances, tribute & conquest
Gupta Government
Coalition of regional kingdoms
Policy & administration left to local rulers
Eventually destroyed by the White Huns

35. Ancient Greece Geography prevented political unification City-States
Culturally unified
City-States
Cities offered safety and wealth
Different political systems
Unified when threatened
Persian Wars
Wars weaken city-states
Peloponnesian War ( BCE)
Only ten percent of Athenians could vote

36. Greek Colonization

37. Alexander the Great (332-323 BCE)
Father, Philip II, conquered most of Greece
Built a massive empire
Conquered Persia & Egypt
Threatened India
Empire divided into 3 parts after his death
Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt
Seleucid Empire in Persia

38. Hellenistic Empire
Indus

39. Maya (300–900 CE) Heirs to Olmec traditions
Culturally unified city-states
Never form a unified political system
Built elaborate religious and commercial centers
Tikal & Chichen-Itza
Traded luxury products
Advanced math & science
Zero, solar year, etc.

40. El Castillo at Chichen-Itza

41. Mayan Architecture

42. Mayan Oberservatory

44. Mayan Decline
Maya city-states were abandoned or destroyed between CE
Causes for decline include:
The disruption of trade after the decline of Teotihuacan in Central Mexico
Environmental degradation caused by overpopulation
Epidemic disease