Study Guide: - China is very old. Its written history goes back 3,500 years. - For more than 2,000 years – from 221 BCE until 1912 CE – the empire developed under the watchful eyes of more than a dozen ruling families, called dynasties. - During the time of the empire, the people of China accomplished a great deal. They invented printing, gunpowder, fireworks, the compass, and kites. Chinese workers built the world’s longest wall and its longest canal. - Chinese discovered the secrets of silk-making. - From a soggy mixture of old rags, bark, and bamboo, they created paper. - China takes its name from the dynasty started by the powerful first emperor, Shi Huangdi, of the Qin dynasty. - Qin sounds like “chin” – hence our word “China.” - China’s most famous landmark. Known as the Great Wall. Stretching at least 5,500 miles along. - Ancient China’s first dynasty was the Shang. - Chinese dynasties areShang c. 1750–1040 BCE Qin c. 221–210 BCE Sui c. 1581–618 Song c. 960–1279 Ming - Known for its excellent pottery. n Most known dynasty. c. 1368–1644 Zhou c. 1122–256 BCE Han c. 206 BCE–220 CE Tang c. 618–907 CE Yuan c. 1279–1368 CE Qing c. 1644–1912 CE - The Huang He River. As the Huang He crosses China’s deserts, it collects yellow silt called loess, a fertile soil. This loess gives the Huang He, or “Yellow River,” its name. - Highest rank in society 1. The emperor and the royal family. 2. Just below them stood civil servants. 3. Below civil servants stood the peasants and the craftspeople. 4. Near the bottom of the ladder stood the merchant class. 5. On the very bottom step of the ladder stood entertainers, soldiers, and servants. - Confucius - Student who hoped to join the civil service spent many hours studying the teachings of the philosopher Confucius. - Civil-Service exam, which was first given in the Song dynasty. Only about one percent of test takers passed the exam. - China’s first dynasties – the Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han. - Shang Dynasty(c. 1750–1040 BCE) The Shang empire grew out of the Huang He river valley. One of the Shang’s creations was a 12-month, 360-day calendar. - Zhou Dynasty (c. 1122–256 BCE) The Zhou civilization developed along the Wei River. They overthrew the Shang. The Zhou dynasty was the longest lasting. writing was further developed, coins were issued, iron was introduced, and the crossbow was invented. We also have the Zhou to thank for chopsticks. - Qin Dynasty(c. 221–210 BCE) Shi Huangdi, broke up other kingdoms and unified northern China, bringing the country under strict central control. The Qin built much of the first phase of China’s Great Wall. - Han Dynasty (c. 206 BCE–220 CE) China’s borders expanded. They preserved the districts and central rule of the Qin dynasty. They took very seriously the moral responsibilities laid out in Confucianism, they were not harsh toward their subjects. - Trading increased as the Silk Road was established from the Han capital to the Mediterranean Sea. The new religion of Buddhism began to spread northward from its birthplace in India to China. - The Han rulers brought China into a golden age of learning and artistic achievement. Paper was invented, and historians wrote many important works. -Three major religions of ancient China – Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism – became popular between the 6th century BCE and the 1st century CE. - Confucian ideals about showing respect to one’s parents. - The most amazing feat of Chinese engineering is the Great Wall, but a close second is the Grand Canal. - At 1,000 mileslong, the Grand Canal is the world’s longest canal. Built by Emperor Yang Di (569–618 CE) during the Sui dynasty to help transport soldiers and grain around the empire, it linked the Chang Jiang and Huang He (Yangzi and Yellow). - In some places the Great Wall is as high as a three-story building and wide enough for several horses to travel side by side. - Hundreds of thousands of workers died while building the Great Wall. That earned it the nickname “Longest Cemetery on Earth.” - The Silk Road was not one but a series of trade routes that connected China with India, the Middle East, Persia, and the Roman Empire. - Because of this trade, the Romans knew China as Serica, “Land of Silk.”
We are all living in a history book. How do you want to be remembered? Cassi Silva (ULV 2019)
WEDNESDAY 2/1
TODAY'S OBJECTIVE: Students will: Learn about Chinese history.
THURSDAY 1/30 & FRIDAY 2/3
THURSDAY 1/12 & FRIDAY 1/13
THURSDAY, and Friday Objectives: English: Magazine: 9 Temas 1,2,4,7,8 Espanol: Revista 8: Temas 1,2,4,7,8