Chinese Dynasties
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5 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Xia | The legendary first dynasty of China. It was founded in 2000 B.C. by a prince named Yu when he tamed the waters of the river so that the farmers could farm the valley. After Yu, the rulers were cruel and were overthrown by the Shang in 1600 |
| Shang | About 1600 or 1500 B.C.E., they came to power in Northern China and ruled from a small state near the Yellow River. They demanded tribute from neighboring peoples and were able to do so because of their powerful army. They are noted for their bronze work and for the development of the first known Chinese writing system. Their capital was at Anyang. |
| Zhou | They conquered the Shang. Due to feudalism, local nobles became more powerful than the king. This led to the nobles successfully rebelling against them. They reigned longer than any other dynasty in China. |
| Qin | From 221-202, laid the bases for later dynasties. Overthrew the last of the Zhou dynasty. The emperor called himself Qin Shihuangdi and ran a Legalist government. The great wall was built during this dynasty and so were roads and canals that helped unify the country. The fact that Confucian scholars were banned led to weak government and the downfall of the dynasty. |
| Han | Founded by Gou Zu "great ancestral father" in 202 and lasted until 220. This dynasty drew on Qin patterns of governing but avoided the extremes of a rigid rule. This is considered the most remarkable dynasty of China. They traded with the Romans and made many scientific advances. They also had civil service exams. |
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