Ancient China

Terms in this set (42)

(Yellow River) River that flows from west tow east across China and gets its name from the yellow soil it carries. It flooded frequently and is known as "China's Sorrow." This river was the center of the first Chinese civilization.

(Yangtze River) River that flows west to east across China, south of the Huang He. It also has rich soil for farming.

Probably the first Chinese Dynasty but little is known about it (a proto-civilization--had some but not all characteristics of civilization)

The dynasty of Chinese rulers that probably built the first cities and had the first writing. The kings of this dynasty used warlords to help them rule, and they used oracle bones to ask for help from the gods. Their artisans were famous for their bronze artwork.

First Chinese capital city, under the Shang Dynasty

Military leaders who commanded their own armies and governed the kingdom's territories.

A noble whose wealth comes from the land he owns and whose power is passed down from generation to generation

Animal bone on which Shang priests would scratch questions. Then they would insert a metal rod and heat it, which would cause the bone to crack. The priests would interpret the cracks to be the gods' answers to the questions.

China's first female general; she lived during the Shang Dynasty and was famous for her strength, martial arts skills, and military strategy. Her tomb was discovered intact containing over 2,000 artifacts.

Natural disasters (severe floods and droughts)
Corruption in the government
Large gap between the rich and poor (which led to social unrest, distrust, and fear)

reasons for the weakness of the Shang Dynasty by c. 1000 BCE

Chinese dynasty that ruled for more than 800 years, with warlords ruling over different sections of the kingdom.

Era (Period) of Warring States

The last 200 years of the Zhou Dynasty, when the warlords stopped obeying the Zhou rulers and fought one another constantly

The group of appointed officials who are responsible for running different parts of the government

Mandate of Heaven

The power to rule, given by the gods to the ruler, who was expected to rule well or the gods would take away this power.
Some signs that a ruler had lost the favor of the gods might be natural disasters or riots.
People then had the right to overthrow the ruler.

Introduced coins (often round with square hole in center)
Created a large bureaucracy
Introduced the use of iron (Iron plow → more food → population growth (Stronger weapons → more deadly warfare)
Introduced new weapons (Crossbow; Saddle and stirrups)

Accomplishments of the Zhou Dynasty

A bow that uses a crank to pull the string and shoots arrows with great strength.

One of the warring states, whose ruler defeated the other warlords and became emperor of China, starting a new dynasty

United warring states into one empire
Ruled according to Legalism (killed opponents and burned books with opposing views)
Created a single currency
Built roads
Build a canal
Created Great Wall of China by connecting existing walls

Accomplishments of Qin Shihuangdi (good and bad)

Warlord of Qin state who became "First Qin Emperor" of China

Dynasty of Qin Shihuangdi (included him and his son, who ruled for a few years before being overthrown)

Xian (or Xi'an)

Capital of China under the Qin Dynasty

The canal that Qin Shihuangdi built, which connected the Xiang and the Li rivers

Nomadic herders who lived in the Gobi Desert and were masters of fighting on horseback and who often attacked Chinese farms and villages. The Great Wall was built to protect the Chinee from these invaders. (Known in the West as the Huns)

Great Wall of China

A long wall built by peasant workers under the orders of Qin Shihuangdi by connecting existing walls. Its purpose was to protect China from the Xiongnu and other invaders from the Gobi.

Terracotta Army

An army of over 6,000 clay sculptures of soldiers and horses in fighting formation, which were placed underground in Xian to guard the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi

A peasant who became a military leader and defeated his rivals to become emperor of China. He established the Han Dynasty

Title of Liu Bang, which means "Exalted Emperor of Han"

The emperor under whom the Han Dynasty reached its peak

"Martial Emperor of Han"

meaning of the title Han Wudi

civil service examinations

A system of difficult tests (largely based on Confucianism) established by Han Wudi to make sure government officials were the most talented people. (The system still favored the rich because only the wealthy could afford the education necessary to pass the exams, but at least the people in the jobs were intelligent and hard-working.)

people who work on farmland that is owned by someone else, and they pay rent in the form of crops

waterwheels (used to grind grain into flour)
iron drill bits (helped mine salt)
paper (made from wood pulp)
steel (a stronger, more refined form of iron)
rudders on ships
movable sails (that allowed ships to sail into the wind--tacking side to side)

Inventions during the Han Dynasty

A medical treatment in which pain is eased by sticking thin needles into patients' skin

Zhang Qian (pronounced JAHNG CHYEHN)

A general who was ordered by Emperor Han Wudi to explore areas west of China and to find allies for China against its enemies. After a journey of 13 years, he returned to describe his visit to the Roman Empire.

A large network of trade routes stretching 4,000 miles from western China to southwest Asia. From there, Arab traders carried the goods to the Mediterranean Sea. (So goods traveled from Han Dynasty China to the Roman Empire.)

The capital of China during the Han Dynasty

Chinese name for Confucius

People are by nature good
Government should treat people fairly
Respect/obey parents, elders, and ruler
Importance of education
5 Basic Relationships
(Know the details on the Philosophers Chart)

Confucianism (Philosophy of Confucius)

Founder of Doaism

Limit the government's power
Individuals should get in touch with nature
Nature is a balance between yin and yang
(Know the details on the Philosophers Chart)

Founder of Legalism

People are by nature evil
Government must impose strict rules and harsh punishments
(Know the details on the Philosophers Chart)

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