Chap 8.1 Flashcards

1
Q

When did Zhou (Djoo) dynasty begin to decline?

A

Zhou (Djoo) dynasty began to decline around 400 BC

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2
Q

What contributed to decline of Zhou dynastry?

A

Power shifted to local nobles

Several small states battled for land, power by 300s

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3
Q

What dynasty next rose to power?

A

State of Qin rose to power

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4
Q

How did Qin rise to power?

Where did the Qin come from?

A

–Located on China’s western frontier

–Conquered other states in military campaigns

–Last rival state fell, 221 BC

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5
Q

What did the Qin do to China?

A

Qin unified Chinese empire

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6
Q

Who was the first emperor of China?

A

•First ruler of new empire took title Shi Huangdi (Sheewangdee), “first emperor”

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7
Q

What did Shi Huangdi establish?

What was its teaching?

A
  • Founded school of Legalism
  • Taught that powerful, efficient government key to maintaining order
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8
Q

What did Legalists reject?

A

Rejection of Confucianism

•Legalists rejected philosophy developed during Zhou dynasty

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9
Q

How were Legalists different from Confucianism?

A
  • Confucianists thought rulers should be virtuous, lead by example
  • Legalists said rulers should be strong, govern through force
  • Supported strict laws, stressed harsh punishment for even minor crimes
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10
Q

What kind of government did Qin believe in?

A

Strong, Centralized Government

Had to Maintain Order

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11
Q

How did Shi Huangdi establish a strong centralized government?

Describe 4 things

A
  • Shi Huangdi weakened rival nobles by taking land
  • Forced nobles to move to capital so he could watch them
  • Seized all private arms to prevent rebellions
  • Divided China into 36 districts, appointed loyalists to govern them
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12
Q

How did Shi Huangdi maintain order?

A
  • Shi Huangdi suppressed all criticism of his rule
  • Ordered burning of books which conflicted with Legalist thinking
  • Only books on practical subjects like agriculture, medicine spared
  • Confucian scholars who discussed banned books, criticized Qin government tortured, killed
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13
Q

What were the QIN reforms?

List 3 things

A
  1. Unified, strengthened China
  2. Standardized laws, writings, monetary systems, weights and measures
  3. Also standardized size of carts so they could fit China’s roads
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14
Q

What were the building projects?

List 3 major projects

A
  1. Improved irrigation system and increased farm production
  2. Expanded roads and canals to link capital to other parts of empire
  3. Improved transportation, increased trade, heavy taxes
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15
Q

What did QIN do to protect China?

What did it build?

A

•Worked to protect empire from outside threats

•Great Wall of China

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16
Q

What led to fall of the QIN?

A
  • Dynasty’s policies fueled anger, resentment
  • Qin dynasty crumbled after Shi Huangdi died, 210 BC

–Peasants fed up with forced labor, high taxes, rebelled

–Nobles eager to regain land, power, raised armies against new emperor

17
Q

Who and what dynasty came after the QIN?

A

–Peasant rebel leader Liu Bang (Lee-oo-bahng) defeated Qin forces, founded Han dynasty

18
Q

When did the HAN dynasty rule?

For how long?

A

The Han dynasty ruled China from 206 BC to AD 220, more than 400 years.

19
Q

How did Liu Bang restore control over China?

A
  • Liu Bang ruled with “mandate of heaven”
  • Ancient Chinese beliefs:

–Gods supported virtuous rulers

–Opposed corrupt ones

–Defeated ruler had lost support of the gods

20
Q

What did Liu Bang do to gain loyalty of the people and the military?

A
  • Liu Bang softened harsh Legalist policies
  • Lowered taxes, earned loyalty of peasants
  • Gave land to relatives, military supporters
  • Distribution of land earned military’s loyalty
21
Q

What kind of government was the Han dynasty?

How did the Han dynasty keep China stable?

A
  • Liu Bang continued Qin’s strong, centralized government
  • Expanded bureaucracy where officials appointed to oversee administration of Han government
  • Helped restore stability to Chinese empire
22
Q

What was the belief system during Han dynasty?

A

Confucianism

  • Liu Bang not well educated
  • Appointed Confucian scholars to advise, serve in government
  • Confucianism regained popularity, shaped new empire
  • Some Legalist policies remained, maintained firm control over empire
23
Q

After Liu Bang died, who ruled?

A

A Powerful Empress

Liu Bang died 195 BC

  • Son took throne, but too young to rule
  • His mother, Empress Lü, ruled in his place
  • One of Liu Bang’s many wives, Lü plotted for son to be emperor
24
Q

How did Empress Lu hold onto power?

What happened after Empress Lu died?

A
  • After son gained throne, Empress Lü promoted family’s interests
  • Had series of infants named emperor after son died young
  • Empress Lü died, 180 BC; officials had entire Lü family killed
25
Q

Who was the greatest Han emperor?

A
  • Emperor Wudi ruled from 141 to 187 BC
  • Greatest of all Han rulers
26
Q

What did Emperor WUDI do for China?

A
  • Promoted economic growth
  • New roads, canals made it easier to get products to market
  • Monopolies on some products; limits on merchants to limit power, wealth
27
Q

What was the government philosophy during reign of Emperor Wudi?

A

•Wudi wanted officials to hold Confucian values

28
Q

What was developed to ensure Confucianism?

Who controlled the government?

A
  • Developed civil service system
  • Candidates had to pass exam in Confucian classics to work for government
  • Wealthy families continued to control government
29
Q

What was the biggest threat to Wudi’s security?

A
  • Biggest threat to Wudi’s security was Xiongnu tribe
  • Excellent horse skills, fierce warriors who lived in northern China
30
Q

How did Wudi expand China?

A
  • Wudi expanded empire through warfare
  • Began to use force against Xiongnu tribes, 133 BC
  • Formed alliances with Xiongnu enemies
31
Q

Where did Wudi expand the Chinese empire?

A

•Colonized parts of Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam; extended control into Central Asia & west

32
Q

What started to lead to decline of Han dynasty?

A
  • Brief crisis AD 9 when rebel Wang Mang seized throne
  • Han regained control, AD 25, start of Later Han dynasty
  • high taxes crushing poor
33
Q

What happened to the empire as Han dynasty declined?

A
  • Yellow Turbans revolts AD 184
  • Threw empire into chaos
  • Power shifted to local warlords

•Warfare tore region apart

•China began period of division which lasted 350 years