1. Prehistory in China to the Xia Dynasty
Which hominids lived in China?
What evidence is there of Stone Age culture?
Describe what the Xia Dynasty may have been like.
Who was Yu the Great and what did he do?
2. Geography of China
How does the geography of China protect it or limit its contact with other
civilizations?
What is the climate like in China?
How and where did civilization rise up within China? Discuss prehistoric cultures.
3. Hwang Ho River and Early Civilization
Describe the Hwang Ho River.
Why was this river important to early civilization?
Describe the early settlers in China.
What is some evidence of early civilization in China?
4. Shang Dynasty
When did this dynasty begin and end?
Describe Shang Cities.
Describe how Shang farmers grew crops.
Describe Shang culture such as religion and writing.
Describe how the Shang Dynasty came to an end.
5. Zhou Dynasty
Describe how the Zhou Dynasty began.
What role did “heaven” play in the Zhou Dynasty?
Describe how the Zhou Dynasty governed China.
What happened during the Time of the Warring States?
Describe how the Zhou Dynasty came to an end.
6. Confucius
Who was he?
When did he live?
Describe his early life in detail.
Describe what, how and where he taught.
7. Confucianism
Briefly describe who Confucius was.
What were the Five Relationships?
What were some other teachings of Confucianism?
Describe how Confucianism spread.
How did Confucianism affect the government in China?
8. Ch’in (Qin) Dynasty
How did the Ch’in Dynasty begin?
Briefly describe the ruler of the Ch’in Dynasty.
How did he govern his empire?
How and why did he try to destroy China’s past?
What great things did he accomplish?
Describe how the Ch’in Dynasty came to an end.
9. Shih Huang Ti (First Emperor)
Who was he?
How did he come to power?
What did he do once he came to power?
What good/bad things did he do?
How did his empire come to an end?
10. Great Wall of China
When was it built?
How was it built?
How long/wide/tall is/was it?
What was the purpose of the Great Wall?
11. Tomb of the First Emperor
Why and how was the tomb built?
What may be inside the tomb?
Tell us about the terracotta warriors.
What were Chinese people’s beliefs about the afterlife?
12. Han Dynasty
How did the Han Dynasty begin?
Describe the government of the Han Dynasty.
How did they choose government officials?
What role did Confucianism and Buddhism play in the Han Dynasty?
How did the Han Dynasty come to an end?
13. Chinese Achievements
What great things did China do or invent?
How have these inventions changed or affected the world?
14. Chinese Culture and Beliefs
Take notes on the following things: What traditional cultural practices are Chinese
people famous for?
What are some of the traditional beliefs of China? Make sure you discuss such things as
Chinese tea ceremonies, Chinese dragons, festivals, beliefs in spirits, fortunetelling, foot
binding, etc.
15. The Opponents of Confucianism (Daoism, Moists and Legalists)
Describe the founder of Daoism (Taoism) and the basic teachings of Daoism.
Describe the beliefs of Moists and Legalists as well as other beliefs that were also popular
or contrary to the teachings of Confucianism.
16. China Today:
Important facts about China today:
 Demographics

Government

Trade policies

China’s stand on human rights issues

China’s environmental issues

Religious freedom

Censorship in China

Piracy in China

Other interesting facts
17. China in Popular Culture Today:
Important facts about how Chinese culture is popular in countries around the world:
 Kung Fu

Chinese movies

Chinese movie stars like Jackie Chan, etc.

Americanized Chinese food

Chinese “knockoffs”

Other interesting facts
18. The Biodiversity of China:
Describe the diverse wildlife in China today, i.e., take notes on animals
that are native to China.
Describe why some animals are now listed as endangered species.
Discuss the illegal wildlife trade in China and its relationship to traditional Chinese
medicine.
19. Chinese Traditional Medicine:
Describe the history of Chinese traditional medicine and the Chinese view of sickness.
Then describe some specific cures of Chinese traditional medicine.
Discuss the impact of Chinese traditional medicine on wildlife around the world today.
20. Chinese Cuisine:
Share important facts about the history of Chinese food.
Describe Chinese food today.
Discuss table manners, etc.
21. Chinese Writing
Take notes on the history of Chinese writing.
Content, not conventions, will be assessed.
REFLECTION ON ESSENTIAL QUESTION #1: How can I make a good oral presentation and
PowerPoint presentation? (Use point form notes to answer this question.)
ESSENTIAL QUESTION #2: How has the China of the past affected present-day China? (Use full
sentences to describe the things that exist in modern China that existed back in ancient China.)
ESSENTIAL QUESTION #3: What great inventions and achievements did China give us? (Use full
sentences to describe what you feel are the most important inventions that China has given to our
modern world.)