Dec 1, 2015
AIM: What political, social and economic factors allowed
for the initial success of the Han Dynasty?
DO NOW: Examine the Social Hierarchy chart on page
202. How does this differ from other societies we’ve
studied? What might be the reasoning for these
differences?
Why might soldiers be the lowest social class?
How might the reality of this chart differ from the ideal?
Homework: Definitions due Thursday. Multiple-choice
corrections due Thursday
The Han Dynasty of China:
A Chinese Golden Age
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Why do empires rise and fall?
What methods do governments use to control the population?
Historical Setting of the Han
• Followed the Qin dynasty
– 221-206 BCE
– Qin ended in rebellion and civil war due to
weak ruler and unrest (206-202 BCE)
– What beliefs of Shi Huangdi’s continue?
• Han dynasty was China’s second
imperial dynasty
– 206 (or 202) BCE-220 CE
• Over 400 years
Liu Bang – Emperor Gaozu of Han
• Civil war
– Two strong leaders
• Xiang Yu (aristocratic general)
• Liu Bang (peasant-class
general under Xiang Yu)
• 202 BCE
– Liu Bang beat Xiang Yu for
good
• Liu Bang declared start of Han
dynasty
Liu Bang reigned
202 BCE-195 BCE.
Two Periods of the Han Dynasty
• Former Han
– Also called the Western Han
– 206 BCE-9 CE
• Interrupted by the Xin dynasty
– Under Wang Mang
– 9-23 CE
• Later Han
– Also called the Eastern Han
– 25-220 CE
Government under the Han
• Centralized government
– Capital cities
• Chang’an
– 206 BCE-9 CE (all of the Former or Western Han) and 190195 CE (Later or Eastern Han)
• Luoyang
– 25-190 CE and 196 CE (most of the Later or Eastern Han)
• Xuchang
– 196-220 CE (very end of the Later or Eastern Han)
– How does a centralized government help with the
expansion of commerce (Business) and technology?
• Lowered taxes
• Less harsh punishments
• Peasants are relieved
Empress Lu
• One of Liu Bang’s widows
• Retained power by naming various children as
emperor in turn
• Regent – A person who rules in someone else’s
name
• Example of power gained through the
manipulation of court politics
– Families vied for power
– Alliances among powerful and influential people –
detract from government
– Corruption
Wudi – The Martial Emperor
• Wudi lived 141-87 BCE
• Used warfare to expand the Chinese empire
– Northern steppes
Xiongnu – steppe nomads from the north and west
Commonly raided Chinese villages
Traditionally kept at bay through bribery
Wudi made allies of the Xiongnu’s enemies and sent in
100,000 soldiers
• Pushed the Xiongnu back
• Settled soldiers on former Xiongnu lands
• But the nomads of the steppes provided ongoing conflict
•
•
•
•
– Modern-day Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam, etc.
• Conquered and colonized
• Borders under Wudi nearly what they are today
Social Classes under the Han
Emperor
Governors
and Kings
Nobles, Scholars,
and State Officials
Peasants (Farmers)
Artisans and Merchants
Soldiers
Slaves
Commerce and Trade under the Han
• Trade and commerce were not respected
but were still very important
• Government had monopolies
–
–
–
–
Salt mining
Iron forging
Coin minting
Alcohol brewing
• Government engaged in industry
– Silk weaving
• Growth of trade along the Silk Roads
Agriculture under the Han
• Population of 60,000,000 to be fed
• Farming thought to be a pivotal and
honored occupation
• But in reality small farmers were
burdened by government taxes and
became heavily indebted to the rich
Ancient Chinese wheelbarrow
Bureaucracy under the Han
• Taxes supported the government and
military
• Merchants
– Paid taxes
• Peasants
– Gave the government a portion of their
annual crops
– Each year gave a month of labor (for public
works projects) or of military service
Do Now: Which of these inventions had the
most beneficial impact on China? Why?
Paper
Collar harness
Plow
Wheelbarrow
Waterwheel
• Invented in 105 CE
• Books became inexpensive to produce; expanded
education
• Bureaucracy grew and became more efficient
• Horses could carry heavier loads
• Best harness available at the time worldwide
• The Chinese made one with two blades
• Much more efficient
• Invented independently (Greeks had invented
as well)
• Central wheel and axle let Chinese
wheelbarrows carry very heavy weights
• Used to power early machines such as the
bellows for smelting iron
Dec 1, 2015
AIM: What political, social and economic factors resulted
in both the rise and eventual decline of the Han Dynasty?
DO NOW: Technology analysis
HOMEWORK: “Wang Mang: Socialist?” due Thursday.
(Read & annotate article, put 3 points on both sections of
the chart. Do not answer questions – just think about them)
- Vocab is extra credit, but is due Thursday
Golden Age of Han China
– Technology
– Civil Service
– Trade & Silk Road
– Expansion
– Powerful Government – Confucianists &
Legalists in the Court (on-going debate
between reality and ethics)
Note: Golden Ages ALWAYS happen during
a time of relative peace and tranquility. PAX
Civil Service under the Han
• Over 130,000 employees - Bureaucracy
• 18 ranks of employees – A new test for
each level
– Wudi set up a Confucian-themed school
– Formal examinations in Confucianism,
– Theoretically a merit-based system
• But poor could not afford to educate their children
Silk Roads under the Han
• Trade routes across Asia
– To Mediterranean (access to Europe) in the west
• Chinese silks were sold in the marketplaces of the ancient
Roman empire
– To Yellow Sea and China Sea (access to Japan) in the
east
• Traded silk and other goods
• Cultural diffusion
– Trade goods reflected the many cultures across this
trading region
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO1E8x27LVE
Keeping hold of the conquered areas.
Unification of the Han Empire
Colonization
• Farmers sent to
settle new areas
• Settlers
encouraged to
marry locals
Assimilation
• Established
Confucian
schools in
colonized areas
• Chinese became
the common
written language
Rich vs. Poor
• Inheritance law was the root cause of the
problem
– Land divided among male heirs (sons)
– Reduced the size of plots with each generation
– Small farmers couldn’t support themselves and
had to borrow money
• Became indebted to rich, aristocratic landowners
• These aristocratic landowners did not have to pay taxes
– Decreased tax revenue for the government
• Government pressed peasants even harder for taxes
– Rich grew richer and poor grew poorer
Rich Get Richer, Poor Get Poorer
Peasant farmers grew poorer as
they could not afford to pay
taxes
With less land owned by
peasants, the government took
in less tax revenue, and had to
pressure the remaining peasant
landowners even harder for tax
money
Peasants were forced to borrow
money from rich aristocratic
landowners who didn’t pay
taxes
Rich aristocratic landowners
foreclosed on the peasants’
farms, decreasing the land
owned by peasants
Wang Mang 9-23 ce
ce = current era (same as AD)
Wang Mang
• 32 BCE-9 CE – unstable, chaotic period
• 3-9 CE – Wang Mang, a Confucian scholar,
served as regent for an infant Han emperor
• 9 CE – Wang Mang overthrew the Han and
became emperor
• Wang Mang’s rule called the Xin dynasty
• Was Wang Mang a selfless reformer or a
selfish fool?
Xin Dynasty under Wang Mang
• Changes under Wang Mang
– Minted more money (knife coins) to solve
the budget crisis
• Led to inflation
– Established public granaries to feed the
poor
• Cost more money
– Land redistribution
• Upset wealthy, aristocratic landowners
The True Motivations
of Wang Mang
Guiding Questions
• How and why has the historiography of
Wang Mang changed over time?
• What are the challenges with available
evidence?
• Which argument do you support? Why?
End of the Xin Dynasty
• 11 CE – flood killed thousands and
displaced millions
– Not enough food
– Peasant revolts
– Wealthy aristocrats joined the revolts
• Upset over land redistribution
• 23 CE – Wang Mang assassinated
• 23-25 CE – chaos
• 25 CE – Han family regained power
Later (or Eastern) Han Dynasty
• 25-220 CE
• Imperial family eventually regained
power after Wang Mang
• Initially brought prosperity to China
• Eventually fell apart for largely the same
reasons that the Former (Western) Han
fell apart
• Followed by the Three Kingdoms
Dec 3, 2015
AIM: Do Confucianist, Legalist or Daoist beliefs allow for
the greatest degree of social, political and economic
stability?
DO NOW: Reread “Daoists Seek Harmony” page 105106. Could a Daoist be a successful leader of China, or
any nation? Why or why not?
HOMEWORK: Socratic Seminar planning sheet. Due
tomorrow. This CAN NOT be made up and is important towards
your grade for Marking Period 2.
- Tomorrow is the end of the marking period. Today is the last
day to stay after in my class. (turn in any extra credit or redos)
- Monday  Essay test (Thematic Regents – Change, Belief
Systems or Geography)
Dec 4, 2015
AIM: Do Confucianist, Legalist or Daoist beliefs allow for
the greatest degree of social, political and economic
stability?
DO NOW: Read through the level 5 column of the
rubric. Write a goal for yourself on the back of the
paper. (must be skill based and specific, not just a
number)
SEMINAR #1 – PLEASE GO IN INNER CIRCLE FIRST
HOMEWORK: Study for essay test on Monday. (Thematic
Regents – Change, Belief Systems )
1. Tao [Dao] is the first-cause of the
universe. It is a force that flows through
all life. [Think of “The Force” from Star
Wars – Controversy over the Mystical]
2. A believer’s goal is to become one with
Tao; one with nature.
3. Wu wei --> “Let nature take its course.”
--> “The art of doing nothing.”
--> “Go with the flow!”
4. Man is unhappy because he lives acc. to
man-made laws, customs, & traditions that
are contrary to the ways of nature.
To escape the “social, political, & cultural traps” of
life, one must:
1. Reject formal knowledge and
learning.
2. Rely on the senses and instincts.
3. Discover the nature and
“rhythm” of the universe.
4. Ignore political and social laws.
Socratic Seminar Guidelines
• Come prepared. Bring notes and bookmarked pages that
are relevant to the discussion.
• Participate, participate, participate!
• Relate your comments to the text and historical evidence
• Back up comments with evidence from the text.
• Try to comment on someone else's previous statement
before you give yours.
• Keep discussion alive by asking open-ended, thoughtprovoking questions.
• Disagree with comments, not individuals. Never put anyone
down.
• Use your speaking time fairly (contribute but do not
control).
Condu
ct
Speaki
ng
Reason
ing
Histori
cal
Eviden
ce
Listen
5
4
3
*Patient with differing opinions.
*Asks for clarification.
*Brings others into the
dialogue.
*Very focused on the dialogue.
*Speaks to all participants.
*Articulate.
*Takes a leadership role
without monopolizing the
discussion.
*Respectful.
*Comments, but does not attempt to
involve others.
*Generally focused.
*Cites relevant text.
*Relates topic to outside
knowledge and other topics.
*Makes connections between
own thoughts and others’.
*Willing to take an alternate
viewpoint.
*Asks thoughtful questions to
further dialogue.
* Demonstrates a clear and
complex understanding of both
relevant history and of current
events
* Makes complex connections
across different eras and
regions
*Makes limited connections to others’
ideas.
*Some intriguing points that merit
reaction.
*Some references to text.
* Asks simple questions
*Participates but shows
impatience.
*Some focus.
*Engages in
unrelated conversations.
*Speaks too softly.
* Speaks to leader not group
*Needs prompting to get
involved.
*Has no sustainable point; uses
“sound bites.”
*Monopolizes the discussion.
*Accurate on minor points, but
misses the main point.
*No textual support; “talking of
the top of your head.”
*Refuses to acknowledge
alternate viewpoints.
*Does not pose questions
* Demonstrates good understanding of
both relevant history and of current
events
* Makes connections across different
eras and regions
* Demonstrates some
understanding of both relevant
history OR of current events
* Makes connections related to
same topic or period
*Writes down comments,
questions, ideas.
*Builds on other’s ideas & gives
others credit.
*Generally attentive and focused.
*Responds thoughtfully.
*Takes some notes.
*Comments are disconnected.
*Takes limited notes.
*Speaks to most participants.
*Attempts to move on to new ideas.
*Tends to “ramble on” after making a
point.
Points/Responses for
Textual Evidence
discussion. Cite FACTS from
notes, outlines…
Hammurabi – law code unified
“The intelligent sovereign
babylon, dismembered…
offers rewards that may be
earned and establishes
Shi Huangdi – Qin..
punishments that should be
avoided.” (Legalism)
Textual evidence should come from: (vary your sources!)
- Outlines & Current Events
- Wang Mang Article,
- A Brief history of China: The Rise of Philosophical Schools,
- Iron & Salt Article,
- Assorted Readings on Women
- excerpts from Confucous, Lao Tzu and Han Fei Tzu
December 7, 2015
DO NOW: Take out two pieces of loose-leaf paper. On
the top of the first piece, write out your goal for this
essay.
“My goal for this essay is …”
Suggestions include:
- to write an strong thesis that tells the reader what the essay
is about.
- To focus on and organize around the task.
- include more vocabulary, data and evidence
HOMEWORK: (dates on syllabus should say Dec 7-11, 2015)
- Vocabulary due Tuesday. (Some of the terms are from
the earlier chapter, pp. 122-126)
- Outline pp 127-133 “Warring City-States” due Thursday
I.
Introduction
a. Overview of topic
b. Thesis:
II. one idea of 1st belief system
a.
b.
III. effects of 1st belief system
a.
b.
IV. one idea of 2nd belief system
a.
b.
V. effects of 2nd belief system
a.
b.
VI. Conclusion
a. Restate Thesis
b. Importance Today
This is a 6
paragraph essay.
YOU MUST
ORGANIZE
according to this
structure.