Register Tape Chinese History
Topics: Chinese history,
Time, Graphing in one
dimension
Materials List
 Paper register tape
 Ruler
 Pens, markers,
crayons, and/or
colored pencils
By creating a graphic representation of the dynasties and historical events of the land
that is now known as China, students can deepen their understanding of this important
country and culture.
To Do and Notice
1. Measure and label timeline tapes in 10 cm/100 year increments. Because the
major dynasties of China span a period of about 3000 years, perhaps the easiest
scale for students is to 1 year = 1 mm. These means each century of Chinese
history will span 10 cm on the timeline.
2. Label the timelines with major Chinese dynasties.
3. Add detail to the timeline as desired. Suggestions include:
 Create colored bars for each dynasty.
 Add the dates of important events, people, wars, and discoveries.
 Draw or paste in pictures at the appropriate location on the tape.
Major Chinese Dynasties
This activity can be used
to teach:
 Knowledge and
understanding of the
past (National
Curriculum for Social
Studies: Theme 2,
Time, Continuity, and
Change)
 Positive and Negative
Numbers (Common
Core Math Standards:
Grade 6, Number
System, 5)
 Number lines
(Common Core Math
Standards: Grade 6,
Number System, 6)
By some accounts, organized societies have lived in China for over 14,000 years with
written records dating back 3,500 years. The first dynasty in China reportedly began
in 2100 B.C.E.
 Han 206 B.C.E. – 220
 Tang 618-906
 Northern Song 960-1126/Southern Song1127-1279
 Yuan Dynasty 1271-1368
 Ming Dynasty: 1368-1644
 Qing Dynasty: 1644-1911
The Content Behind the Activity
How data is presented visually can make a great impact on how people understand
and interpret events. A simple graphic chart can reach people who would not be able
to make connections between items on a written list in words. In fact, many people
rely on graphics rather than reading the words at all, and many find it easier to
interpret historical data represented in a timeline format.
Web Resources (Visit www.raft.net/raft-idea?isid=352 for more resources!)

Written by Jay Gluckman (RAFT)
Wikipedia: Timeline of Chinese History http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Chinese_history
Copyright 2015, RAFT
Chronology of Chinese Dynasties
Note: Historians are in dispute on dates prior to 841 B.C.E.
Start
12000
Neolithic
B.C.E.
Xia Dynasty
2100 B.C.E.
Shang Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
Western Zhou
Eastern Zhou
Spring and Autumn
Warring States
Qin Dynasty
Western Han
Eastern Han
Three Kingdoms
Wei
Shu Han
Wu
Western Jin
Eastern Jin
Sixteen Kingdoms
Southern and Northern Dynasty
Southern Dynasty
Northern Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
1,700 B.C.E.
1,027 B.C.E.
1066 B.C.E.
770 B.C.E.
-
770 B.C.E.
475 B.C.E.
-
221 B.C.E.
206 B.C.E.
22 A.D.
220 A.D.
220 A.D.
221 A.D.
222 A.D.
265 A.D.
317 A.D.
304 A.D.
-
Tang Dynasty
Five Dynasties
Song Dynasty
Northern Song
420 A.D.
386 A.D.
581 A.D.
618 A.D.
907 A.D.
960 A.D.
-
Southern Song
Liao Dynasty
Western Xia Dynasty
Jin Dynasty
1127 A.D.
907 A.D.
1032 A.D.
1115 A.D.
-
Yuan Dynasty
1279 A.D.
-
Ming Dynasty
1368 A.D.
-
Qing Dynasty
Republic of China
People's Republic of China
1644 A.D.
1912 A.D.
1949 A.D.
-
Register Tape Chinese History, page 2
End
Notes:
2000 B.C.E.
1800 B.C.E.
First record of Chinese Characters date to approx.
1,027 B.C.E. 1,200 B.C.E.
771 B.C.E.
771 B.C.E.
221 B.C.E.
551 BCE–479 BCE: Confucius, famous thinker and
476 B.C.E. social philosopher
221 B.C.E.
208 B.C.E. Start of Construction of the Great Wall
to protect China from raids by Mongol and Turkic
207 B.C.E. tribes
9 A.D. 138 B.C.E.Beginning of the Silk Road
220 A.D. 105 A.D. Cai Lun invents paper
280 A.D. 220 A.D. Introduction of Buddhism in China
265 A.D.
263 A.D.
280 A.D.
316 A.D. 291 to 306 A.D.: War of the Eight Princes
420 A.D.
420 A.D.
589 A.D.
581 A.D.
618 A.D.
635 A.D.: First Christian Missionaries arrive in
China. 756-763 A.D.: The An Shi (An Lushan)
907 A.D. Rebellion results in 36 million deaths
960 A.D.
1127 A.D.
1214 A.D.-- Battle of Bejing: Genghis Khan's armies
breach the great wall in three locations and conquer
1279 A.D. Bejing.
1125 A.D.
1227 A.D.
1234 A.D.
Voyages of Marco Polo, Beginning of mission work
1368 A.D. in China by Franciscan Friars
1406 A.D.: Construction of the Forbidden
City/Palace begins. Voyages of Zheng He: Some
historians assert that Zheng He explored the
1644 A.D. Americas long before explorers from Europe
1814 A.D.: First recorded Western Convert to
Christianity. 1839-184 A.D.2: First Opium War
1911 A.D. 1901 A.D.: Boxer Protocol
1948 A.D.
1893-1976 A.D.: Mao Tse Tung
Copyright 2015, RAFT