Zhou, Qin and Han Dynasties

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Zhou, Qin and Han Dynasties
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Zhou Dynasty1028 BCE - 221 BCE

• Beat the Shang Dynasty claiming the Zhou had
  heavens approval to rule China the Mandate of
  Heaven
• Nobles owned large pieces of land and peasants
  worked the land
• Relatives of the royal family were appointed
  governors of city-states
• Each of these lords raised his own army
• This works at first, but eventually the begin to
  fight among themselves

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Achievements of the Zhou

• Technological Advances
• Built roads and expanded trade
• Formed a cavalry, made the cross bow
• Chinese writing
• Iron plows, irrigation, flood control
• Laozi and Confucianism

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Qin Dynasty221 BCE 207 BCE

• The name China comes from this Dynasty
• Ruler was Qin Shi Huangdi first emperor
• Linked existing fortification into the Great Wall
  
• Unified China by
• Politically Strong Central government, limiting
  power of nobles, uniform code of laws
• Physically Building roads and canals
• Culturally Simplifying and standardizing writing
• also burned books so Chinese would forget about
  past diversity

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Han Achievements 206 BCE 220 CE

• Emperor Wu Ti spread China west, stopped Hun
  invasions
• Civil Service System Promoted Confucianism
  (government officials had to take tests on
  Confucian literature for jobs)
• Pax Sinica Height of Power, prosperity, and
  culture
• Invented sundial, paper, accurate calendar

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Silk Road

• Allowed Buddhism to be introduced from India
• Established trade routes for silk and spices Silk
  Road
• China to Mediterranean
• Buddhism culture spread
• Spread of disease

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Fall of Han

• Collapse of Han
• Military expenditures
• Confiscate land raised taxes
• Widespread revolt
• No clear ruler/ in fighting
• Fall of Han dynasty led to 400 years of war
• Buddhism widely accepted after this because it
  promised eternal peace

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Family

• Most important part of society
• Hierarchy organized onto levels, oldest male
  leader
• Extended families many relatives in one house
• Women were beneath men and under their authority

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Society

• Three Classes
• Landowners wealthy lifestyle supported by the
  work of the peasants
• Peasants (90)
• Turned over part of what they grew as rent to the
  landowners
• Required to pay taxes
• Required to work on Government projects one month
  a year
• Merchants shopkeepers, traders, bankers
• Bottom of society because Confucianism said that
  working for profit was unworthy