Ancient China Flashcards
Chang Jang River
Also known as the Yangtze river and is the longest river in Asia
Huang He River
also known as the Yellow River; China’s second-longest river; is called the Yellow River because of the tiny particles of loess, or silt, that make the water look yellow
Confucius
(551-479 BCE) Chinese teacher and philosopher who founded Confucianism, a belief system that teaches the concepts of charity, morality, and tradition
Laozi
Laozi – (604 BCE-531 BCE) sometimes known as Lao Tzu; Chinese teacher and philosopher who founded Taoism, a belief system that teaches a peaceful and non-aggressive way of life
Qin Shi Huang Di
(259-210 BCE) the first Chinese emperor who unified China in 221 BCE; he is famous for his belief in “order above all else; a uniform code of laws was enforced by harsh punishment under his rule
Mandate of Heaven
An idea in ancient China that if a ruler was honest and good, he would have the approval of the gods and the right to rule. However, if the ruler was not good, he would lose the gods’ approval and the people of China could remove him from power
Great Wall of China
a linked series of defensive walls, watchtowers, and natural barriers that was built in China to defend against invaders; construction began in the Qin Dynasty and was finished in the Ming Dynasty
Silk Road
an ancient trade route that connected ancient China to civilizations to the west; enabled the exchange of valuable goods as well as cultural ideas such as religion
Meritocracy
a form of government in which people are chosen for their jobs based on their merits, or abilities, rather than their social status; Confucius is known for his belief in this type of government
Monopoly
when a single owner or group has control of producing or selling a good or service; the ancient Chinese had a monopoly over silk because they were the only civilization who knew how to produce it
