Section 3.1: Zhou, Qin, and Han Dynasties Flashcards
What was the first dynasty to rule China?
The Shang Dynasty
What was the second Dynasty to rule China?
The Zhou Dynasty
What happened after the Zhou rulers lost their power?
The warring states period began, which each separate state of China led by individual lords tried to conquer the other
Mandate of Heaven
The idea created by the Zhou emperors that stated that Heaven had transferred its mandate to rule China to the emperors; this idea was used as a key justification for Chinese imperial rule from the Zhou and on
What was the main thing that the Zhou did to provide cultural unity for the rest of China?
They promoted one standard language be spoken, called Mandarin Chinese.
What led to the downfall of the Zhou dynasty?
The era of the warring states, caused by the fact that the Zhou encouraged feudalism, which caused regional rulers to form independent armies
What philosophy influenced the ideas of Qin Shi Huangdi?
Legalism; this led him to be a brutal, absolute ruler over all of China
Why was Qin Shi Huangdi so successful at ending the time of the warring states?
Once he took over China, he assumed control of the feudal states and used his powerful armies to crush any resistance led by independent lords
Who built the Great Wall of China in the north?
Forced laborers
What led to the downfall of the Qin Dynasty?
Qin Shi Huangdi’s ruthless tactics made him very unpopular, so when he died, peasants revolted and one peasant leader defeated his opponents and established the Han Dynasty
What dynasty rounded out China’s basic political and intellectual structure?
The Han Dynasty
What did the Han Dynasty (particularly Wudi) bring to China that allowed great prosperity?
Peace, as they reduced the brutal oppression of the Qin Dynasty’s era
Wudi-
The most famous Han Ruler that brought peace to China
How did the Han Dynasty end?
Central control weekend and an invading Nomadic people called the Xiongnu overturned the dynasty completely and plunged China into chaos.
