Unit 2.2-- Han China and Classical Rome Flashcards
What was the Qin Dynasty?
The Qin dynasty was the first dynasty of China. It was begun by Qin Shihuangdi, and was relatively short as it lasted only from 221 to 206 BCE. This is the dynasty to which China today owes its name.
What was the Fall of Rome?
The Fall of Rome has long been debated by scholars of every kind, but many things led to it, such as: Rome hired out its army to some who were disloyal to Rome, due to the lack of citizen volunteers; Rome put less precious metal into its coins, making them worth less; Rome’s pipes were (and therefore its food was) full of lead, leading to the decline in Roman citizens’ health; and many, many other reasons.
What was the Sack of Rome?
The Sack of Rome is what many deem the real mark of the Empire’s decline. The Vandals came and attacked Rome at its heart, and as it had been in a downward spiral for years it had little way to protect itself. This is where we get the meaning of our word vandal (thief or criminal) today.
What was the Coliseum?
The Coliseum was the place at which the Romans held massive butcheries of men and animals alike to placate the masses– the circus half of bread and circuses.
What are canals?
Canals are artificially made troughs along which water is intended to travel; they are used to redirect water.
What is legalism?
Legalism is a philosophy of life and government in which there are extensive, harsh laws for everything that could possibly be considered a crime.
What is an aqueduct?
An aqueduct is a raised, stone trough that is at a slight angle so as to allow water to flow freely through it. Rome used these to get its water from far away places.
What is the Silk Road?
The Silk Road is an ancient trade path used by many that goes all the way from China out through Eurasia to today’s Italy and Middle East.
Who was Emperor Qin Shihuangdi?
Emperor Qin Shihuangdi was the first of the Qin Dynasty. he first united the Chinese provinces from the original Warring States period.
What is filial piety?
Filial piety is a concept originally used in Confucianism. It is the concept of having respect for one’s parents, elders and ancestors. Many Asian societies have since adopted this idea into their everyday culture.
What were gender roles like in Han China?
Women were seen as inferior to men, but they did have some indirect influence due to them having their ears. Women could be financially independent if they were single, but men ruled households undisputedly. Divorce was possible, but only when initiated by men.
What was Han China’s government like?
Han China’s government was similar to Persia’s in that the emperor had absolute rule– as long as the emperor held his chair, he could do anything. However, it was different in that the emperor could “lose the Mandate of Heaven” (essentially the gods’ (or the god’s) blessing if things completely out of his control happened. For instance, if the rains never come for two years in a row, he’d be killed and the throne would be given to his heir.
How did Rome’s military lead to its downfall?
Rome’s military had had too many years of peace, and it began to do drills without any of its armor on. Around the same time, roman citizens lost interest in joining the army, leading the military to hire a mercenary army of soldiers disloyal to Rome.
How did Rome’s economy lead to its downfall?
In its decline, Rome began to use less precious metal in its coins, leading them to become far less valuable. As they put these coins out, the coins lost much value to inflation as well.
How did Rome’s water lead (hint hint) to its downfall?
Rome used to use lead pipes to carry its water to the city and lead pots to make some typed of food. This led to average Romans consuming approximately 30 milligrams of lead every day, more than enough to cause lead poisoning.
