Ch. 9 Sec. 2 Expansion Under the Han Dynasty

Dr. Bennett

December 2022

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Section 2: Expansion Under the Han Dynasty

Introduction

The next ruling family was the Han. The Han emperors built from the successes of the Qin. They created one of the most influential dynasties in Chinese history.

Multiple Choice

What dynasty ruled before the Han?

• Qin

• Shang

• Deng

• Ottoman

Government of the Han

China's slide into chaos continued for years until a rebel general by the name of Liu Bang took control of China. He founded the Han dynasty in 206 B.C.. This dynasty ruled China for about 400 years. The largest ethnic group in China today calls themselves Han.

Multiple Choice

Who was the first Han emperor?

• Shi Huangdi

• Chen

• Han Fezei

• Liu Bang

Multiple Choice

How long did the Han dynasty last?

• 350 years

• 400 years

• 450 years

• 500 years

Government of the Han

Reuniting and Expanding China

The first emperor of the Han dynasty came from a poor family. He was successful because he surrounded himself with capable advisors. He consulted with a Confucian scholar that surmised the reason for the Qin failure was cruel policies. With this knowledge the emperor encouraged learning, lowered taxes, and ended many of the harsh rules established under the Qin.

The Han rulers stayed in power mostly due to the practical advice received from Confucian scholars. They kept many of the laws and policies so that standardization continued; however, the harshness that caused unrest was eliminated.

The Han expanded China's territory. Wudi, the fifth Han emperor ruled for more than 50 years being remembered as one of the greatest emperors. He extended the empire north to the Korean peninsula and south into what we know today as Vietnam.

Multiple Choice

How did the Han dynasty governing differ from the Qin?

• they raised taxes

• they discouraged the people from learning

• they followed Confucian teachings

• they followed the rule of Mohammed

Multiple Choice

What Han emperor ruled China for more than 50 years?

• Wu

• Wudi

• Wuwu

• Wudee

Government of the Han

The Structure of Government

The Han continued the centralized structure of the Qin. The Zhou had unity issues because local noblemen became more powerful than the Zhou king. Han emperors kept local leaders weak. Instead of allowing noblemen to rule new conquered lands, the Han administered themselves.

Government structure was a pyramid. China's towns and villages were at the bottom. At the top was the emperor and chief advisors. There were many layers in between with officials taking orders from above and passing them down.

Multiple Choice

The centralized government concept was discontinued by the Han.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The Han ruled the empire themselves with officials reporting to them.

• True

• False

Government of the Han

Civil Service

The Han created a system of government employees selected for their skills and knowledge. There were more than 130,000 officials during the first 200 years of the Han. Instead of the traditional method of passing positions down from father to son, the Han government appointed officials. These officials were recommended by other officials. Wudi also created exams for people to take so that talented people were selected. Officials received high salaries and lived a comfortable life. Special clothes identified the rank they held in the government. Limits were placed on official's powers.

Multiple Choice

What is civil service?

• It is a system of people being nice to each other.

• It is a system of government employees that receive their job by being related to each other.

• It is a system of government employees selected based on their skills and knowledge.

• It is a system of service related jobs.

Multiple Choice

How were officials selected for the Han civil service?

• They used nepotism

• They chose the best warriors

• They were appointed or recommended by officials

• They were the brightest students in school

The Silk Road

Introduction

The Han used an existing network of trade routes crossing Asia which connected China to Central and Southwest Asia. These routes allowed merchants to make their fortunes as well as many new ideas were spread throughout the region.

The Silk Road

The Journey of Zhang Qian

The Han originally used the trade routes to seek allies in their fight against a nomadic group called Xiongnu. Wudi heard of another group that were enemies of the Xiongnu and wanted to become allies with them to fight against the Xiongnu. He sent Zhang Qian to find this nomad group called Yuezhi. Qian was captured by the Xiognu and kept as a prisoner for 10 years. He escaped, found the Yuezhi but could not convince them to become allies. Wudi and later emperors sent envoys to the west to create relations with other kingdoms. The Han protected the region and trade flourished.

Multiple Choice

What was the Silk Road?

• A network of trade routes across Asia.

• A new cloth that could be stretched to form a wall.

• A road named for a family called silk.

• The road leading to the palace.

Multiple Choice

Whose travels convinced Wudi to form relations with the west?

• Shi Huangdi

• Liu Bang

• Confucious

• Zhang Qian

The Silk Road

An Important Trade Route

The name "Silk Road" comes from China's most important export, silk. It is strong, soft, and can be dyed many different colors. Only the Chinese knew how to make silk and guarded this knowledge carefully. So carefully that it was illegal to export silk worms.

Silk and other luxury goods were traded for many products. Horses from central Asia, grapes, sesame, onions, elephants, lions, and ostriches were some of the items received in trades.

Multiple Choice

Why were other lands eager to trade valuable goods for silk?

• China was the only country the new the secret for making silk

• China had inexpensive products to trade

• China was know as the discount capitol of the world

• All are correct

Multiple Choice

What products made their way into China along the Silk Road?

• elephants

• ostriches

• onions

• All are correct

The Silk Road

New Ideas: Buddhism Enters China

New ideas also traveled the Silk Road into China. One such idea was Buddhism. Buddhism started in India and spread into Central Asia. Buddhism became very popular and Chinese Buddhists would travel to India to study the religion. The Chinese brought new ideas and practices into Buddhism. Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism are all very influential beliefs in China today.

Multiple Choice

What important idea came into China along the Silk Road?

• Buddhism

• Confucianism

• Daoism

• None of these

Multiple Select

What are the three most important beliefs in Chinese culture today? (Mark all the apply)

• Buddhism

• Confucianism

• Daoism

• None of these