7.3 The Ming Dynasty Pre-Test

Which social class benefited the most from China’s economic growth?

• merchants

• government officials

• farmers

• military leaders

Admiral Zheng He’s voyages took him as far from China as

• West Africa

• Southern Europe

• the Horn of Africa

• the Mediterranean Sea

Which factor most contributed to the increased value of Chinese goods during the late 1400s?

• Chinese isolationism

• the fall of the Ming Dynasty

• improved navigational techniques

• a new interest by Europeans in Chinese culture

Which action did the Ming government take after the death of Admiral Zheng He in 1433?

• It abandoned its colonies in East Africa.

• It reduced military protection on the Silk Road.

• It began improvements on the Great Wall.

• It reduced the size of its transoceanic fleet.

Which statement best explains why silk was one of the most commonly traded goods along the Silk Road?

• It was in much greater demand than other Chinese products.

• It was lighter and easier to transport than most other trade goods.

• It was used by many different peoples as a substitute for paper money.

• It was affordable by a wider range of people than most luxury goods of the time.

The increased trade during the Ming Dynasty led to

• improved ships and navigation techniques

• increased warfare between China and Islamic Empires

• an increased interest in Europe by Chinese explorers

• an exchange of technological and cultural ideas

Which factor most contributed to the improvement of literacy in China during the Ming period?

• the rising standard of living

• the wider availability of books

• the establishment of a public school system

• the improvement of the civil service system

Which factor led to an increase in Chinese goods throughout Europe?

• the reopening of the Silk Road by Ming emperors

• the growth of a strong merchant class in China

• the reports of Europeans who had traveled to China

• the development of new technologies by Chinese inventors

The success of Admiral Zheng He’s seven voyages can be attributed to

• ancient trade connections with the rulers of coastal towns in western India

• advances in shipbuilding and navigation techniques during the Yuan Dynasty

• the discovery of European maps of Africa in the archives of the Ming Dynasty

• the invention of the magnetic compass and astrolabe during the Song Dynasty