Development of:• Daoism, inspired

by Laozi. • Confucianism,

inspired by Confucius.

Buddhism, from India, was absorbed

by the Chinese culture during the “Classical

Period.”

• The funerary complex constructed for Qin Shihuangdi reflects a belief that the living and the dead formed a single community existing in parallel societies.

• 7,000 life-sized terra-cotta soldiers. • • His wives that ____ were sacrificed in his tomb.

Qin:• Burned

books.• Scholars

were buried alive.

Han:• Developed paper making ca. 105 C.E.

Qin:• Standardized

writing system, to what is used today.

• Developed cast iron. • This led to the development of _______________.

• Created the crossbow. • Advantages of the crossbow over European bows were;

______ & _______.• First weapon

to have _______.

• Iron smelting progressed with the use of human powered bellows.

Han:

• Zhang Heng, invented seismograph (earth-quake-observation instrument) in 132 C.E.

Qin:• Examples of the

centralization of the Chinese state under Qin Shihuangdi, where to consolidate China with 5,000 miles of roads, and standardized coinage, weights and measures.

• Gave peasants the right to own land.

• Designed first iron plow.• Created the yoke.

• Zhuge Liang, created single-wheeled cart (wheelbarrow) in 231 C.E.

Improved ship designs:

• Stronger hull

• Aft sails• Stern-

mounted rudder

Han:• Traded along the Silk Road. • A trading network, connected Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Trade Items:• Han; silk & jade.• Rome; glass. • India; cotton textiles. • East Africa; Ivory. • Arabia; incense,

spices, and tortoise shells.

• Created wealthy merchant class, along the route.• The Yuezhi, nomadic peoples in Central Asia, created the

Kushan Empire based on Silk Road trade.

Affects of the Silk Road: • 1. More people in non-food production. • 2. Spread of technology and religion (Buddhism). • 3. Spread of disease (measles, smallpox and the bubonic plague).

Social Stratification

• After emperor, the Dowager (wife of emperor) was most powerful.• Issue edicts• Pardon• Appoint new

emperor if no heir.

First class:1. Nobles,

relatives to emperor.

• Ruled over semi-autonomous fiefs.

2. Palace officials (eunuchs).

3. Scholars.

Second Class:• Farmers and

peasants. • Not allowed to

wear fancy clothing or ride horses.

Third Class:• Artisans and

craftsmen.• Below farmers;

but, allowed to wear fancy clothing and ride horses.

• Could become officials.

Fourth Class:1. Merchants

• Wore white as an indicator of their lowly status.

2. Slaves; • Privately owned

or state-owned.• 1% of population.

Family Structure:• Patrilineal. • Arranged marriages. • Wife joined the

husband’s clan. • Sons valued over

daughters. • Confucianism required

females to be passively to males.

That concludes Ancient China.

Any questions before the quiz on the next slide?