Do Now!Write “Same as yesterday” for your

objective and respond to the following question:

Which dynasty built the Grand Canal – Sui, Tang, or Song? What happened to

Emperor Yangdi?

NUMBER ASSIGNMENT DATE

1 Title Page 1/30/132 Do Nows – Week 4

3 China Video Questions 1/31/13

4 Notes – Chinese Dynasties 2/1/13

Update your Table of Contents!

Chinese Dynasties

What is a dynasty?

A dynasty is a set of rulers who all come from

the same family.

Mandate of Heaven

• The Chinese believed that Heaven set up a dynasty for them – this is called the Mandate of Heaven.• If the ruler acts justly, the dynasty remains

in power.• If the ruler rules badly, Heaven will remove

the mandate and another family will overthrow the emperor.

command

What evidence proves that a dynasty has lost the “Mandate of Heaven”?

a. The welfare of its people c. It remains in power b. The fairness of its rulings d. It loses a war

Han Dynasty• The Han Dynasty ruled over China for 400

years, and brought an age of prosperity and expansion.• Early Chinese emperors chose government

officials from the noble class.• Han emperors created a civil service

examination, a test candidates for government office took to prove they were qualified for the positions.• This created a new class called scholar-officials.

government job

• The Han Dynasty fell in 220A.D. when farmers rebelled against the emperor.• Following the Han Dynasty, China was

run by warlords who fought each other for 300 years.•China was finally reunited in 581A.D.

under the Sui Dynasty.

military leaders who operate outside the

government

Main Idea

•The Sui and Tang dynasties reunited and

rebuilt China after years of war.

Sui Dynasty (589-618A.D.)• Emperor Yangdi began many building projects

to better China (like repairing the Great Wall).• The Grand Canal connected the Yangtze

River to the Yellow River, which allowed merchants to ship their goods between northern and southern China.• Yangdi forced farmers to work on these

projects. Ultimately they revolted and killed Yangdi, ending the Sui Dynasty.

Tang Dynasty (618-907A.D.)

• Unlike the short-lived Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty lasted almost 300 years.• China reached its largest size up to this

point in history under the Tang Dynasty and people became wealthy.• The Tang Dynasty had China’s only female

to hold the title of emperor.• The Tang restored the civil service

examination for government officials.

Fall of the Tang Dynasty

•By the mid-700’s, the Chinese lost control of the Silk Road (a major Chinese trade route) which damaged the economy.•Revolts by farmers also weakened the

empire, which caused it to finally collapse completely.

Song Dynasty (960-1279A.D.)

• Following the fall of the Tang Dynasty, China was again ruled by warlords for 50 years.• Finally, one of the military generals declared

himself emperor and began the Song Dynasty.• The Song Dynasty also lasted about 300

years, but was much smaller geographically than the Tang Dynasty.

Song Dynasty (960-1279A.D.)

• The Song Dynasty brought about a time of prosperity and cultural achievements.•However, the Song did not have

enough soldiers to control the large empire and it eventually fell to the Mongols.