China in The Middle Ages 1a

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China in the Middle Ages

Name_____ Subject____ Date_____ Period____

Chapter Overviews After the Han dynasty ended, China went 300 years without a central government. Chinese warlords battled for control of kingdoms, and people turned to Buddhism for peace and comfort. During this time of trouble, the Koreans broke away from Chinese rule and began their own civilization. The Sui dynasty reunited and rebuilt China after years of war. Construction of the Grand Canal boosted China's economy but caused tension between the people who built it and the emperor, leading to a revolt that ended the Sui dynasty. The Tang dynasty took its place. Tang leaders introduced reforms that improved the government and life in the countryside. Rulers saw Buddhism as an enemy of China's traditions and returned to the ideas of Confucius in a religion called neo-Confucianism. They began using the civil service exam, hiring people based on merit. Eventually, the exam led to the creation of a new class of scholar-officials. Tang leaders gave farmers more land. Farmers improved irrigation and produced a new type of rice. China's population and its economy grew in response to these discoveries. China also enjoyed a golden age of art and literature during the Tang and Song dynasties. The Mongol tribes lived north of China in Mongolia. They lived in clans, or groups of loosely-related families. The Mongols raised sheep, horses, and yaks, and a kind of longhaired oxen. They moved as the animals fed on Mongolias great steppes, wild grassy lands. The Mongols ability to ride horses and wage war made the Mongols fierce warriors who were known for their terror and cruelty. Genghis Khan united the Mongols and established the Mongol Empire. Genghis Khan brought the clans together and organized the Mongols into a strong army. He chose leaders for their skills, not for their family ties. Each time he won a battle, he gained wealth and new soldiers. The Mongols became strong enough to attack big civilizations.

After Genghis Khan died in AD 1277, his territory was split among his sons. The sons continued to make the empire bigger. The Mongols brought peace to their lands. Peace was good for trade, and Mongols got control of many trade routes. They gained wealth by taxing the goods that were traded. The Mongols had great respect for the cultures they now ruled. In AD 1260, the Mongol ruler Kublai Khan, Genghis Khans grandson, became ruler. He started the Yuan dynasty. He conquered China . The Chinese and the Mongols were very different. The Mongols has their own language, laws and customs. This separated them from the Chinese people. The two groups lived apart and did not mix socially. Under the Mongols, China began trading with the rest of Asia. Many Mongols were Buddhists, but respected other religions. China reached it greatest wealth under the rule of the Mongols. Many people were attracted to china and what it had to offer. The visitors traveled on the Silk Road.

After a series of rebellions drove the Mongols from China, a cruel rebel leader reunited the country. He and other Ming emperors restored the civil service exam, took a census-a number of people living in a place. And rebuilt much of what the Mongols had destroyed. Through these efforts, the Ming rulers strengthened Chinas government and brought back peace and prosperity. This atmosphere allowed Chinese culture to advance. The Ming dynasty built a large fleet and used it to explore Asia and East Africa, expanding trade and spreading Chinese culture. When the Portuguese arrived on the shores of China, it marked the first contact between the Europeans and Chinese. Dynasty When it began Sui Dynasty A. D. 220 Tang Dynasty A.D. 618 Brought back civil service examination Gave land to Ming Dynasty A.D. 1368 Canals and farms rebuilt New forests planted

Advancements/Reforms Brought back law and order Built Grand Canal

Helped Chinas economy grow

farmers Brought order to the countryside Made the military stronger

New roads built Farming grew Silk industry supported Arts and culture grew Forbidden City built

Questions:
1. What was life like after the Han dynasty ended? What is a warlord?

2.

3.

What dynasty reunited China? List some of their accomplishments. Describe the Tang Dynasty.

4.

5.

Describe the lives of the Mongols.

6.

Compare Genghis Khan and his grandson, Kublai Khan.

7. How did the Ming dynasty get established? 8. Describe the Ming Dynasty

9. What is a census?

10. What allowed Chinese culture to advance?

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