Download Concerto Empires Roman and Han

Empires: Roman and Han
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“Civilizations during the classical period experienced fundamental political
change. The relationship between state and society witnessed far more innovation
than did basic technologies during the same centuries. The state already existed, of
course: Precedents from the river-valley societies provided a basis for further
creativity. Classical China inherited political institutions and concepts from the
Shang and early Zhou dynasties; Greece benefited from early civilizations at
Mycenae and Crete and from Egyptian patterns. Nevertheless, change outweighed
continuity.
The simplest of historical measurements, the before-and-after test, suggests the
extent of change. Governments at the beginning of the classical period were
localized and loosely structured, dominated mainly by large landowners or priests.
Governments near the period’s end were vast empires, with extensive bureaucracies
and a range of services. During these centuries of political change, a whole host of
developments established issues that would linger in political life to the present day:
How much voice should ordinary people have in government? How should
bureaucrats be trained and selected? Should governments try to control beliefs or
should they tolerate diversity? With developments of this sort, the basic structure
relating state and society was changing, yielding durable new ingredients for the
future.
There were several spurs to change. Iron weapons and growing agricultural
prosperity gave new patterns. Larger populations created new needs for state
action. Invasions at the end of the river-valley period provided ambitious leaders
and conquerors, eager to expand territorially and to strengthen the hold of the state.
Not surprisingly, the expansion of government personnel and activities was a crucial
ingredient of the integration of the enlarged civilizations of the classical period,
helping cause the expansion but necessitated by it. It was an increase in officialdom
that provided the means for wider tax collection – though states also became
vulnerable to failures in taxation efforts because of economic decline or loss of
bureaucratic control. Another key symptom of the new position of the state was the
emergence of explicit ideas about what the state should be and do – the emergence
of formal political theory.” ~ “Experiencing World History”
Main Points of Passage:
Notes:
I. Overview – Roman and Han
A. Flourished at roughly the same time (200 BCE-200CE)
B. Occupied a similar area (approximately 1.5 million square miles)
C. Populations of a similar size (50 to 60 million)
D. However, only dimly aware of each other Almost no direct contact
II. Rome
A. Began as a small city-state in Italian peninsula in 8th century BCE
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Originally ruled by king but aristocrats overthrew around 509 BCE
Established a republic- patricians, wealthy landowners, dominated
Two consuls Advised by patrician assembly – the Senate
Conflict between patricians and plebeians led to changes
Twelve Tables, Roman written laws, offered plebeians protections
2. Established office of tribune – represented plebeians
G. Launched empire-building enterprise - took more than 500 years
1. Conquered Italian peninsula (began 490s BCE)
2. Between 264 -146 BCE, Punic Wars with Carthage and victory
H. Wealth of the empire enriched a few with large estates and slaves
I. A small group of military leaders depended on the poor
1. Brought civil war to Rome during the first century BCE
2. When the civil war ended, power was vested in an emperor
a) Caesar Augustus (reigned 27 BCE – 14 CE)
J. First two centuries CE, security and prosperity - Pax Romana
K. However, with new territories came new vulnerabilities
III. Han Dynasty
A. Did not create something new but restored something old
1. The Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties had existed before
2. But by 500 BCE, unity vanished in the era of warring states
3. During the Qin Dynasty, Shihuangdi developed an effective
bureaucracy, army with iron weapons, and increased unity
a) Shihuangdi adopted Legalism
1. A philosophy based on harsh punishments to ensure obedience
2. Dissident scholars executed – Books burned
3. Ruled from 221 – 210 BCE
4. Called himself “first emperor”
5. Laid the foundations for a unified Chinese state
6. Began construction on Great Wall of China
a) To keep invaders out – keep “barbarians” out
7. Erected a mausoleum with some 7,500 life-size ceramic soldiers
8. Imposed a uniform system of weights, measures, and currency
9. Standardized the written form of the Chinese language
B. The Han dynasty that followed (206 BCE – 220 CE)
1. Retained centralized features of Shihuangdi’s creation
2. Moderated the harshness of Qin policies
3. Consolidated state- established patterns that lasted -20th century
4. Established Confucianism as the dominant philosophy
III. Similarities
A. Invested heavily in public works
1. Roads, bridges, aqueducts, canals, walls
B. Invoked supernatural sanctions to support rule
1. Romans viewed deceased emperors as gods
2. Chinese-emperor Son of Heaven  Mandate of Heaven
C. Both absorbed a foreign religious tradition
1. Christianity and Buddhism
IV. Collapse of Empires
A. The Western part of the Roman Empire collapsed in 476 CE
B. In China, many free peasants turned into impoverished tenant
farmers  Led to a major peasant revolt known as the Yellow
Turban Rebellion in 184 CE
C. Empires too big, too overextended, too expensive  invaders
D. But China would be unified again while Europe  fragmentation
Complete the Graphic Organizers Below:
Political: Roman
Similarities:
Qin and Han:
Economic: Roman
Similarities:
Qin and Han:
Religious: Roman
Similarities:
Qin and Han:
Essential Question:
 How did Rome grow from a single city to the center of a huge empire?

How and why did the making of the Chinese Empire differ from that of the
Roman Empire?

In comparing the Roman and Chinese empires, which do you find more
striking - their similarities or their differences?

How did the collapse of empire play out differently in the Roman world and
in China?
1. Which of the following was NOT one
4. Which of the following best describe
of Rome's cultural legacies?
BOTH the Roman and Han empires?
(A) The Romans preserved Hellenic
(A) Neither empire was linked to the Silk
philosophy.
Roads.
(B) The Romans built roads and
(B) Both empires used the family as the
fortifications that have lasted for
model for state organization.
centuries,
(C) Mounting costs associated with
(C) The Romans adopted the Islamic
defending imperial frontiers led to
faith as the official faith of the empire.
economic and political crises.
(D) The Romans made Christianity the
(D) New religions were easily assimilated
official faith of the empire.
into existing imperial religious
(E) The Romans adopted a legal code
ideologies.
still in some use today.
(E) Taxation of mercantile activity
accounted for most government revenue.
2. Why was the Zhou dynasty in China
so long-lived?
5. After the fall of Rome, the eastern half
(A) It innovated technology and
of the empire became renamed the
increased China's political sophistication (A) Holy Roman Empire
by obligating the leader to rule fairly.
(B) Bactrian Empire
(B) Its leaders were ruthless.
(C) Byzantine Empire
(C) It did not have to contend with the
(D) Visigoth Kingdom
conflicting dictates of Confucianism.
(E) Vandalistan
(D) It prevented average people from
acquiring weapons.
6. The Mandate of Heaven governed the
(E) It actually was very short-lived.
relationship between the ruler and the
ruled in
3. Which of the following civilizations
a) China
afforded the greatest degree of citizen
b) Japan
input into government policy?
c) France
(A) Han
d) Ghana
(B) Roman
e) Russia
(C) Sumerian
(D) Egyptian
(E) Gupta