Download Chapter 6-Ancient India

Chapter 7- Ancient China
Study Guide Key
1. What isolated China from its neighbors? Sect. 1
China’s large mountain ranges and vast deserts isolated China from its neighbors.
China has a vast and varied land that covers nearly how many square miles? Sect. 1
4 million square miles
2. What was called “China’s Sorrow, and why? Sect. 1
The Huang He River (or Yellow River) was called “China’s Sorrow” because its
floods killed millions.
What two rivers did people first settle on in China? Why did they settle along these
rivers?
The Chang Jiang and the Huang He were the two rivers that the Chinese first
settled along. They did so because the floodwaters brought silt that provided fertile
lands to grow crops on.
What 2 names does the longest river in Asia go by? Sect. 1
The Chiang Jiang or Yangzi River was the longest river in Asia.
4. What dynasty was the longest lasting dynasty in Chinese history? Sect. 2
The Zhou Dynasty was the longest lasting dynasty in Chinese history.
5. What did some emperors use to justify their overthrow of a dynasty? Sect. 2
They claimed the mandate of heaven was reason for the people to accept their ruling
7. Why did Confucius believe that China needed to return to ethics? Sect. 2
He was upset by the disorder and a lack of decency in society, and people should
know their proper role in society.
What was Confucius’ view about how a family should be structured?
Fathers should set an example, children should obey parents and family members
should be loyal to each other.
8. What is Daoism? Sect. 2
A philosophy that stresses living in harmony with the Dao, the guiding force of
reality. Believed that people should pay more attention to the natural world, not
interfering with others and that the universe is a balance of opposites.
Who was the most influential teacher of this philosophy? Sect. 2
Laozi was the most influential teacher of Daoism.
9. What did Legalists believe society needed? Sect. 2
The believed people bad by nature and needed to be controlled with strict laws to
keep people in line, punishments that fit the crime, and holding citizens responsible
for the crimes of others.
22. Create a venn diagram that compares and contrasts Daoism and legalism.
10. How did Shi Huangdi (“First Emperor”) prevent future revolts in his territory? Sect.
3
Shi Huangdi had soldiers destroy city walls and take all the residents’ weapons.
11. How did Shi Huangdi change China’s old political system? What are two things he
did that may not be appropriate today? Sect. 3
He followed Legalist political beliefs and created a strong government with strict
laws and harsh punishments. He claimed all power and forced the nobles and their
family to move to the capital so he can watch over them.
Divided the China into districts, uniform system of laws, new money system,
standardized gold and copper coins, uniform weights and measures, uniform axle
width of carts
13. What are some of the Qin dynasty achievements? (at least 3) Sect. 3
Network of roads connected to the capital, canals connected to rivers, irrigation
system, Great Wall
14. What changes di Liu Bang (first peasant to become an emperor) bring to the Han
dynasty after the fall of the Qin dynasty? Sect. 4
He freed people from harsh government policies, lowered taxes, made punishment
less severe, gave blocks of land to his supporters, and used educated officials to help
him rule
16. What were the social classes in Han China? Why different than other social classes?
Sect. 4
Upper- emperor, royal court, scholars
Second Class- peasants
Third Class- artisans
Lowest Class- merchants
Not based on wealth or power.
17. What philosophy did Wudi follow to rule his dynasty? Sect. 4
He followed Confucius’ ideas and made officials pass test on his theories before
hiring them
18. What are some of Han Achievements? Sect. 4
Artwork, poetry, history, paper, sundial, acupuncture, and the seismograph
19. What were two inventions that helped farmers become more productive during the
Han dynasty? Sect. 5
The iron plow and the wheelbarrow
20. What items did China trade and what did they trade for? What did they travel on to
trade with far away lands? Sect. 5
Traded silk, a soft, light highly valued fabric, and jade for horses, gold, silver, and
precious stones and did so on the Silk Road, which was 4000 miles from China to the
Mediterranean Sea.
21. What religion came from India to China via the Silk Road? How was it introduced
to the Chinese? Sect. 5
Buddhism came from India and was introduced to China through diffusion, the
spread of ideas from one culture to another.