Download Chinese Dynasties China was ruled by monarchies, or dynasties

Chinese Dynasties
China was ruled by monarchies, or dynasties, starting from 2100 BCE until
1912. The first dynasty, the Xia (pronounced Shee-ah, but said quickly),
lasted almost 500 years, but it wasn't until the Qin (pronounced Cheen)
from 221-206 BCE that China was united into one country. It was also
during the Qin that construction of the Great Wall began. Dynasties were
characterized by periods of calmness, innovation, and instability, at which
point a new dynasty came into power. There were over a dozen dynasties
and they lasted anywhere from 500 years to a couple dozen years.
Although the majority of Chinese belong to the Han race, some of the
dynasties were run by Mongolians (Yuan Dynasty in 1279-1368) and
Manchurians (Qing Dynasty from 1644-1912, pronounced Ching), ethnic
groups from north of China. Beijing is the capital of China now, but that
hasn't always been the case. It wasn't until the Yuan Dynasty in 1279 that
Beijing became the capital. The capital then moved back and forth
between Beijing and other cities from the Yuan Dynasty until into the
Republic era, the period after dynastic rule ended in China.