| 1. |
Focus Question: How does the
Qin unite China and why does the dynasty collapse so rapidly? |
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Which area of China has been traditionally its most important political
center? How did the Chou/Zhou system of government differ from what followed
in the the third century B.C.? How long did the Qin dynasty
last? With which dynasty do the Chinese people most identify?
For what purpose and by whom was the Great Wall built? How long was
it? What were the sources of Qin strength? What was the most
significant Qin reform under Li Ssu? What was the political philosophy
adopted by the Qin? How did the Qin secure their power over the
aristocrats? What reforms did the Qin use to unify the empire?
Why did the Qin collapse? What surprising artifact was found in
the tomb of the First Emperor of Qin?
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| 2. |
Focus Question: What features
of Han China distinguished it from the Roman Empire? |
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How does the Chinese concept of dynastic cycle
function? Why did Kao Tsu and his immediate successors take so long
to reunify China? What reforms did the early Han rulers make?
Why did the Confucians argue for leaving commodities in private hands?
What was the principal threat to the Han empire to its north? How
did Han Wu Ti deal with the barbarian threat? What two great empires
were connected by the Silk Road? In actuality, how was
China ruled under the Han? How were officials selected? What
was Kao Tsu’s attitude toward Confucians? Why were Confucian ideas
useful under the Former Han dynasty? Who were the major contenders
for power when an emperor was weak or young? How did Chinese historians
tend to "see" the court eunuchs? According to some poetry of the
period, what was the lot of Chinese women? Who generally founded
new dynasties? Why were the military commanders less powerful in
the Chinese court than they had been in Rome? What were the main
functions of the Han government? What function did the local notables
and large landowners have in government? What prompted rebellions
in the Former Han in 22 B.C.? What factors led to the decline
of the Former Han? What methods did Wang Mang employ to save the dynasty?
Why were they not successful?
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| 3. |
Focus Question: What were the
chief accomplishments of the Later Han? How did post-Han China differ
from Post-Roman Europe? |
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What was the economic and governmental policies of the first emperors
of the Later Han? Military expansion by the Later Han was directed
in which directions? How did the Later Han deal with the Hsiung Nu?
Why was the defeat of the northern Hsiung Nu important to the history of
Rome? What caused the decline of the dynasty during the second century
CE? Who deposed the last Han emperor? What was the fate of
the China after the fall of the Han? What were the two main characteristics
of the post-Han centuries? How did developments in the north differ
from that of the south? What characteristics did the "nomad" states
of northern China share? What role did Buddhism play in post-Han
history?
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| 4. |
Focus Question: How
where the main features of Han Thought and Religion? |
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What are the two most important areas that reflect the sophistication
and depth of Han culture? What was the impact of the development
of a common written language in China? What contribution did Han
philosophers make to Chou Confucianism? What was the Chinese attitude
toward history? What is Ssu-ma Ch'ien's attitude toward the wealthy?
What were the chief concerns of Neo-Taoism? From what
source do the bulk of Chinese draw their religious ideas? When did
Buddhism first reach China? How did the Chinese explain the confusion
between Taoism and Buddhism? What advantage did Buddhism have over
Taoism? How was Buddhism in India different from that in China?
How was Han China different from the Roman empire?
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"Salt and Iron Debate"
Hsiung Nu
empress dowager
Tales of Three Kingdoms
Six Dynasties era
Sixteen Kingdoms
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