Transcript Section 4 Notes Decline of the Ming dynasty

Section 4 Vocabulary
Zhu Yuanzhang – became emperor of the Ming dynasty after the
Mongols were driven out of China
Nanjing– capital during the Ming dynasty
treason – disloyalty to the govt
Yong Le – second emporer of Ming dynasty
census – count of number of people
Genghis Khan – “strong ruler”
novel – long fictional story
Zheng He – Chinese Muslim and court official and famous Chinese
explorer
Portugal – European country who sent explorers to China making
first contact
barbarians – uncivilized people
Section 4 Notes
The Rise of the Ming
After Kublai Khan died weak rulers began to loose control of
the Yuan dynasty. Mongols from the north started to
break away and The Chinese wanted to take back control
of their country.
The Ming dynasty began after Zhu Yuanzhang and his
followers drove out the Mongols and became emperor.
He moved the capital to Nanjing.
He brought order to the country but killed anyone who the
thought was disloyal (treason). He ruled for 30 years
then died and his son Yong Le took over.
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Yong Le moved the capital to Beijing. He built large palaces
and govt buildings.
He also built the Forbidden City where the emperor lived
and only top officials could enter. The Forbidden City still
exists today.
During the Ming dynasty plays (dramas) became popular
because it was a time of properity.
Section 4 Notes
MING REFORMS:
1. Restored civil service exam so officials could carry out
orders
2. Compiled a census (counted the people) to collect taxes
more accurately
3. Rebuilt canals and farms destroyed by Mongols, planted
new forests, paved new roads
4. Repaired and expanded Grand Canal so more easy to
trade between north and south China
5. Imported new rice that grew faster
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Chinese Explorers
Ming emperors were curious about the world outside of China
and wanted to increase China’s influence around the world so
they built ships for exploration and trade.
Zheng He
Zheng He was a Chinese Muslim explorer who went on 7 sea
voyages in order to:
1. Trade
2. Show off China’s power
3. Demand tribute (taxes) from weaker kingdoms
NOTE: He has a fleet of 62 large ships, 250 smaller ships, and 28,000
men. His largest ship was more than 5xs longer than Christopher
Columbus’ Santa Maria
Section 4 Notes
Zheng He
Zheng He traveled to SE Asia, India, Arabian Peninsula and E Africa
EXPORTS: silk, paper, and porcelain.
IMPORTS: silver, spices, wood and exotic animals (giraffe)
Some Chinese merchants settled in SE Asia and India in order to
trade and spread the Chinese culture.
Some Chinese officials did not like Zheng He’s traveling because:
1. Cost too much
2. New ideas were coming to China
3. Merchants were becoming too rich
When Zheng He died the voyages were stopped and the ships were
dismantled (torn apart)
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Europeans in China
Europeans from Portugal arrived in China in 1514. This was
Europe’s first contact since Marco Polo in the early 1300s.
The Portuguese went to China to trade and as missionaries to
convince the Chinese to become Christian. First the Chinese
thought the Portuguese were barbarians and would not trade
with them but after many years they began to trade.
Many of the missionaries were Jesuits priests who were highly
educated. This impressed the Chinese but the priests were not
able to convert many Chinese to Christianity.
Section 4 Notes
Decline of the Ming dynasty
Ming emperors had too much power and gave
officials little power. Then China had weak
emperors and greedy officials who taxed the
people too much. People started to revolt (fight
back)
Manchus people from Manchuria captured Beijing
and set up a new dynasty and the Ming dynasty
fell.