Transcript Two Great Dynasties In China

Two Great Dynasties In China
Chapter 12 sect. 1
Pages 287 - 291
The Tang Dynasty
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Ruled for 300 years (618 – 907)
Under the ruler Tang Taizong China re-conquered northern
and western lands.
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Under Empress Wu Zhao China extended influence in Korea
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Tang Taizong kept taxes reasonable to keep people on his side.
Built a strong central government.
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By the mid-700s Tang Dynasty loses power. Government cost
began to rise and taxes on people began to rise.
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Arabs also began conquering China’s western lands.
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Song Dynasty
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In 960 general Song Taizu restored unity to China.
Song Dynasty last about 300 years also (960 -1279)
They were never able to regain the lands the lost to the
Muslims.
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Tried to buy peace with northern enemies.
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Song Dynasty and family had to flee south when the
Manchurian Jin empire.
Era of Chinese Prosperity & Innovation
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Science & Technology Advances =
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moveable type (printer could arrange blocks of individual
characters in a frame to make up a page for printing)
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Gunpowder
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Porcelain
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Mechanical clock
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Paper money
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Use of magnetic compass
Era of Chinese Prosperity & Innovation
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Chinese experienced rapid growth from framing advances
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Improved cultivation of rice
In 1000 they imported a new variety of fast ripening rice
Helped Chinese produce more food
Chinese Society
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New Upper class emerged after Tang Dynasty.
Upper class made up of scholar-officials (bureaucrats)
this class of well to do people is known as a gentry
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Urban Middle Class included merchants, shoe keepers,
skilled artisans, and manor officials
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Peasants made up the largest lower class.
Chinese Women
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Women had always been subservient to men
Their role lowered even more during the Tang and Song
dynasties.
Upper class would bind women’s feet together produced
a lily foot.
The Mongol Conquests
Chapter 12 sect. 2
Pages 294 - 298
Nomads of the Asian Steppe
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Western steppe stretches from Central Asia to Eastern
Europe
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Eastern Steppe covers modern day Mongolia first home
of the Huns Turks and Mongols.
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Very little rain fell and the Eastern Steppe was dry but
enough rain fell to support short hardy grass.
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Nomads were pastoralists = they herded domestic
animals and were constantly moving searching for good
pasture for animals to eat.
Rise of Mongols
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1206 Temujin accepts role as Genghis Khan (meaning
universal ruler)
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Over 21 years he led Mongols on conquest of Asia.
Launched terror conquests because the Muslims killed
Mongol traders and ambassador.
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Genghis Khan
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Brilliant organizer =
grouped his warriors in to
1,000 man brigades, 100
man companies, and 10
man platoons.
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Gifted strategist = used
tricks to confuse enemies;
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Used cruelty as a weapon
= terrified his enemies
into surrender.
Mongol Empire
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After death of Genghis Khan his son, the Great Khan
takes over.
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Under Great Khan the Mongol armies completed
conquest of northern China and Korea. The conquered
Kiev and made it to the Adriatic Sea
Mongol Peace
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Mongols guaranteed safe
passage of trade caravans,
travelers, and missionaries
from one end of the
empire to another.