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Period: 206 to 220
The Han Dynasty
Note, actually lasted from 206 BCE through 220 CE. The Han Dynasty was an extremely intellectual dynasty that produced many inventions that helped improve everyday life.
Extremely aggressive military with impressive strength.
Influenced surrounding countries (Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, Japan), withmany adopting Han customs and traditions. The Han had so many inventions that they surpassed even Rome in that category, the greatest civilization in the ancient world. -
Period: Nov 13, 1280 to Nov 13, 1368
Yuan (Mongols) Dynasty
Started when Genghis Khan conquered most of Asia, along with parts of Europe. His grandson Kublai Khan laid siege on the Song Dynasty, and took control, forming the first non-Chinese dynasty in China. It was the largest empire in Chinese history, and was forced to interact with other cultures, mainly the West, which was the first time in Chinese history that it interacted with outside powers. -
Period: Nov 13, 1368 to
Ming Dynasty
With Mongol rule in China declining in the 1300's, a series of rebellions incurred. Eventually, peasant leader Zhu Yuanzhang became the emporer. The capital was moved from Nanjing to Beijing, which was extremely significant, as the capital had been in Nanjing for some time. Its downfall came from Mongolian attacks, along with Japanese attacks on the Chinese coastal cities. Finally, the Manchus invaded from the North and captured China. -
Period: to
Qing (Manchu) Dynasty
The Manchu leader began to invade the Ming Dynasty from the South, taking control. The Manchu implemented their own cultural beliefs, and was considered one of the largest empires in history. There was extreme discrimination against the Han Chinese. They protected themselves from Russia with the Treaty of Nerchinsk, which stated the border between Manchuria and Siberia. The Empress Cixi was active in this dynasty. -
Great Britain and China
In 1793 a British ambassador kneeled on only one knee rather than the traditional kowtow. They tried to convert China to more western ways, and the Chinese didn't like this; they tried to regulate British trade in China. -
Period: to
Opium Wars
The First Opium War lasted from 1839-1842, and the second from 1856-1860. The Chinese were upset over the unfair trade between China and Britain (British would take advantage of Chinese). These were finally resolved with the Treaty of Nanking -
Period: to
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was started in the hope that China could be given back to the people after so many years of discrimination against groups such as the Han. The rebellion lasted over a decade, and killed over a million people. It was finally defeated by the Qing dynasty with the help of the British/French military. -
Boxer Rebellion
Rebellion trying to restore China to its traditional roots, with an anti foreign and anti Christian approach. It was short, and only lasted from 1900-1901. -
Period: to
Sui Dynasty
After a period of being ununified, China was reunited by the short-lived Sui dynasty. It often was compared to the earlier Qin dynasdty because of the ruthlessness of its accomplishments. Its early demise has been contributed to the government's tyrannical demands on the people, dishing out taxes and compulsory labor. They did complete the Grand Canal, which was a monumental engineering feat. They also reconstructed much of the Great Wall. -
Period: to
Tang Dynasty
This has often been viewed as the "most glistening hisoric period in China's history", as it became the most prosperous and powerful country in the world. The economy, politics, culture, and military strength reached an unparalleled level during this period. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, the whole country fell into chaos. This dynasty was formed to try to quell that. -
Period: to Nov 13, 1280
Song Dynasty
Featured much cultural refinement, with the "Universal Man," which combined the qualities of a scholar, poet, painter, and a statesman. It featured a renewal of Cunfusian ideas, and saw Song Neo Confucianism, which combined the ancient ideas of Confucian thought along with the ideas from Buddhism and Taoism.