Basic Concepts - level 1
When a rich elite is in power, we have a....
ARISTOCRACY
During which Chinese dynasty some scholar officials were selected with civil service exams, but the higher positions in the government usually went to aristocrats? They were appointed to these positions without passing the test or they had a better chance of passing because they could afford good schools, books and private tutors.
TANG
What military technology was developed during the Tang dynasty?
They were the first ones to record the first recipe for GUNPOWDER.
What was the Silk Road?
Different trading routes connecting China, India, parts of the Middle East, among other regions. People called these routes Silk Road where a wide variety of goods was traded including silk itself.
What were the CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS in medieval China?
A test or series of tests that people had to pass in order to work for the government.
During which Chinese dynasties, there was a meritocracy in China because not only civil service exams were applied to select government officials, but there were public schools that made it possible for more citizens to prepare and apply for the exams to work for the government?
SONG and MING
How did the Song build on the military technology developed during the Tang period?
They used GUNPOWDER (invented during by the Tang) to create actual weapons such as the flamethrower.
How did the Tang dynasty impact the Silk Road?
For a long time the Silk Road became dangerous due to wars in Central Asia. After the Tang dynasty took control of that region (Central Asia), it became safe again, this allowed traders from Persia (current Iran) to the Byzantine empire (current Turkey) to travel to China again. This change promoted more trade and cultural exchange.
If people have to prove that they have certain skills or knowledge in order to work for the government, we can say this is a....
MERITOCRACY
During the YUAN dynasty, Mongols did not use civil service exams (at least not in the beginning of their rule). Why? How did they select who would work for their government?
Because they did not want Chinese to work for their government. The emperor, Kublai Khan, would only select Mongols that he trusted.
That caused problems because most Mongols could not read or write and were not able to do some government jobs.
How did the invention of PAPER MONEY by the Tang dynasty impact trading?
The Tang people started to use paper to represent currency because there was a shortage of metal (copper) to make coins. They needed currency in order to buy and sell products (trade) and paper money made those transactions much easier as it is lighter and more practical to carry than metal coins.
Compare the Tang and the Yuan dynasties regarding foreign relations and trading in the Silk Road.
Do you think there was more CONTINUITY or more CHANGE from one to the other?
More CONTINUITY because both dynasties promoted more safety in the different trading routes that formed the Silk Road and welcomed merchants from different regions to China.
Which option takes in consideration people`s ability and knowledge?
Aristocracy
Bureaucracy
Meritocracy
MERITOCRACY
What about the Ming dynasty? How did they select government officials?
Civil service exams were utilized one more time for filling government places.
Contrast (highlight the differences or changes) the earlier and later periods of the Ming dynasty regarding foreign contact and trading.
In the earlier period of the Ming dynasty, when Zheng He commanded the so called treasure ships, the Chinese were sailing to Africa and different regions in Asia way earlier than Columbus. They would have continued sailing to the west but they decided to burn their docks and stop sailing for political reasons in the later decades of Ming period.
Compare the Tang and the Song dynasties regarding how they selected government officials.
Do you think there was more CHANGE or more CONTINUITY from one to the other? Why?
More CHANGE because, although the Tang did apply civil service exams to hire people for lower government positions, the higher, better paid jobs always went to aristocrats.
The Song, on the other hand, not only used civil service exams to select their government officials but offered public schools so more people of lower classes could be better prepared for the tests.
Who was Zheng He?
He was a navigator and explorer who traveled to different places in Asia and the eastern coast of Africa during the Ming dynasty.
Who was Kublai Khan?
He was a Mongol ruler who completed the conquest of China and founded the Yuan dynasty
Compare / contrast the Tang and the Yuan dynasties concerning the Silk Road and their foreign relations and trade.
Was there more CHANGE or more CONTINUITY? Why?
More CONTINUITY as both dynasties promoted controlled the area around the Silk Road and made it safer for trading and traveling.
Compare / contrast different technologies that were created or developed during the Tang, Song and Ming dynasties.
Do you think there was more CHANGE or more CONTINUITY from the first two (Tang and Song) to the last one (Ming)? Why?
More CHANGE because both during the Tang and Song there were several technological innovations being developed but that did not happen during the Ming.
The Tang invented gunpowder and the Song applied that technology into the creation of weapons like the flamethrower. The Tang also invented woodblock printing and then later the Song people took that even further into the development of movable type. Both these innovations changed printing forever. Now book and documents did not have to be hand written which was much more expensive and time consuming.
During the Ming, there were no major inventions or technological adaptations. This might be explained by their political decision to isolate themselves towards the end of the dynasty.