Women in Ancient China
What was the main role of most women in Ancient China?
Their main role was taking care of the home and family.
Who made their income through selling things made by other people?
Merchants
Who was the founder of Confucianism?
Confucius, a Chinese philosopher and teacher.
What was the most powerful role in Chinese society?
Emperor
Diary entry by Qin Shi Huang, poem by Li Bai, notes written by Miss Wess, which of these is the odd one out and why?
Notes by Miss Wess, secondary source
Why was education for girls limited in most Ancient Chinese families?
Families believed boys needed education more because they would work outside the home, while girls were expected to focus on household duties.
Teaching students and writing poems, who made their income through this?
Scholars
What was the main goal of Confucianism in society?
To create a peaceful, orderly society where everyone behaves responsibly and respectfully.
What role was often exploited and given unfair work?
Slaves
What is the difference between a primary and secondary source?
A primary source comes from the time being studied, while a secondary source is created later using information from the past.
Women often bound their feet. What was one of the reasons people did this?
To be beautiful, to limit freedom and movement, to keep women from working
One group only made money for other people, who is this group?
Slaves
What is filial piety, and why is it important in Confucianism?
Filial piety means showing respect and obedience to one’s parents and elders; it was believed to keep families and society stable.
Which social group in China was seen as doing the most important work to help lots of people?
What does “perspective” mean when analysing a historical source?
Perspective is the viewpoint of the person who made the source, shaped by their experiences, position, culture, or goals.
Who were the three people that all women were expected to obey under the 'Three Obediences'?
Their father, their husband, their son
Growing crops, and selling rice, which group made money doing this?
What were the 'Five Relationships?'
Sons - Father
Wife - Husband
Friend-Friend
Subject - Ruler
Younger Brother - Older Brother
What role in Chinese society could gain money, but not gain respect?
Merchants
Why do historians use more than one source when studying the past?
Because one source might be incomplete or one-sided, so multiple sources give a fuller picture.
Why do we know so little about the lives of women in Ancient China, and their feelings?
Few women were taught to write, so their own voices are rare.
Taxing other people for their labour, which two groups made money through this?
Did Confucianism make it easier or more difficult to change the social structure? Why?
More difficult. Because Confucianism emphasised tradition, obedience, and strict social roles, it could discourage questioning authority or changing long-standing customs.
Did every person in each social group have the same level of respect and power? For example, did all nobles have the power to control people?
No, women in each group were not given privileges
Why might two different sources describe the same event in different ways?
The creators may have different perspectives, experiences, loyalties, or goals, leading them to highlight different details or interpret the event differently.