Founding of the Ming Dynasty
Who founded the Ming Dynasty?
Zhu Yuanzhang (Hong Wu)
How were Ming officials chosen?
Through civil service exams
Name one improvement made during the Ming Dynasty.
Grand Canal / farms / roads
Who led the Ming sea voyages?
Zheng He
In which year did the Ming Dynasty fall?
1644
In which year did the Ming Dynasty begin?
1368
What information did the census collect?
Population numbers for taxes
Which group benefited most from new farmland?
Farmers
Name one place Zheng He visited.
Southeast Asia / India / Africa
Who defeated the Ming Dynasty?
The Manchus
Which dynasty did the Ming overthrow?
The Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty
Why were exams important for the Ming government?
They selected skilled officials
How did repairing the Grand Canal help China?
Improved trade and food supply
Give one reason for the voyages.
Trade / show power / collect tribute
Name one problem the Ming faced near the end.
Corruption / heavy taxes / rebellions
Why was it important for Hong Wu to remove Mongol rule?
To restore Chinese control and stability
How did a strong government help the Ming Dynasty last longer?
Better control, fair administration, stable rule
Why did cities grow during the Ming period?
Trade and jobs increased
How did the voyages help China’s reputation?
Showed China was powerful and advanced
How did internal problems weaken the Ming government?
People lost trust and rebelled
How might the Ming founding have changed people’s confidence in their government?
People trusted the government more because it was ruled by Chinese leaders.
Do you think exams are a fair way to choose leaders? Why?
Yes, because ability matters more than family background (acceptable answers vary)
How are transport improvements linked to economic growth?
Goods move faster, trade increases, cities expand
Why might some officials have opposed these voyages?
They were expensive and not profitable
Which do you think was more important in the fall of the Ming: internal problems or foreign invasion? Why?
Internal problems weakened the state, making invasion easier (answers may vary)