Ming Dynasty
This dynasty began in 1368 and its name means "brightness."
Ming Dynasty; name means "brightness."
By the Ming era the Great Wall needed repair; name one material workers used to reinforce it.
Granite, limestone, clay bricks reinforced with sticky rice.
Which emperor moved the capital to Beijing and oversaw the Forbidden City completion in 1420?
Zhu Di.
What dynasty began in Korea in 1392 and lasted until the early 1900s?
Choson (Yi) Dynasty.
Japan is a chain of islands. What word describes a group or chain of islands?
Archipelago
Under the Ming, who were the educated policy-making officials that dominated government after passing competitive exams?
Scholar-officials (civil servants).
How long did the major Ming refurbishment of the Great Wall take?
80 years.
The Forbidden City separated rulers from the public. Name one way its design reinforced hierarchy
High walls limiting access; inner court only for family; only emperor could enter all spaces.
What major writing system was developed in Korea during the 1400s that Koreans use today?
Hangul.
What was the title given to the military rulers who held real power in feudal Japan?
Shogun
Name two ways Ming emperors organized society by hereditary status.
Civilian, military, artisan
Zheng He led voyages using large ships often called "treasure ships." Name two regions or places his fleet visited.
India, Siam (Thailand), Java, Calicut, Malacca, Maldives, Mombasa, etc.
List two types of cultural advances supported by the Ming Dynasty.
Pottery, painting, literature, drama
Name one religious or ideological change under early Choson rule.
Neo-Confucianism gained influence; Buddhism lost official influence.
Name the warrior class created to serve the shogun and daimyo.
Samurai
Explain one reason the Ming Dynasty limited foreign influence and focused on rebuilding defenses.
To defend against Mongol threats and reduce foreign influence; better internal control.
Give one reason why the Chinese government stopped sponsoring Zheng He's voyages.
Voyages were costly, produced limited tangible gains, and rulers prioritized defense against Mongols.
Describe how Ming pottery changed — name one technical improvement and one stylistic change.
Improved clay recipes and new glazes for clear white and glossy finish; new vase shapes and more exotic colors beyond blue-and-white.
Why did Korea "turn inward" in the 1500s–1600s.
Invasions from Japan and Manchuria damaged Korea; leaders limited foreign interactions afterward.
What is "Bushido"? Give one value emphasized by this code.
Bushido is the samurai ethical code; emphasizes loyalty to one's superior, self-discipline, ethical behavior.
Describe one major political difference between Ming rule and Yuan (Mongol) rule about military leadership and civil servants.
Under Ming, hereditary military leaders were subordinate to civil scholar-officials; Yuan had Mongol rulers with different power structures.
Explain how geographic features influenced where parts of the Great Wall were built.
Builders followed mountains, ridgelines, and passes—using high ground and natural barriers where available; geographic features dictated route and location of fortifications.
Explain why the Forbidden City's most important buildings face south.
Facing south honored the Sun.
Compare one similarity and one difference between the Ming in China and the Choson in Korea
Similarity: both ruled after Mongols and followed Neo-Confucianism; Difference: China built the Forbidden City and sent treasure ships while Korea developed Hangul and did not pursue treasure-ship voyages.
Explain how the Mongol invasions (and the storms) affected Japan's political development and its relationship with feudalism.
The Mongol attempts failed (storms/kamikaze), so Japan was not conquered; this allowed the feudal system and shogunates to persist and contributed to long-term isolation under laws limiting foreign influence.