Chinese Dynasty Notes
Essential Questions
1. What were the two types of printing invented in China during this time?
2. How did the magnetic compass impact China?
3. Summarize the important events of Marco Polo’s life (think about the video).
Timeline of Dynasties in China in the Post-Classical Period
Dynasty
Sui (
Year (C.E.)
Event
627
Tang Taizong becomes _______________
)
Tang
(
_____________ Wu Zhao assumes throne
)
751
Chinese lose Battle of Talas
850
__________________ invented
Government issues paper money
___________ (960-1279 C.E.)
1040
______________________ invented
1126
Song Dynasty retreats to south
1215
__________ Khan invades northern China
Southern Song (1127-1279 C.E.)
Kublai becomes Great Khan
1275
_______ Dynasty (1279-1368 C.E.)
______________________ reaches China
Inventions of Tang and Song Dynasties in China
Date
Description
Bone-hard, white ceramic
made of a special clay and
a mineral found only in
China
Mechanical clock
700s
Clock in which machinery - Idea for mechanical clock
regulated the movements was carried by traders to
___________ ___________
Printing
Block printing –
Movable type - 1040
Block printing – one
block on which a whole
page is cut
Movable type – individual
characters arranged in
frames, _______
______________
Gunpowder
800s
Explosive powder made
- First used for __________,
from mixture of saltpeter, then weapons
sulfur, and ____________ - Technology spread west
within 300 years
Porcelain
Paper money
Magnetic compass
(for navigation)
1100s
Impact
- Became a valuable ______
- Is so associated with
Chinese culture that it is
now called “____________”
- Printing technology spread
to ____________ and Japan
- Movable type also
developed later in ________
Paper currency was issued
by Song government to
replace __________ ___
_________ ________
used by merchants
- Contributed to
development of large-scale
commercial economy in
China
Floating magnetized
needle that always points
___________________,
adapted by sailors for use
at sea
- Helped China become a
_______ _____________
- Technology quickly spread
west
Using the chart above, answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1) Which invention would be most useful to a new society? Why?
2) What drawbacks, or consequences, might there be if you introduced these
inventions into a new society?