QING CHINA
AND A REVIEW OF
ANCIENT CHINESE
HISTORY
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How was China affected
by global changes during
the Qing Dynasty?
From ancient times to 1900, China was the most
dominant and influential society in Asia
Chinese culture spread to neighboring countries in
Asia, including Korea and Japan
China was one of
the most
innovative cultures
in world history by
developing
technologies such
as the compass,
printing, silk, paper,
and gunpowder
Chinese civilization is unique in the world with
its continuity over 4000 years of history
Many elements of Chinese culture remained
constant over the course of Chinese history
(from 3000 BCE to 1900 CE)
Core Ideas Across Chinese History
China was isolated from outsiders by deserts and
the Himalayan Mountains
This isolation
led the Chinese
to refer to
themselves as
the “Middle
Kingdom”
The Chinese thought of outsiders as barbarians and
rarely traded with foreign merchants
Core Ideas Across Chinese History
China was ruled by
emperors who
claimed to have the
Mandate of Heaven
(approval of the gods)
Dynasties could be justifiably overthrown if it was
decided that they had lost the Mandate of Heaven;
this was called the dynastic cycle
Since the Classical Era of the Han Dynasty, Chinese
government was run effectively by educated
bureaucrats because of the examination system
Core Ideas Across Chinese History
Rather than
following a
major world
religion, China
was influenced
by the ethical
system of
Confucianism
Later, Buddhism was introduced and spread from
India to China during the Han Dynasty
Chinese luxury goods spread through Asia
and Europe across the Silk Road trade routes
China was a reluctant trade nation, but it was the
trend-setter: other Asian nations adopted Chinese
writing, government, and artistic styles
Review of Chinese Dynasties
Eras in Chinese history are named
after the dynasties that were in power during
that era; each of these dynasties added unique
contributions in Chinese history
River Valley Era (5000-1700 BCE)
China began along
the unpredictable
Yellow and
Yangtze Rivers,
but only 10% of
China’s land is
suitable for
farming
Qin Dynasty (316-206 BCE)
China’s first emperor (Qin Shi Huang-di) came to
power, gave “China” its name, and built the Great
Wall to protect against northern invasions
Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE)
China became an empire for the first time
during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE)
and entered the Classical Era (alongside other
“Classical” civilizations like Greece and Rome)
Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE)
It was during the Han Dynasty that trade on the Silk
Road began, linking Asia and Europe for the first time
Chinese
artisans
mastered
the arts
of making
silk and
paper
The Confucian
Examination
System began
during the Han
Dynasty; if one
wanted to become a
government worker,
he had to pass an
exam that showed
he had the strong
ethics of Confucius
Buddhism was first
introduced during
the Han Dynasty
and began to
spread in China
Tang and Song Dynasties (618 CE to 1279 CE)
During the Tang and Song Dynasties, China
experienced an extended “golden age”
China became the richest, most powerful, and
most advanced country in the world
For the first time, foreign trade was encouraged
during the Tang and Song Dynasties
During the Tang and Song Dynasties, a series of
advanced inventions were developed: gunpowder,
compass, printing press, and vaccinations
The Song Dynasty
came to an end
when Genghis Khan
and the Mongols
took over China
In 1279, Genghis’
grandson Kublai Khan
became the first
foreign leader to
directly rule China; the
Mongols created the
Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)
During the Mongol Peace, (Pax
Mongolica), the Silk Road was
highly protected by the Mongols
and trade with China increased
enormously
Marco Polo’s visit
during the Yuan
Dynasty would
increase European
demand for Chinese
goods even more
The Mongols were eventually pushed out of China and the
Ming Dynasty began; during the Ming Dynasty, Chinese rule
was restored and foreign trade was again encouraged
During the Ming Dynasty, emperors encouraged
exploration for the first and ONLY time in Chinese history
The Chinese admiral Zheng He led the overseas
exploration; however, after his death, the Chinese
decided to stop exploration and go back to isolation
To protect Ming emperors from future invasions, the
Forbidden City was built in Beijing; no one other than
royalty or approved bureaucrats could enter
Qing Dynasty (1644 CE to 1911 CE)
In 1644,
northern
invaders from
Manchuria
conquered
China and
created the
second foreign
dynasty in
Chinese
history, the
Qing Dynasty
■ Text
During this era of Manchu rule,
China grew to its largest size by
claiming Taiwan, Central Asia,
Mongolia, and Tibet
Like the era of Mongol rule, Chinese rejected their
Manchu rulers and led rebellions against them
However, the
Manchurian
emperor of
China, Kangxi,
earned Chinese
respect
by keeping
Confucian
beliefs,
lowering taxes,
and restoring
peace and
prosperity to
China
Kangxi also earned respect of the Chinese people
he ruled over by being the first emperor to tour
China
and
personally
visit
peasant
villages
■ Text
Kangxi and later Manchu rulers returned China
to isolationism by restoring strict adherence to
being the “Middle Kingdom”
But, Qing China faced TWO important challenges that
would threaten China’s future strength
First, the
introduction of new
American crops like
corn and sweet
potatoes led to a
dramatic increase
in the Chinese
population
In a relatively short
amount of time
(from the 1500s to
the 1900s), China’s
population went
from less than 100
million to over 1
billion
The sharp rise in the number of Chinese peasants
would lead to intense competition for land and
violent rebellions when poverty grew
The second challenge to Qing China was the arrival of
European missionaries and merchants in Asia who
were eager to gain access into China
Europeans arrived with superior military technology,
demanded that China trade with them, and refused
to accept Chinese customs
The policy of
isolationism would
come back to haunt
China; as China
remained relatively
stagnant in terms of
technological
advancement for
300 years, the
Europeans
developed far more
powerful weapons
When the
Europeans
demanded
trade with
China in the
1800s, the
Chinese were
unable to
resist them
Closure Activity: Advice to Kangxi
Imagine that you are an advisor to the
Manchu emperor Kangxi and give suggestions
as to how to deal with China’s problems
–Working with a partner, identify China’s 2
major problems during the Qing Dynasty;
Write these on one side of an index card
–On the same side of the card, brainstorm at
least 3 potential solutions to each problem
–Rank order these potential solutions
–On the other side of the card, offer your
best solution for each problem

Revamped and redone by
Christopher Jaskowiak
Original version by
Brooks Baggett