Big Ideas
Unit 4
Big Idea #1
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China was the most isolated of all the
ancient civilizations.
Mountains and deserts provided physical
barriers
Isolation contributed to the Chinese belief
that China was the center of the earth and
referred to themselves as “The Middle
Kingdom”
Big Idea #2
 Ancient
China had a very
ethnocentric attitude when they
referred to themselves as “The
Middle Kingdom”
 Ethnocentrism – the belief that
your culture is superior to all others
Big Idea #3
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Between 1100 & 1000 BCE, the
Zhou people overthrew the Shang
Dynasty and set up their own
dynasty that lasted 800 years.
They claimed that the Shang
dynasty lost the Mandate of
Heaven, a divine right to rule.
Big Idea #4
 Chinese
speak Mandarin Chinese,
but there are many dialects
(language differences) throughout
China. Written Chinese are
characters or pictures.
Big Idea #5
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Confucianism: a philosophy based on
the idea that people are naturally good &
education is the path to advancement in
society.
Five Relationships: tell people their
place in society.
Big Idea #6
Daoism- Philosophy that wants
to end conflict and find the
balance and harmony in nature.
Legalism- Philosophy that “the
nature of man is evil”.
Big Idea #7
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Confucianism: Social Order and Family
are basis for all relationships and
government
Daoism: The Dao, or the Way guides all
things
Legalism: People are evil. Punishments
are needed
Big Idea #8
 By
221 BCE, Shi Huangdi,
leader of the Qin people
proclaimed himself the “First
Emperor” of China &
centralized power.
Big Idea #9
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Emperor Shi Huangdi had the Chinese
people build the Great Wall to keep out
the Mongols. People who died as they
worked on the wall were thrown inside it
for fill. “The world’s longest graveyard”.
Big Idea #9
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China’s Golden Ages
Tang & Song DynastiesCivil service exam based on Confucian
philosophy
Grand Canal linked Huang He and
Yangzi Rivers
Big Idea #10
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In the 10th century in China, a prince
began the practice of foot binding.
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“Lily feet” as they were called were
thought to be very dainty and beautiful.
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By 1911 Foot binding was outlawed.
Big Idea #11
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China’s Golden Ages - Tang & Song
Dynasties
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Genghis Khan- World Emperor
Courageous warrior and skilled
horseman conquered much of Asia
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Big Idea #12
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Japan is an archipelago-chain of islands
Ring of Fire- Tsunamis & volcanoes
Shintoism- worship of the kami- spirits
found in all living & nonliving things
(nature).
Big Idea #12
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Japan’s Golden Age
Tokugawa Shogunate- ruled Japan for
300 years
Centralized feudal government
New farming techniques
Population increased
extras
Big Idea #11
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The Great Wall was built to keep
out Mongolian invaders from the
north. Thousands of workers
worked for years to build the wall.
Big Idea #12
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Daoism: a philosophy based on the idea
that people need to learn to live in
harmony with nature.
There is a balance between yin and
yang.
Big Idea #13
A
golden age is a time of peace
and prosperity. There are
many achievements made
during these times.