AP World History:
The Earth and its Peoples
Chapter 5
An Age of Empires:
Rome and Han China
753 B.C.E. - 600 C.E.
Objectives
• Explain how the Roman and Han Empires came
into being.
• Be able to describe the sources of their stability or
instability.
• Discuss the benefits and liabilities that these
empires bring to the rulers and their subjects
What do we know about Rome’s
Geography from our reading?
• Compare your notes to
your partners. What are
the geographical
identities and features
that make up Italy?
• What would you state is
the most critical
geographic feature in
allowing Rome to become
a giant/powerful empire?
– Why?
Rome’s Mediterranean Empire
Crossroads
• Italian peninsula
• Europe and Africa
Natural Resources
• ample, arable land
– volcanic soil
• timber and minerals
• navigable rivers
Support of a large population
WHO?
Overview of Rome..
• ESSENTIAL What made the ROMAN EMPIRE?
• Find at least 10 strong supportive pieces of
evidence to use in your understanding of WHAT
MADE THE ROMAN EMPIRE?
• From your findings, develop a ranking of which
you feel were most crucial/significant to the
development of the ROMAN Empire. Be ready to
explain your rankings.
• How was the Roman Empire able to over come
adversity/challenges/crisis?
Pictorial Timeline of Roman
Empire
• You and your partners will be assigned a particular section
on Roman Empire
• Review your notes. Decide what are the MOST CRITICAL
pieces of information we need to know about your particular
section.
• Create a pictorial timeline of your section. Tell us the story
behind your section of how the Roman Empire came to be
and developed into an advanced civilization.
• Be sure to use elements of GRAPES within your timeline as
a guide.
• Provide specific evidence of HOW the Roman Empire came
to be.
A Republic of Farmers
Inhabitation by 1000 BCE
– Romulus 753 BCE
• Seven Hills
– original Latins
– Etruscans immigrants 700 BCE
• Economy
– agriculture and land
• Politics
– “Council of Elders”
– seven kings of Rome
• 753 - 507 BCE
A Republic of Farmers
• Roman Republic - 507-31 BCE
– ruled by assemblies of wealthy
male citizens
• Roman Senate
– real center of power; made laws
– served for life
– consuls
Society
• multi-generational family
– paterfamilias
• oldest-living male
• hierarchical
– patron/client relationship
– mutual benefits and obligations
A Republic of Farmers
Women
• child in eyes of the law
• more freedom than Greeks
• influence over husbands / son
Religion
• polytheistic
– numina - invisible shapeless
forces controlling nature
– pax deorum
• peace with the gods
– diffusion with Greek gods
Roman Expansion
Early Roman Republic - 500 BC
• Rome as ‘city-state’
– aggression or self-defense?
• friction
– pastoral tribes / agriculturalists
– Romans serves as ‘protectors’
• Roman loyalty - 290 BCE
– privileges of citizenship to
conquered
– military service
• Carthage Wars - 264-202 BC
– control of western
Mediterranean Sea
Punic Wars: Rome – Carthage
and Hannibal
The Failure of the Republic
Forces
• military service for farmers
– decline of independent farms
• unemployment
– decline in soldiers
• mercenaries
• war wealth of upper classes
– rise in latifundia; cash crops
• slave labor
– loss of food supply
• Civil War - 88 BCE - 31 BCE
– allegiance to generals, not state
The Failure of the Republic
Octavian - 63 - 14 BCE
– ends civil wars by 31 BCE
– military dictator
• offensive to defensive
– Augustus
• Roman Principate
– “first among equals”
• equites
– wealthy merchants / landowners
– civil service
• Good Emperors
– line of succession
An Urban Empire
Pax Romana
– “Roman peace”
– safety and stability
Importance of trade
– support for emperor & govt
– rich interior provinces
• Gaul and Egypt
Romanization
– spread of Latin language /
Roman ways
• citizenship
– Before 212 CE: military service
– After 212 CE: all free males
Rome: 14 - 117 C.E.
The Rise of Christianity
Judea
– Jewish homeland
– Roman control by 6 CE
• Jesus
– personal faith and spirituality
• Paul - (45 - 58 C.E.)
– Jesus as Messiah (“anointed
one”
– benefits of citizenship to preach
Disloyalty to Rome
– refusal to worship emperor
Essential prompts to
understand..
• Describe the development of Christianity
• Explain how Christianity became the dominant
religion of the Roman Empire
Spread of Christianity
Rise of Christianity..
• Jesus alive as prophet vs. Jesus and the resurrection “the
anointed one”
– Vindicated as God’s son
• It seems to have circulated very quickly among his followers, but
the earliest form of the movement is still thoroughly a sect within
Judaism. He is a Jewish Messiah.
• The earliest forms of the Jesus movement then are probably small,
sectarian groups.
• “Wandering charismatics," traveling preachers and prophets, who
go on saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand, continuing the
legacy of Jesus' own preaching.
But problems arise as
Christianity grows….
• What would be problems the Roman Empire
would face?
• What threat did Christianity bring to the empire?
• Examine story of Pliny the Younger and
examination of primary source to help use
evaluate this situation
Story of Pliny the Younger
• Context of the story (Year 112 A.D.)
• Website—Go to Christianity's success tab—Pliny’s
Policy: Execution
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reli
gion/first/)
• Read through the story of Pliny
– Explain his predicament with the Christians
– How does Pliny’s handling of the Christians impact the
political and social aspects of the Roman Empire?
– Who does he seek for advice and why?
– What is the response he receives?
Roman Technology
Aqueducts
–
–
–
–
road system
water conduits using gravity
arches
domes
• concrete
“Third-century crisis”
– 235 - 284 C.E.
– frequent change of rulers
• coin devaluation
– permeable frontiers
• loss of trade revenues
– exodus from city to country
Aqueducts
Diocletian’s Empire
Legitimization of Constantine
Based on your reading:
1. How and why was Constantine able to adapt to
the religion of Christianity more easily than his
predecessors?
2. What impact did this radical and yet necessary
change do for the Roman Empire?
Roman Transformation
Diocletian (284 - 305 C.E.)
– government regulation
• prices and vocations
Constantine (306 - 337 C.E)
– reunites entire empire
– conversion to Christianity
– Rome to Byzantium
• Constantinople
• Read Legitimization
under Constantine
Assignment for tomorrow:
• Explain how Christianity became the dominant
religion of the Roman Empire in a 250 word
reflection. Hand written. Will be turned in.
• Re-Read the China and the Han Empire
• Complete chart in notes. Chart is located on
website.
Smart Start: Parking lot of
knowledge…Mini Mind Maps
What do we already know about the following:
–
–
–
–
–
Shang and Zhou Dynasties
Confucianism
Daoism
Legalism
Warring States Period
Be detailed and supportive of your mind map
Overview of the Empire of China
Clip
Big Ideas of
the Empire of
China
Geography
Religion
Achievements
Politics
Economics
Social
Structure
Briefs examples from
videos
Significance of example
Connection to the
Roman Empire…
Let’s stop, drop, and CONNECT!
How do the political, social,
economic, and technological
characteristics of Han China
and Rome compare?
Origins of Imperial China,
221 BCE - 220 CE
Warring-States Period
• 1st empire under Qin
– Shi Huangdi (221-206 BCE)
• Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 CE)
Resources
• Agriculture
–
–
–
–
Taxes supported institutions
Main tax (% of annual harvest)
At times government controlled
Primary Sources
• human labor
– Public works projects
– Military service
– Farming
Qin Dynasty: First Dynasty
Qin - 221 - 206 B.C.E.
– Imperial Age
• Shi Huangdi
– “First Emperor”
– Totalitarianism= total state
• primogeniture
– outlawed sole land inheritance
– abolished slavery(Rome and
China pg 142-143)
• standardization
–
–
–
–
coins, law code, writing
roads, canals, walls
unification of civilization
Legalism (See handout)
Primary Source: Qin Emperor
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty created a new form of government that valued
family, art, and learning.
Main Ideas
• Han dynasty government was based on the ideas of
Confucius.
• Family life was supported and strengthened in Han China.
• The Han made many achievements in art, literature, and
learning.
The Rise of a New Dynasty
• Liu Bang, a peasant fighting in a rebel army,
became emperor due to the Chinese belief in
the MANDATE OF HEAVEN!
• He was the first emperor of the Han dynasty.
• Well liked by both warriors and peasants, Liu
Bang released the country from strict
Legalistic practices and focused on people’s
immediate needs.
• Liu Bang lowered taxes, gave large plots of
land to supporters, and set up a government
that expanded on the ideas of the Qin.
Government Census(Qin and
Han)
• What was the purpose?
• Describe the population base
– Where did most live? Why there?
– What was the typical family like?
– What was the population?
• How was this structure of society much like the
Romans?
Focus once again on Agriculture
• Primary Source Analysis
• Due for tomorrow
Wudi’s New Government
• In 140 BC, Emperor Wudi took the
throne and shifted the country’s focus
back to a strong central government.
• Confucianism became the official
government philosophy. (Clip)
• Wudi built a university that taught
Confucian ideals, and awarded his
officials with higher rank if they were
familiar with Confucian principles.
Four Social Classes
under the Confucian System
• Upper Class: The Emperor, his court, and his scholars
• Second Class: The peasants, who made life work on a
daily basis
• Third Class: The artisans, who produced items for daily
life and some luxury goods
• Fourth Class: The merchants, who bought and sold what
others made
Hierarchy, Obedience, & Belief
Family
– all generations; ancestors
• Values
– Confucianism
– obedience and proper conduct
• Women
– three submissions
• parents, husband, son
– live with husband’s family
• Nature
– nature spirits
– feng shui
Family Life
Social Classes and
Wealth
• Social rank did
not reflect
prosperity.
• Hard work and
heavy labor did
not reflect
prosperity.
• A strong family
was stressed so
that people
would obey the
emperor.
Men
Women
• Men were the
head of the
household.
• Women were
taught to obey
their husbands.
• Rulers had to
obey their elders
too; it was a
crime to disobey.
• Girls were not
valued as highly
as boys.
• Some men
gained jobs
based on the
respect they
showed to
elders.
• Women could
influence their
sons’ families.
Selection from the Confucian
Analects: Women and Servant
Women and servants are most difficult to nurture. If one is
close to them, they lose their reserve,while if one is distant,
they feel resentful.
Questions:
1. What point of view does Confucius reveal in this statement?
2. Why do you think he puts women and servants in the same
category?
3. What does this passage reveal about class structure and class
stereotypes in Confucius’ time?
4. Can you find parallels to Confucius attitude in other cultures at the
same or at other times?
Let’s examine……
How did religion and/or philosophy
in Rome and China help people
define their respective cultures
and shape the destiny of their
empire?
The Long Reign of the Han
Han - 206 BCE - 220 CE
– replaces Qin
• Legalism reform
– Confucianism social order
– Mandate of Heaven
• Chang’an
– capital of Early Han
• model of urban planning
• alignment with gentry
– class below aristocrats
• efficient and responsive
– Confucian guide to government
• civil service
• Daoism
– popular among commoners
Technology and Trade
Metallurgy
– poured versus pounded
• Military
– crossbow and cavalry
• watermill
– grindstone
• horse collar
Trade (Silk Road)
– silk as leading export
Fall of Han
– reform failure; corruption
– nomad attacks; hungry peasants
Han Achievements
Art
The Han created realistic scenes from
everyday life, advanced figure painting, and
depictions of religious figures and Confucian
scholars.
Literature
Fu style: combination of prose and poetry
Shi style: short lines of verse that could be
sung
Invention of
Paper
The Han Chinese made paper by grinding
plant fibers into a paste and then setting the
paste out to dry in sheets. Later they rolled
the dried pulp into scrolls.
Han Achievements
Sundial
A device for telling time, the sundial uses the
position of the shadows cast by the sun to
tell the time of day.
Seismograph
This device measures the strength of an
earthquake. Chinese scientists believed that
the movement of the earth was a sign of evil
times.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the practice of inserting
needles into the skin to cure disease or
relieve pain. This practice is still widely used
today.
Rome and Han China
Common Characteristics
•
•
•
•
largest empires world had seen
greater central control than earlier empires
greater cultural impact
remarkable stability