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Home , Haojing, Shang dynasty, Song (state), Sui (state), Tan (state), Western Zhou

Ms. Kimball History- 6th Grade Week 7 5/18 - 5/22

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An overview of imperial ’s By National Geographic Society, adapted by Newsela staff on 05.17.19 Word Count 1,009 Level 1020L

Image 1. The Great Wall of China stretches more than 13,000 miles. The most well-known sections were built during the Ming (1368–1644). Photo: Jeff /Getty Images

The Chinese was one of the most enduring on Earth. Throughout its long history, various dynasties — families that ruled the empire across generations — rose and fell.

Single dynastic families often remained in power for hundreds of years, until being replaced by another powerful family group. The throne was passed down from father to son.

Myth Or Reality?

The dynasty is traditionally said to be the first of many ancient Chinese ruling houses. It is thought to have existed from around 2070 B.C. until 1600 B.C. Yet the actual existence of this dynasty has been debated. Many researchers see it as nothing but a myth.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. Ms. Kimball History- 6th Grade Week 7 5/18 - 5/22 The first Xia king, Yu, is said to have repaired the damage caused by a major flood. For this reason, legend has it, the gods awarded him the , or the right to rule. Archaeologists have found evidence of large-scale floods from around the Xia time period, so the traditional story might be at least partly true.

The is said to have been overthrown in 1600 B.C. by the first leader. Given that the existence of the Xia dynasty is debated, the is sometimes seen as the first of China's dynasties. The Shang rulers maintained control for around 600 years. The period of their rule saw the invention of , and later historians viewed it as a "Golden Age." In 1046 B.C., the Shang king was overthrown by the Zhou king, ending the Shang dynasty.

The longest of ancient China's dynasties was the , which lasted from 1046 B.C. to 256 B.C. The Zhou period is divided into two eras: (1046–771 B.C.), with the capital at , and (770–256 B.C.), with the capital at , where it was moved due to conflict.

The Zhou dynasty was a period of great intellectual achievement as some of ancient China's most important writers and philosophers, such as and the first Taoist thinkers, lived during this time. However, the peace that made their work possible would not last. The years from 476 B.C. to 221 B.C. are known as the "." During this time, the seven regions controlled by the Zhou began serious infighting. Ultimately, the armies emerged victorious in 256 B.C. and overthrew the Zhou leaders.

"China" And The Terracotta Warriors

The only lasted 15 years (221–206 B.C.), but it was an important time in Chinese history. It was a period of unification, during which territories surrounding China were brought under Chinese rule. Indeed, the first Qin leader, Qin Shin , (also sometimes called Huangdi or ) was the first Chinese ruler to be known as "."

Qin Shin Huang began work on what would become the Great Wall of China. He died in 210 B.C. and was buried in a mausoleum with a massive terracotta army consisting of almost 8,000 statues. Qin Shin Huang was followed by his son, Qin Er Shi, whose reign lasted for only three years before he was unseated in 206 B.C. The leader of the rebels, Liu Bang, became the first emperor of the dynasty.

The (206 B.C. to A.D. 220) marked another Golden Age of China. During this time, became the official state religion, and the — a trade route from Asia to the Mediterranean — was established. In A.D. 220, the last Han emperor was deposed. Han rule was followed by a period known as the .

During the Three Kingdoms period (A.D. 220–280), China was divided into three states: , Han, and Dong . The region further fractured into the northern and southern territories between A.D. 386 and 581.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. Ms. Kimball History- 6th Grade Week 7 5/18 - 5/22 In A.D. 581, the dynasty emerged. While short- lived, the managed to unify the northern and southern territories. In 618, however, the Sui were overthrown by the Tang.

The (A.D. 618–906) is often described as the greatest of the dynasties. Its members included China's only female ruler, Empress (A.D. 625–705), who reigned for 20 years.

Mongol Takeover

A period of warring followed the Tang dynasty. In the year 960, the dynasty came to power. During the Song period, the world's first paper money was issued. The lasted until 1279 when it was defeated by the under the leadership of Kublai Khan. The Mongols then ruled China as the from 1279 until 1368.

The Yuan dynasty was deposed in 1368 by the Ming Emperor Yuanzhang, who set up a stable yet autocratic state. The Ming expanded and strengthened the Great Wall of China to preserve their crumbling borders. Invading Manchu forces from the northern border regions eventually ended the in 1644. The Manchu are an ethnic minority with their own language and customs.

The Last Emperors

The Manchu invaders established the , which ruled from 1644 to 1911. The Qing empire was relatively stable. However, the 19th and 20th centuries brought China into increasing conflict with Western powers. In 1911, the last of the Chinese emperors, Puyi, stepped down. China then became a republic.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. Ms. Kimball History- 6th Grade Week 7 5/18 - 5/22 Quiz

1 How did the Three Kingdoms period affect dynasties in China?

(A) It ushered in a second Golden Age when Confucianism became the official state religion and the Silk Road grew.

(B) It caused the empire to temporarily fracture into different territories until a ruling dynasty emerged to unify them.

(C) It sparked the battles between China and outside invaders that caused Qin Shin Huang to begin work on the Great Wall.

(D) It prompted the last of the Chinese emperors in the Qing dynasty to step down so that China could become a republic.

2 According to the article, WHY was the Zhou dynasty significant for China?

(A) The Zhou was a period of intellectual growth marked by Confucius and the first Taoist thinkers.

(B) The Zhou was a period of peace and prosperity that followed the "Warring States Period."

(C) The Zhou was a period of unification when new territories were brought under Chinese rule.

(D) The Zhou was a period of lasting and consistent leadership that saw China's only female leader.

3 The author provides information about the Xia dynasty first. What is one reason why the author provides information about the Shang dynasty next?

(A) to emphasize how the Xia helped the Shang to invent Chinese writing and a system of laws

(B) to demonstrate how problems that developed during the Xia dynasty were solved

(C) to illustrate how the Xia served as a founding story for the Shang to build their dynasty upon

(D) to contrast the traditional leadership of the Xia ruler Yu with that of his Shang successor

4 What is the MAIN reason the author includes the section "Mongol Takeover"?

(A) to elaborate on what caused the Great Wall of China to be developed into its current structure

(B) to describe the various differences in leadership between the dynasty and the Song dynasty

(C) to introduce the increasing success of the Mongols under the leadership of the ruler Kublai Khan

(D) to summarize the conflicts leading to the establishment of the lasting Qing dynasty by Manchu invaders

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.