The Exemplary Han Dynasty
Bradley Trevino
Imagine yourself, in China, dynasty after dynasty you have heard about your ancestors suffer due to the harsh ruling of earlier dynasties. After the harsh ruling of the QIn, there is hope! The new Han Dynasty has come to be! Will this dynasty be like the rest and crumble?
The First 2 Emperors
When it started in 207 B.C. and Liu Bang, a former peasent, became emperor because the Chinese believed in the "mandate of heaven". Which was a belief that God or Heaven, had given them permission to take over the throne. Unlike Qin, Liu Bang didn't support and hated Legalism. He lowered taxes and made punishments less severe. Then, in 140 B.C., Emperor Wudi took over the throne. He changed Liu Bang's way of ruling by taking away land from the lords and raising taxes to strengthen the central government. Wudi also made Confucianism China's official government philosophy. Government officials and Universities were expected to practice and teach Confucianism. Confucian ideas were key on an exam which determined your position and job in the government.
Achievements and accomplishments
The Han became very skilled and advanced with some new things. For example, they came up with pulleys and wheelbarrows which were used to move goods. They also used the water-powered trip-hammer. This device pimped air into furnaces and pulverized ores and grains. The Han also came up with paper, which in that time was only used to wrap fish. Public school also started, which rich children mostly did not attend. They were tutored at home or in small groups. Some rich families also had food, clothes, and even stone lion which were used to protect their house! Over all, the Silk Road was the greatest economic achievement the Han started! The Silk Road was a network of trade routes, which was officially open in 1453 C.E.
Pottery
Had pottery like this dog, for example.
Magnetic Compass
This helped the navigation across the seas.
The Silk Road
One of the major achievements of the Han Dynasty. Help trade.
The fall of the Han Dynasty.
Gangs started to roam cities. Usually the Han were in war, which made walking in the streets dangerous. Later, the fall occurred when multiple emperors died young and did not choose someone to take over the throne. So a close relative, like a cousin, was named emperor. Sometimes even a child or infant took over the throne. Sooner or later it ended.
Although the Han Dynasty ended, it was a major dynasty that influenced later ones. So the Han Dynasty is still alive in various forms.