Winter Quarter Research Paper

Piggybacking off your first two projects on the Dynastic Cycle and Philosopher's Tea, we will begin your Winter Quarter Research Paper.  You are encouraged to use themes in ancient and pre-modern Chinese history with which you are already familiar.

Examples include:

centralization of power 

bureaucratic structures 

education or technology 

religious systems and institutions 

organization of the military and war 

impact of foreign invasion

massive public works projects 

lives of peasants (conscription for labor, taxation, revolts against dynasties) 

innovations in belief systems (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism) 

the use of belief systems by political institutions

Where should you look for sources?  Exactly where you have already been looking for the last two projects plus the Asian book cart pulled specifically for our class by Ms. Volk in the Pritzker Traubert Library.  You need to use two books, two reputable and scholarly electronic sources, and one primary source.  Once you have met that independent research requirement, you may also incorporate evidence from the Craig text which I scanned and uploaded for you. Take research notes with quotation marks to avoid "accidental" plagiarism.  Use this format. 

Asian Philosopher Tea

Confucianism 

                                                                      Doaism

Dynastic Cycle Project

Some of the first civilizations arose in China four thousand years ago along its two major river systems, the Huang He (Yellow) and Yangtze Rivers. Early Chinese dynasties had a belief in the Mandate of Heaven which meant the gods gave the Emperor the power to rule, but if he did not please them he could be removed. They say that every time a natural disaster occurred, a harvest was poor, or invasions began, the leaders of the different clans would fight to gain the Mandate.  The Zhou Dynasty first used this philosophy when they overthrew the Shang, yet this philosophy reappeared to legitimize new dynasties through 1644 (and perhaps even into the 20th century, through 1911 at the time of the Nationalist Revolution, or longer still. As historians, however, we should question to what extent this cycle fits the trajectory of ancient Chinese dynasties, and in doing so, understand its strength and weaknesses as a “model.” The dynastic class handout from class may be found here.

Dynastic Cycle Poster Rubric (20 Points)
Name: ______________
Assigned Dynasty: _______________
(1=low, 5=high)
Answer to question
Use of specific evidence (events, people)
3+ scholarly citations with pg #s
Attractive and symbolic representation

8th period Optional: If you were interested in the ancestor worship we briefly discussed today, you may find more at this optional extra credit article.  Read it and write 7-8 sentences summarizing how families venerate their ancestors.  http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/cosmos/prb/journey.htm  Worth 1 homework assignment.

Unit 5 China begins

(beginning through 17:10)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsd05kjnayM

2000 Years of Chinese History (Mandate of Heaven)

 Ted-Ex What Makes the Great Wall So Extraordinary?