Key Terms – The Han Dynasty

Liu Bang Han Dynasty Civil Service Exam Silk Road Cartography

Liu Bang

Liu Bang → military leader who managed to acquire the Mandate of Heaven

Started the Han Dynasty which lasted more than 400 years.

Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.)

Considered the Golden Age of China.

Expanded to include Southeast Asia, northern Korea, southern Manchuria and Central Asia.

Made many reforms to improve life in China during the time period.

Civil Service Exam To extend job

opportunities within the Chinese bureaucracy to the lower classes, the Han made extensive use of a civil service exam.

Exam was on law, math, and Confucian teachings.

Would be used by future dynasties as a way of acquiring officials who could be considered significantly more loyal.

Extension of Trade Trade began to expand coinciding with the expansion of the

empire. A large trade network was created that ran from China all the

way to the Mediterranean. The network was called the Silk Road. Was more than 5000 miles long and carried silk and spices from

the east to the west.

Expansion of Technology

Lacquerware was improved to become more ornate.

Paper was created from cloth, bark fibers and rope.

First dictionary was created.

Crossbows, wrenches, gears and cogs were created.

Cartography was introduced → creation of maps.