table of contents - teacher created materials · 2010. 9. 9. · society was the xia (she-ah)...

© Teacher Created Materials #13089 (i5368)—Leveled Texts: World Cultures 3

ResearchIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Literacy in the Twenty-fi rst Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Why Combine Literacy and Content? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Promoting Literacy with Leveled Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Standards CorrelationsHow to Find Standards Correlations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Purpose and Intent of Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

McREL Compendium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

TESOL Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Standards Correlations Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Program OverviewRaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Leveled Texts Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Tiered Graphic Organizers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

English Language Learners Graphic Organizer Connection . . . . . . . . 16

Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Interactive Whiteboard Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Culminating Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

How to Use This ProductLesson Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Student Reproducibles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Culminating Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Leveled Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Audio and Teacher Resource CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

How to Use the Interactive Whiteboard FileGetting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Navigating Through the File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Interactive Whiteboard Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Student Response Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Table of Contents

4 #13089 (i5368)—Leveled Texts: World Cultures © Teacher Created Materials

Lessons Lesson 1: Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Lesson 2: Ancient Empires in the Middle East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Lesson 3: Ancient Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Lesson 4: Rulers of Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Lesson 5: Ancient Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Lesson 6: Greek City-States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Lesson 7: The Mighty Roman Empire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Lesson 8: The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Lesson 9: Early India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Lesson 10: Indian Rulers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Lesson 11: Ancient China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Lesson 12: Expanding China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Lesson 13: African History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

Lesson 14: Mesoamerican Empires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Lesson 15: The Incredible Incas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Culminating Activity Traveling Through Different Cultures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

AppendicesAppendix A: References Cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Appendix B: Image Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234

Appendix C: Contents of the Teacher Resource CD and Audio CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

Table of Contents


Lesson11Ancient China

Unit Learning Objectives

• Social Studies: Students will understand what archaeological evidence reveals about Chinese history during the Shang Dynasty. McREL World History, 4.3, Level III

• Nonfi ction Reading: Students will read the text to identify vocabulary words and determine important details in the text.

• Nonfi ction Writing: Students will use the vocabulary words and important details found in the text to write interesting facts for the images in the text.

Materials

• All four audio CDs

• Text of the rap (rap11.pdf)

• Electronic copies of the leveled text images to project

• Copies of the leveled text cards (card11.pdf)

• Copies of the student reproducibles (pages 153–157)

• Copies of rubric (page 159)

• Copies of the Timeline Activity Student Response Sheet (page 158) (optional)

• Interactive whiteboard fi le (optional) (fi lename: TCM World Cultures)

• Timer

• Markers and chart paper

Vocabulary Words and Concepts

• barbarians—uncivilized people who had no culture

• Confucius—a Chinese philosopher who lived during the Zhou Dynasty

• dynasty—a family of rulers

• oracle bones—animal shells and bones on which words were carved and that told fortunes

• philosopher—a person who studies knowledge, reality, and existence

• terra-cotta—a red clay used for making statues and pottery

Lesson Overview

• Students will participate in a class activity that involves fi nding vocabulary words and important details in the text.

• Students will read leveled texts and complete tiered graphic organizers that will have them list important details about the text.

• Students will write interesting facts for the images in the text using vocabulary words and important details as an assessment. A multiple-choice quiz is also provided.

• Interactive whiteboard fi les available for this lesson include the rap, vocabulary words, and the three graphic organizers. Additionally, there is a Timeline Activity in which students will place primary sources in chronological order on a timeline.


Introducing the Content

1. To get students excited about the lesson, begin by playing the Ancient China rap (Track 21) from any one of the four audio CDs. You can display the PDF of the words (rap11.pdf) using a projector, or copy and distribute the text so that students can read or sing along with the rap. Have students visualize what they think the lesson will be about. Allow students to draw their ideas on scrap paper. Have student volunteers share their drawings with the class.

2. Write the vocabulary words and defi nitions on the board so all students can see them. Then discuss the defi nitions for each word.

3. Next, play a short game of Pictionary® to review the words and help students commit them to memory. Remove the vocabulary words from sight. Divide the class into two teams. Choose one artist from each team. Invite the artists to the front of the room and show them one of the new vocabulary words. Set a timer and have each artist draw his or her own representation of the term on the board or on chart paper. The team that fi rst guesses correctly gets a point. Play several rounds until most students are comfortable with the new words. You could add other related words to the game to make it more challenging.

Dictionary

#13089—Leveled Texts: World Cultures © Teacher Created Materials

11

Ancient China

In Yellow River Valley lived a people, you see.They were the fi rst in China–the Xia dynasty.

Then the Shang dynasty was the next to take the throne.They wrote Chinese words onto oracle bones.

Next, the Zhou dynasty reigned for 900 years!But many states broke away as civil war drew near.

Though the Qin dynasty had a hasty fall,They got a lot done—even the Great Wall.

The Han dynasty made the Great Silk Road.Then Barbarians took over—guess that’s how it goes.

Ancient China The fi rst Chinese settled in the Yellow River Valley. They were farmers

and craftsmen. In addition to crops, they produced pottery and silk. The mountains along China’s border kept it separate from other civilizations (siv-uh-luh-ZAY-shuhnz), so there was little trade during this time.When one family holds all the power in a nation, it is called a dynasty (DIE-nuhs-tee). The fi rst society was the Xia (she-AH) dynasty, which lasted from about 2000 to 1600 B.C.

The Shang Dynasty The Shang dynasty reigned from around 1600 to 1046 B.C. Its people

used bronze to make tools and wheels. They also produced the oldest Chinese writings ever found. The people left records by carving words on animal shells and bones called oracle (OR-uh-kuhl) bones.

Long-Lasting Zhou Dynasty The Zhou (JO) dynasty reigned for 900 years—the longest dynasty in Chinese history. This dynasty kept extensive written records. The late Zhou emperors grew weak and could not control the people. Smaller states broke away, and their armies fought against each other. Soon civil war erupted, and thousands of men perished in bloody battles. The Chinese countryside was destroyed.

During this time, a man named Confucius (kuhn-FYOO-shuhs) was a philosopher who wanted to understand existence and its meaning. He believed that family was of supreme importance. Confucius taught that everyone should be honest, work hard, and obey rules.

Great Wall of China

#13089 (i4466)—Leveled Texts: World Cultures Through Time © Teacher Created Materials

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Ancient China The fi rst Chinese settled in the Yellow River Valley. They were farmers and craftsmen. In addition to crops, they made pottery and silk. The fi rst society was the Xia (she-AH) dynasty (DIE-nuhs-tee). A dynasty is one family that holds the power in a nation. The Xia ruled from about 2000 to 1600 B.C. The mountains along China’s border kept it separate from other nations, so there was not a lot of trade during this time.

The Shang Dynasty The Shang dynasty held power from around 1600 to 1046 B.C. Its people used bronze to make tools and wheels. The oldest Chinese writings come from this time. The people carved words on animal shells and bones. These are called oracle (OR-uh-kuhl) bones.

Long-Lasting Zhou Dynasty Next, the Zhou (JO) dynasty

reigned for 900 years. This dynasty kept written records of what happened on a daily basis. The fi nal Zhou emperors were weak and could not control the people. Many small states broke away. The armies of these states fought one another. Soon, civil war erupted. Thousands of men died in bloody battles. The countryside was destroyed.

At this time, Confucius (kuhn-FYOO-shuhs) was a philosopher. Philosophers want to understand life and its meaning. He said that family was of top importance. He taught that it was necessary to be honest, work hard, and obey rules.

Great Wall of China


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Ancient China The fi rst Chinese settled in the Yellow River Valley. The farmers grew

crops. Craftsmen made silk and clay dishes and pots. The mountains

along China’s border kept it apart from other nations. So there was not

much trade.

The fi rst society was the Xia (she-AH) dynasty (DIE-nuhs-tee). A

dynasty is one family that holds the power in a nation. The Xia ruled for

400 years.

The Shang Dynasty

The Shang dynasty held power for nearly 600 years. Its people used

bronze. They made tools and wheels. The oldest Chinese writings come

from this time. The people carved

words on animal shells and bones.

These are called oracle (OR-uh-

kuhl) bones.

Long-Lasting Zhou Dynasty

Next, the Zhou (JO) dynasty

ruled for 900 years. But near the

end of this time, the emperors

grew weak. They could not keep

control. Small states broke away.

Their troops fought each other.

Soon, civil war began. Thousands

of men died. Bloody battles ruined

farms and towns.

Confucius (kuhn-FYOO-shuhs)

lived during this time. He was a

philosopher (fi l-LOS-uh-fer). He

thought about life and its meaning.

He said that family was most

important. He taught that it was

a person’s duty to be honest, work

hard, and follow rules.

Great Wall of China


Anciennt CChThe fi rst Chines ttled ie set nn the Yelfi

crops. Craftsmen madede silk and clay

along China’s border kept it ae apart fro

much trade.

The fiThe first society was the XXia (she- rst societ the Xy was ia (shefifidynasty is one family hat holds th the

400 years.

The Shang Dynasty

The Shang d heldynasty h power fo

bronze. They made tools and wheel

Great Wall of China

#13089 (i4466)—Leveled Texts: World Cultures ugghgh TTimThThrroou

Ancient China The fi rst settlers of China lived in the Yellow River Valley. The farmers

grew crops. Men made silk. They used clay to make dishes and pots.

Mountains along the borders kept them apart from other nations. So,

there was not much trade.

The fi rst culture was under the Xia (she-AH) dynasty (DIE-nuhs-tee).

A dynasty is one family. It holds all the power in a nation. The Xia ruled

for 400 years.

The Shang Dynasty

The Shang dynasty came next. It ruled for 600 years. The Shang

people worked with bronze. They made tools and wheels.

The oldest Chinese writings

come from the Shang. The people

carved words on animal shells and

bones. These are called oracle

(OR-uh-kuhl) bones.


Then, the Zhou (JO) dynasty

took charge. It lasted for 900

years. Near its end, the rulers

became weak. They could not

keep control of their land. Small

states broke away. Their troops

fought each other. Wars broke out.

Thousands of men died. These

battles ruined farms and towns.

Confucius (kuhn-FYOO-shuhs)

lived during this time. He was

a philosopher (fi l-LOS-uh-fer).

Philosophers think about the

meaning of life. He said that

family was most important. He

taught that a person should be

honest and work hard. He also

said that a person must follow

rules.

Great Wall of China


Ancient China Lesson Plan



Reading the Text

1. Display the image of the Great Wall of China from the levled text card. This image is available on the Teacher Resource CD (greatwal.jpg). Tell students that this is an image of the Great Wall of China. Draw a T-chart on the board. One column should be titled Title of Picture and the other column titled Interesting Facts. Complete the organizer as a discussion guide to the picture. Interesting facts may include the following: the Great Wall of China was originally a group of smaller walls built to protect territories; the Great Wall is now connected as one large wall; the Great Wall is so large that it can be seen from space (astronauts have photographed Earth from space that reveals a line of the Great Wall); many tourists visit the Great Wall of China; the Great Wall is a symbol of Chinese history and unifi cation.

2. Distribute copies of the appropriate leveled text card to your students based on their reading abilities. The cards are differentiated with leveled texts written at various grade levels.

▲ 6.7 grade level

■ 5.0 grade level

● 3.2 grade level

★ 1.9 grade level

3. Place students with the same leveled text into groups of three students each. Distribute copies of the Discovering Ancient China Graphic Organizers (pages 153–155) to students. Give above-grade-level students the triangle sheets, on-grade-level students the square sheets, and below-grade-level students the circle sheets.

4. Have students read the text in their small groups. You may wish to play the audio of the text available on the audio CD (Track 22). Be sure to match the shape on the text to the shape on the audio CD. Students should follow the directions and complete the graphic organizer as a small group.

English Language Learners Graphic Organizer Connection

Meet with your English language learners in small groups to discuss the graphic organizers, depending on which one they will be completing. Read the directions, then show them an example of how to complete the graphic organizer. If some of these students struggle with writing the basic information, allow them to tell you their answers, pointing out where this information would go on the graphic organizer.



Assessing Their Understanding

1. Bring the class back together and let students share their favorite things that they wrote on their graphic organizers. Remember, students’ graphic organizers are slightly different, but the information each group shares can be helpful to everyone. Use a checklist to keep track of what students say by making quick annotations. This will help you to know if any of the information needs to be retaught before giving them the assessment assignment below.

2. Play the Ancient China rap (Track 21) again as a review.

3. As an assessment, have students choose two activities to complete from the Ancient China Multiple Intelligences activity sheet (page 156).

4. Be sure to share the rubric (page 159) with students before they begin their projects so that they will know how they will be graded.

5. A multiple-choice quiz is also provided (page 157).

Interactive Whiteboard Activity

Timeline Activity (Literacy skill: Sequencing)

This activity is available in the interactive whiteboard fi le on the Teacher Resource CD (fi lename: TCM World Cultures). Choose the Ancient China lesson. Then select the activity.

In this activity, students will place primary sources in chronological order by dragging and dropping them along the timeline. Students can touch or click on a primary source to learn more about it.

This activity can be done during whole-group instruction by grouping students together and letting each group complete the timeline together or by asking individual students to come to the board. Or, allow small rotating groups of students to work together on the timeline. Have students record their answers on the Timeline Activity Student Response Sheet (page 158).


Name __________________________________________

Ancient China

Student Reproducibles

Timeline Activity Student Response SheetDirections: This sheet will be used with the interactive whiteboard activity. Look closely at the primary sources on the interactive whiteboard. Read the information

about each primary source. Then, place the primary sources in chronological order

on the timeline. You can keep track of your answers below. A description of each primary source is listed along with a letter. Write the letter of the primary source under the correct year on the timeline below.

A. For almost 900 years, the Zhou dynasty ruled. B. The Xia was the fi rst ruling dynasty in ancient China and ruled for 400 years. C. After the Xia, the Shang dynasty ruled for 600 years.

D. Emperor Qin died and the Han took over. E. After the fall of the Zhou dynasty, the Qin ruled for a short 15 years.

Ancient China Timeline

2000 B.C. 1600 B.C. 1046 B.C. 221 B.C. 206 B.C.

______ ______ ______ ______ ______


Name __________________________________________

Ancient China Student Reproducibles

Discovering Ancient China Graphic Organizer

Directions: As you read the text, complete the graphic organizer below. Include at least two interesting facts for each subtopic. Make a connection from the text showing how ancient China has infl uenced our world today.

Subtopics Interesting Facts Connections to Today


Name __________________________________________



Directions: As you read the text, complete the graphic organizer below. Use the context clues to write defi nitions for any unfamiliar words. Include at least one interesting fact for each subtopic.

Subtopic Unfamiliar Word Defi nition Interesting Fact


Name __________________________________________



Directions: As you read the text, complete the graphic organizer below. Use the context clues to write defi nitions for the vocabulary words. Use the words from the Word Box below. Include at least one interesting fact for each subtopic.

Word Box

terra-cotta barbarians Confucius oracle bones

Subtopic Vocabulary Word Defi nition Interesting Fact

The Shang Dynasty

The Zhou Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty

The Han Dynasty


Name __________________________________________


Ancient China Multiple Intelligences

Directions: Read the project ideas listed below. Choose one project from two different categories.

Verbal/Linguistic Project Choices

• Find a partner to debate with. Each of you will choose a different Chinese dynasty to discuss. Debate with your partner, giving reasons for why the dynasty you chose is the “better” one.

• Create a tanka poem about one of the ancient Chinese dynasties you read about. Be sure the fi rst and third lines have fi ve syllables, and the second, fourth, and fi fth lines have seven syllables.

Visual/Spatial Project Choices

• Use clay to make a terra-cotta soldier resembling the ones mentioned in the text. Write a paragraph telling about these life-size soldiers.

• Draw a map showing the great Silk Road. Write a paragraph telling why the Silk Road was important.

Bodily/Kinesthetic Project Choices

• Choose a partner or partners and write a one-minute skit about the different ancient Chinese dynasties. Perform your skit in front of your classmates.

• Use clay, toothpicks, craft sticks, wooden pieces, or any other items of your choice and build a model of the Great Wall of China. On an index card, write a brief description of the Great Wall of China.

Logical/Mathematical Project Choices

• Complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting two of the dynasties mentioned in the text.

• Use your graphic organizer and create an outline of the text.

Intrapersonal Project Choices

• People of the Zhou dynasty kept written records on a daily basis. Pretend that you lived during the Zhou dynasty. Write a journal entry telling about an event that took place in your daily life. Refer to the text for factual information.

• Choose a dynasty. Make a T-chart. Label one side Likes and the other side Dislikes. Write things you like and dislike about the dynasty.


Name __________________________________________


Ancient China Quiz

Directions: Circle the best answer for each multiple-choice question. Write your response to the short-answer question on the back of this page or on another sheet of paper.

1. The oldest Chinese writings come from the _______ dynasty.

a. Qin

b. Zhou

c. Shang

d. Han

4. The _______ was fi nished during the time of the Han Dynasty.

a. Great Wall of China

b. Taj Mahal

c. Yellow River Valley dam

d. Silk Road

2. Which is not one of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s accomplishments?

a. He set standard weights and measure and made written language more uniform.

b. He ended the constant battling and unifi ed the nation.

c. He successfully tore down all the walls built for protection by neighboring Chinese territories.

d. He had roads and canals constructed.

5. Why was China so prosperous during the Han Dynasty?

a. The Han family were experts in trade.

b. The Silk Road was easy to travel because it was silky and smooth.

c. They traded with the rich barbarians.

d. The Silk Road linked Asian and European nations.

3. Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, said _______ was of top importance.

a. money

b. the afterlife

c. security

d. family

Short-Answer Question

6. Describe one contribution from each dynasty that impacted Chinese history.


Name __________________________________________


Timeline Activity Student Response Sheet

Directions: This sheet will be used with the interactive whiteboard activity. Look closely at the primary sources on the interactive whiteboard. Read the information about each primary source. Then, place the primary sources in chronological order on the timeline. You can keep track of your answers below. A description of each primary source is listed along with a letter. Write the letter of the primary source under the correct year on the timeline below.

A. For almost 900 years, the Zhou dynasty ruled.

B. The Xia was the fi rst ruling dynasty in ancient China and ruled for 400 years.

C. After the Xia, the Shang dynasty ruled for 600 years.

D. Emperor Qin died and the Han took over.

E. After the fall of the Zhou dynasty, the Qin ruled for a short 15 years.

Ancient China Timeline

2000 B.C. 1600 B.C. 1046 B.C. 221 B.C. 206 B.C.

______ ______ ______ ______ ______


Ancient China Rubric

Ancient China Multiple Intelligences Rubric

Directions: Use the rubric below to assess student projects.

Student’s Name: ________________________________

Well Developed 4

Fairly Developed 3

Beginning 2

Not Developed 1

Verbal/Linguistic Rubric

Supports ideas with meaningful details from text 4 3 2 1

Creative ideas are presented 4 3 2 1

Uses interesting and specifi c word choice 4 3 2 1

Visual/Spatial Rubric

Represents student’s full potential 4 3 2 1

Project is creative 4 3 2 1

Indicates an understanding of the topic 4 3 2 1

Bodily/Kinesthetic Rubric

Project is original and creative 4 3 2 1



Logical/Mathematical Rubric

Work is organized 4 3 2 1



Intrapersonal Rubric

Shows individual thought 4 3 2 1

Supports ideas with meaningful details from text 4 3 2 1

Work is organized 4 3 2 1

Ancient China The first Chinese settled in the Yellow River Valley. They were farmers

and craftsmen. In addition to crops, they produced pottery and silk. The mountains along China’s border kept it separate from other civilizations (siv-uh-luh-ZAY-shuhnz), so there was little trade during this time.

When one family holds all the power in a nation, it is called a dynasty (DIE-nuhs-tee). The first society was the Xia (she-AH) dynasty, which lasted from about 2000 to 1600 b.c.

The Shang Dynasty

The Shang dynasty reigned from around 1600 to 1046 b.c. Its people used bronze to make tools and wheels. They also produced the oldest Chinese writings ever found. The people left records by carving words on animal shells and bones called oracle (OR-uh-kuhl) bones.


The Zhou (JO) dynasty reigned for 900 years—the longest dynasty in Chinese history. This dynasty kept extensive written records. The late Zhou emperors grew weak and could not control the people. Smaller states broke away, and their armies fought against each other. Soon civil war erupted, and thousands of men perished in bloody battles. The Chinese countryside was destroyed.

During this time, a man named Confucius (kuhn-FYOO-shuhs) was a philosopher who wanted to understand existence and its meaning. He believed that family was of supreme importance. Confucius taught that everyone should be honest, work hard, and obey rules.

Great Wall of China


Short but Sweet: The Qin Dynasty

The Qin (CHIN) dynasty gained power after the Zhou’s fall. Their reign only lasted about 15 years, yet Emperor Qin Shi Huang (CHIN SHE HWANG) accomplished much in this time. He ended the constant battling by unifying the nation. Qin took control of all of China. He formed a centralized government.

Over the years, other leaders had built walls to protect their territories. Emperor Qin decided to join these walls and make them longer, forming the basis of what became the Great Wall of China. Emperor Qin established standard weights and measures and made written language uniform. To connect towns, he had roads and canals constructed.

Qin wanted a magnificent tomb that displayed his power and significance. Thus, he had artists create over 7,000 life-sized terra-cotta (tear-ruh-KAWT-tuh) (red clay) warriors to stand guard over his tomb.

Prosperous Han Dynasty

After Qin died, his sons lost control. The Han (HAWN) dynasty took over. It lasted from 206 b.c. to a.d. 220 and was one of the strongest in Chinese history. During the Han reign, China was the largest country in the world, with a population of 60 million. The great Silk Road, a trade route forming the first link between Asian and European nations, was completed during this time.

Once the powerful Han dynasty crumbled, wars occurred. Barbarians (bawr-BER-ee-uhnz), uncivilized people who had no culture, seized control of the northern part of China. Different rulers controlled parts of southern China.

Comprehension QuestionHow did the dynasties impact Chinese

history in both good and bad ways?

HAN

N

S

W E

Land under the ruleof the Han Dynasty

Current boundariesof China and Mongolia

Terra-cotta soldiers

Map of the Han Dynasty


table of contents - teacher created materials · 2010. 9. 9. · society was the xia (she-ah)...

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