The Qin and Han Dynasties

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key dates and topics from the lecture on the Qin and Han Dynasties.

Qin and Han Dynasties

The foundational imperial era of unified China that lasted from 221 BCE to 220 CE.

Qin Shi Huang

The first emperor of a unified China who founded the Qin Dynasty in 221 BCE.

Legalism

The political philosophy adopted by the Qin Dynasty that emphasized strict laws, severe punishments, and absolute central authority.

Terracotta Army

The collection of thousands of life-sized ceramic soldiers and horses buried to protect Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife.

Legalism

The political philosophy adopted by the Qin Dynasty that emphasized strict laws, severe punishments, and absolute central authority.

Terracotta Army

The collection of thousands of life-sized ceramic soldiers and horses buried to protect Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife.

Liu Bang (Emperor Gaozu)

The peasant-born military leader who helped overthrow the Qin and founded the Han Dynasty.

Emperor Wu of Han (Han Wudi)

The Han ruler who expanded imperial territory, opened the Silk Road, and instituted Confucianism as the state ideology.

Silk Road

The overland trade network established during the Han Dynasty connecting China to Central Asia and the Mediterranean world.

Civil Service Examination System

The merit-based administrative testing system established in the Han Dynasty to evaluate candidates on Confucian teachings.

Cai Lun

The Han court official credited with standardizing and advancing the papermaking process around 105 CE.

Yellow Turban Rebellion

A massive peasant uprising in 184 CE fueled by agrarian crisis and Daoist secret societies that destabilized the Eastern Han.