Social Studies Study Guide (Questions - East Asia)

How do geographers divide mainland East Asia and what is found in each? 

They divide it into three broad geographic subregions by elevation. Plateau of Tibet, North and East of Tibet, Eastern third of China

What Physical features does Japan create? 

Archipelago of Japan 

What events take place in the Ring of Fire?

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions 

What importance does the South China Sea play as a waterway? 

Largest sea and it has some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world

What is the Huang He/Yellow River known for? 

Yellow-brown silt that blows in from the deserts in West China

Why is the Chang Jiang/Yangtze River important? 

 It provides water for large farming areas

Why is there such a great range of climates in East Asia? 

The vast size of the area, different elevations, and air masses

What are the main energy resources in China? 

Coal, oil, mayoral gas, and hydroelectric power

How old is the civilization of China?

More than 4,000 years old

As the Chinese developed, they tried to keep out foreign invaders. What two ways kept them out?

A natural border, until eventually they built the Great Wall of China

What was the Shang Dynasty known for? 

It was the first to leave a written record

What was the Han Dynasty known for? 

It was known for uniting China and started The Great Wall of China

What were major achievements and ideas in China other than the spread of new religions?

Laws were recorded for the 1st time, first coins were created, farmers began using plows, paper making and use of paper for record keeping, Silk Road – 4,000 mile trade/Caravan route, woodblock printing, gun powder for explosive and fireworks, magnetic compass

What major religions came about in early China? 

Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism

Where were the first people from who lived in Korea? 

Northern Asia

Which group from Central Asia conquered northern China in the 1200s to late 1300s? 

The Mongols

Who settled in Japan’s islands? 

People from Korea and China

By 500 AD the clans and tribal kingdoms of Japan has close ties to Korea which eventually extended to China. What area of Chinese culture were adopted? 

Chinese calendar, writing system, technology, and Buddhism 

In 1927 China, two rival leaders formed different governments. Who were they and what governments did they form? 

Chiang Kaishek - Nationalist Government, Mao Zedong - Communist Government

What was China’s Cultural Revolution?

When intellectuals and students were sent to work on farms in hopes that this would rid the country of cultural elements that did not support communism

What was Taiwan’s goal of “One China”?

To reunite 2 parts of China and asking Mainland China to negotiate with Taiwan as an equal

What was China’s “one child” policy and why was it enacted? What problems has this led to?

It required families to have no more than one child. This helped slow population growth, but led to a decrease in the labor force

What religion do China, Korea, and Japan have in common?

Buddhism

What are the two staple foods in East Asia? 

Rice and Noodles

What has rapid economic growth led to in East Asia?

Air and water pollution and shortages of water and farmland