Recommended: What major changes in political structures and social and economic life occured during the sui dynasty
The 15th century was the start of many voyages and the popular use of ships for trade, traveling, and exploration. Columbus, de Gama, and Zheng He, were all leaders Zheng He was the first major ocean voyager in the 15th century. He led seven expeditions, through the Indian ocean using over 300 massive boats called “treasure ships”. Though, unlike many others in his time, he was not an explorer.
For a brief time in world history, China dominated maritime exploration. Even though quite unintentionally, a previous century’s invention of the magnetic compass played a pivotal and facilitating role and provided Chinese sailors a two-hundred-year head start over their European counterparts. However, it was not until blending those navigational advancements of the day, together with nautical technologies of shipbuilding architecture and propulsion found China readily thrust to the forefront. Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty desired to leverage those technologies to construct an immense armada attesting to the court’s military prowess. Supported by a backdrop of politically favorable winds and a generous endowment, the Emperor commissioned the undertaking of explorations to an experienced Admiral named Zheng He.
Qin Shi Huangdi was the first emperor to unify all regions of China into one single empire, taking drastic steps and measures to achieve this aim. He conquered six kingdoms and survived many attempts on his life. Through his barbarity and brutality, he had earned himself the title of the most successful and influential man of China. The State of Qin believed in a political philosophy called Legalism, which justified strict and centralized control and using the people to strengthen Qin. They believed that part of strengthening his rule was to force everyone to simply obey, not speak out against him and by decreeing even how people could write, what they could believe and what they could do.
In 246 BCE Prince Zheng ascended to the Qin throne and lead the dynasty to vanquish all enemies and unite China under one ruler, himself, "The First Emperor," for the first time in history. It's debatable whether Emperor Zheng was one of the greats, but he wanted to be as he expressed good morals according to Confucian standards by climbing up five mountains, also known as his, "expeditions." At every mountaintop, Zheng carved his accomplishments on stone and left it there for the world to see. This act supported not only his dynasty, but the Confucianism teachings which believed the role of all great rulers was to lead their subjects in ritual. Heacily influenced by legalist teachings, Emperor Zheng also demonstrated more control over his subjects than previous
The Great Wall of China—started in 221 BCE during the Qin dynasty, was built to keep the northern invaders from attacking China. This 5,488 miles long wall was built over a 2,000 year period by dynasties that devoted their time in its construction. While it did provide benefits such as protection and spread ideas to other empires, it wasn’t enough to outweigh the costs of money, lives, and isolation from families. Chinese people feared their archenemy—the Xiongnu, thinking that they will conquer China. They decided to build a massive wall to keep them away from taking over, but also wanted to keep a peaceful relationship.
Lastly, the Xiongnu would keep invading China, so over the years the Han would give them more and more silk as the tribute. In document C I can see that every couple of years the Xiongnu would come back for more silk. The Han were the only ones that produced silk, so everyone wanted it. This tribute did work as long as the Han kept giving the Xiongnu more silk. The Great Wall was some protection against the Xiongnu if the Han paid tributes and stayed
Few historical figures can stand alongside legends such as Napoleon and Alexander the Great but in his book, Heavenly Khan, Victor Cunrui Xiong Ph.D. tries to make a case for Tang Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin. Xiong attempts to write a historical fiction that appeals to a wide variety of readers. Heavenly Khan tells the story of Emperor Taizong who grew up in a period of devastation for the Chinese people. Taizong would grow to become a military commander, military genius, and emperor of the Tang Dynasty Doctor Xiong is a professor of History at Western Michigan University and is well versed in Asian history.
Qin Shi Huang did many things to organise his new empire. He wanted it to run smoothly for many many years. He confirmed many improvements is different areas as follows. Money-Emperor Qin also merged China by organising needed money and standard units of measure. Since everyone was using the same money and measurements, the whole of China ran much smoother.
As the administration system became more advanced, people expected their rulers to be virtuous and have good morals. In Document 5, the Chinese bureaucracy discusses the way a government should rule. One debater mentions that the landlords and the elite should not take an extreme advantage of their positions. Those at the top of the social ladder should be fair to both their equals and their subordinates. He also mentions that one of the main bonds between the Chinese commoners and the ruler is that there must exist some sort of trust.
With that being said, we don 't know the exact number of deaths while building the Great Wall. Many of the stories of suffering are based on rumor and speculation. But what is not based on rumor is that the Great Wall provided a valuable service by protecting the Silk Road. " Wu Di used the Wall to aid in expanding China 's
Zheng He was very leaderful and did many successful things like his seven voyages that took place between 1405-1433. He lived during the Ming Dynasty and was an explorer, a mariner, and an admiral.. Zheng, had a positive impact on world history due to his way of conducting his fleet and his way of making China more informed of the world, while his adventures across seas had put his men at risk as pirates would try to take over and kill them. He led a fleet of huge ships that were believed to be the largest wooden ships ever built in the 14th and early 15th centuries.
Qin Shi Huang-di is often regarded as a great leader within history. However, he was also paranoid and got rid of anyone who disagreed with him, but without Qin, there might be no China. Furthermore, despite his mixed reputation today, he brought six warring kingdoms together to form the basis of a country that has lasted to this day, an impressive feat that was a huge turning point in Chinese history. Qin’s effect on China and by default, on the other countries of the world was enormous. In fact, his dynasty, the Qin dynasty, even gave China its name (“Shi Huangdi Becomes Emperor”).
hroughout history many changes are made in the political systems. Empires rise and fall and other countries get conquered. Asia had some continuity in its political systems, but also many changes. From 600 B.C., to 1450 A.D. many dynasties, leaders, and political systems changed in Asia as well as trying to have some continuity.
The ruler Han Gaozu changed many laws and polices and “promoted the welfare of its subjects”(p.81) unlike the ruler Qin. After the Han Dynasty there was not another great dynasty four hundred years later after the fall of the Han
Zheng He’s voyages have been a constant source of controversy in the historical world because of the differing opinions on whether they should be celebrated or not. In July of 1405, Zheng He was given a task to lead a fleet of ships for exploration. This task was assigned to him by Emperor Yongle of China’s Ming Dynasty. Zheng He went on seven separate voyages over the next twenty eight years through the Indian and Pacific Oceans with the largest fleet of wooden ships in history. He navigated his massive fleet from Nanjing along the Chinese coast and through these oceans to explore new lands and bring prosperity to China.
