Deck 7: Chinas First Empire and Its Aftermath, 221 B.C.E-589 C.E

Question 1

Which of the following was NOT among the economic policies initiated by Emperor Wudi?

A)whether China should be a land- or sea-based power.
B)the best way to deal with the barbarians beyond the Great Wall.
C)what should be the basis of the Chinese currency.
D)whether the government should have monopolies over certain goods.

Answer 1

whether the government should have monopolies over certain goods.

Question 2

The Qin overthrew the previous Zhou dynasty around

A)destruction of the books of Confucianism and other schools.
B)harsh laws.
C)societal order and stability.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Answer 2

All of these answers are correct.

Question 3

According to Map 7-1,under the Qin Dynasty

A)protect settled lands against nomadic raiders.
B)divide China administratively into prefectures.
C)protect the Yangtze River basin and the fertile areas of the Red River.
D)None of these answers are correct.

Answer 3

protect settled lands against nomadic raiders.

Question 4

In the view of Confucian historians,the last rulers of any dynastic cycle tended to be

A)Gaozu
B)Li Si
C)Han Wudi
D)Wang Mang

Question 5

The Ancient Roman and Han Chinese Empires had all of the following characteristics in common except:

A)gradual.
B)disorganized.
C)sudden.
D)law-abiding.

Question 6

The first emperors of the Han Dynasty were different from the Qin Dynasty because they

A)"ever level" granaries
B)taxes levied on merchants
C)taxes levied on government officials
D)debasement of the currency

Question 7

The Qin Dynasty was famous for its

A)the Zhou.
B)the Li Su.
C)the Xiongnu.
D)the Xian.

Question 8

The Qin Dynasty collapsed

A)206 B.C.E.
B)100 B.C.E.
C)90 C.E.
D)250 C.E.

Question 9

In 1974,a Chinese farmer found 8,000 life-sized clay soldiers that came from

A)because of a break in the Great Wall.
B)following decades of gradual decline under weak rulers.
C)because their harsh rule and burdensome demands alienated most people.
D)after more than two hundred years of security and stable rule.

Question 10

The reign of this Chinese ruler best fits the Confucian description of the second phase of the dynastic cycle.

A)were Buddhist and avoided warfare and violence.
B)practiced Legalism and were overthrown within two decades.
C)cultivated popular support by reducing taxes and legal penalties.
D)allied themselves with steppe nomads to dominate the ethnic Chinese.

Question 11

The enemies of the Chinese dynasties were nomadic tribes known as

A)Xian,the capital,is in the far south of Qin territory.
B)the Great Wall marks the northern boundary of the Qin state.
C)the Great Wall marks the western boundary of the Qin state.
D)Guangzhou,the capital,is in the far south of Qin territory.

Question 12

According to the poetry of Xijun,Chinese emperors primarily used women

A)Han expansion went as far west as the boundaries of the Kushan Empire.
B)Han expansion went as far south as Hanoi in Annam (Viet-Nam).
C)Han territory stayed south of the boundary created by the great wall.
D)the silk road originated in Han territory.

Question 13

Compared to the Romans,Chinese political unification was more

A)250 B.C.E.
B)150 B.C.E.
C)50 C.E.
D)200 C.E.

Question 14

Based on Map 7-2,all the following statements about expansion under the Han are correct except:

A)suppression of scholars
B)reduction of bureaucracy
C)issuing government monopolies
D)domination of Legalist policies

Question 15

The Han continued which practice from the Qin Dynasty?

A)they came from high-status families
B)they were castrated as youths
C)they were servants in the emperor's harem
D)they were advisors to emperors

Question 16

The Great Wall of China was built to

A)the tomb of the First Emperor.
B)Xiongnu plunder.
C)artisans under the Han Dynasty.
D)the Yungang Grotto.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the Qin Dynasty?

A)politically weak and morally culpable.
B)militarily weak and corrupt.
C)economically weak and militarily strong.
D)economically secure yet morally culpable.

Question 18

The so-called "Salt and Iron" Debates were concerned with

A)centralized government with carefully limited expansion
B)strict governmental control on all trade
C)aggressive expansion of borders
D)government led by military and focused on military concerns

Question 19

The Qin Dynasty collapsed around

A)It produced great achievements but at great human cost.
B)It was the most creative age in Chinese art and literature.
C)It was the longest and best-loved government in Chinese history.
D)It undermined Chinese unity and led to centuries of Manchurian dominance.

Question 20

The text identifies which of the following policies as one that would characterize every strong dynasty?

A)as silk workers and merchants.
B)to serve as ambassadors and escorts for foreign dignitaries.
C)to decorate their palaces according to Confucian principles.
D)as gifts to foreign rulers in return for non-aggression.

Question 21

The novel Journey to the West based on the monk Xuangzan's pilgrimages reflects the growth of what religion in China after the fall of the Han Dynasty?

A)the Southern Qi then to the Northern Wei,then to India and later to Japan and Korea.
B)the Northern Wei then to the Southern Qi,then to India and later to Japan and Korea.
C)India to the Southern Qi,then to the Northern Wei,and from there to Korea and Japan.
D)India to the Southern Qi and Northern Wei,and from there to Korea and Japan.

Question 22

Wang Mang's rule proved unsuccessful because

A)the mandate of heaven provided an ethical justification for dynastic rule.
B)Confucianism was seen as shaping moral men.
C)Confucianism guided the interpretation and application of laws.
D)Confucian eunuchs served as tutors for the royal children.

Question 23

The popularity of stories such as the "Peach Blossom Spring" during the later Han Dynasty suggests that many Chinese

A)had become increasingly skeptical about religious explanations for natural phenomena.
B)recognized the awesome power of the Chinese state.
C)saw little that was meaningful in the politics of the day.
D)had a deep appreciation for the personal accomplishment of their emperors.

Question 24

In her Admonitions for Women,Ban Zhao suggests that,compared to men,Chinese women should be more

A)subservient.
B)independent.
C)knowledgeable about the world.
D)attentive to their appearance.

Question 25

Buddhism spread from

A)the Buddha had been a disciple of Laozi's.
B)Buddhism and Daoism had significant similarities.
C)Buddhism had originated in China.
D)Buddhism was inferior to Daoism.

Question 26

Which of the following was NOT among the major contenders for power during the Han Dynasty?

A)his career and policies reflect the decline of the Former Han Dynasty.
B)he established the first Buddhist monasteries in China.
C)he defeated the Xiong-Nu once and for all.
D)he led the successful peasant rebellion that overthrew the Han Dynasty.

Question 27

Which of the following statements is NOT generally true about court eunuchs?

A)they were usually placed under restraint in the presence of the emperor.
B)communication lines in China were less efficient than in Rome.
C)an appointment to command a Han army was given only for a specific campaign.
D)commanders were appointed in threes so each would check the other.

Question 28

Wang Mang is important in early Chinese history because

A)he alienated merchants and landowners.
B)nature conspired against him,producing floods and famines.
C)he had tried to found a new dynasty from within without the support of an independent military.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Question 29

In the centuries following the collapse of the Later Han Dynasty,

A)Neo-Daoist religious movements.
B)Confucianism.
C)their landlords for support.
D)None of these answers are correct.

Question 30

Military commanders were less powerful in the Chinese court than they were in imperial Rome because

A)court officials
B)the empress dowager
C)the regent
D)court eunuchs

Question 31

In his Historical Records,Sima Qian suggests that wealthy Chinese merchants

A)biology.
B)history.
C)sociology.
D)astronomy.

Question 32

During the Later Han's decline in the second century C.E.,many peasants turned to

A)applied Confucian principles of morality to their work.
B)separated their economic life from their moral values.
C)applied Buddhist principles of enlightenment to their work.
D)applied neo-Daoist ideas of the beauty of nature to their work.

Question 33

During the so-called Six Dynasties era,

A)economic stagnation and riots especially in the capital of Nanjing
B)the absorption of tribal peoples into Chinese culture and society
C)large scale immigration of Chinese fleeing to the north
D)the penetration and spread of Buddhism

Question 34

Which of the following was NOT a major development in south China after the fall of the Han Dynasty from 220 to 589 C.E.?

A)great aristocratic landowning families became more powerful.
B)Chinese kingdoms became stronger and more stable.
C)immigration southward came to halt.
D)northern and southern China grew more similar.

Question 35

China was susceptible to frequent earthquakes,so a seismograph invented under the Han Dynasty used which of these mechanismsa.

A)suspended weight moves a lever which drops balls into a ceramic frog's mouth
B)a magnetic arm moves a writing instrument across a piece of parchment
C)specially colored wooden dragons float in a vat of colored water
D)two chemicals are separated inside an urn; when shaken they produce a distinct glow

Question 36

A primary tenet of Buddhism is

A)by the Qin Dynasty.
B)during the Former Han Dynasty.
C)during the Later Han Dynasty.
D)None of these answers are correct.

Question 37

Many Chinese believed that Laozi had brought Buddhism to India because

A)seek pleasure in life.
B)respect authority.
C)nirvana is unattainable.
D)life is suffering.

Question 38

A major concern of Neo-Daoism was

A)immorality.
B)immortality
C)metaphysics.
D)a revival of Confucian classics.

Question 39

Buddhism was introduced to China

A)Chinese Buddhism was more syncretic and unified.
B)Chinese Buddhism was more focused on ancestor worship.
C)Indian Buddhism was more focused on the sutras and meditation.
D)Indian Buddhism was less regulated by the government.

Question 40

Confucian ideas were considered useful under the Former Han Dynasty for all of the following reasons except:

A)arrival of Buddha in China.
B)generals and the fall of the Han Dynasty.
C)warriors and statesmen after the fall of the Han Dynasty.
D)plight of the peasantry after the fall of the Han Dynasty.

Question 41

Compare and contrast the policies of the Qin and Han empires.Which was the most successful dynasty and why?

Question 42

Why was there interest in history during the Han period? How did this study reflect the values of society? What role did Confucian thought have in this development?

Question 43

Why did Buddhism appeal to the Chinese? Why were some of the Indian practices utilized by many who became involved in the faith? What importance did the collapse of the Han Dynasty have in this movement?

Question 44

Since the early third century C.E.,the Chinese population has referred to itself as

Question 45

What was the dynastic cycle in China? Why was there a specific mandate from heaven for this political activity? In what manner did the Qin Dynasty fail in the cycle? What were the general reasons for a downward trend in the cycle?

Question 46

What were the contributions of philosophy to the Han Dynasty? How did philosophy aid in uniting the large empire? What were some of the major controversies of the time?

Question 47

Discuss the process of unification in China under the first emperor.What reforms did he initiate and what was their impact on China? To what extent did these reforms survive his reign and influence other dynasties?

Question 48

Analyze the changes in Confucian thought during the Han period.To what extent did the Han embrace earlier Confucian teachings and to what extent did they modify them? To what extent were Han teachings influenced by schools of thought other than Confucianism?

Question 49

Who were the four major contenders for power in the Han Dynasty and how did each group perceive its particular role in society? What were the most successful ways of gaining and maintaining power?

Question 50

Select the correct chronological sequence for the following dynasties:

A)a Mandate of Heaven.
B)the Qinese people.
C)the Han people.
D)the Xiongnu peoples.

Question 51

Compare and contrast the first emperors of China and Rome.What were the policies of each emperor and how did each achieve his goals? Which was the most successful? You may need to refer to the previous chapter on Rome to complete your response on this topic.

Question 52

Chinese Buddhism was distinct from Buddhism in India for all of the following reasons except:

A)Han,Qin,Six Dynasties
B)Qin,Han,Six Dynasties
C)Han,Six Dynasties,Qin
D)Six Dynasties,Qin,Han

Question 53

Why did the Later Han Dynasty succeed where the Former Han had failed? What geographic areas were involved in the new empires? Where was most of the opposition to this control?

Question 54

Compare and contrast Confucianism and Legalism.What were the primary teachings of each school of thought,and how did each impact various dynasties?

Question 55

To what extent does the rise and fall of the dynasties in China support the dynastic cycle theory?

Question 56

After the collapse of the Later Han Dynasty,why did the south prosper with the capital at Nanjing? What factors were important in developing a sound economy and attracting Chinese to the south? What role did religion play in this development?

Question 57

Discuss the similarities and differences between the Chinese Empires and the Roman Empire.How did geography affect each empire? How did the "philosophical revolutions" affect each empire? What was the role of the military in each political unit?