NAME :

CLASS :
The Han Dynasty
DATE :
20 Questions

1. What allowed the Han to expand their dynasty?

a) their great wealth which allowed them to buy b) their military methods and new weapons
land
c) their skill in negotiating treaties d) their ability to build alliances with their
neighbors

2. How did the Han manage to build up such a large army?

a) They hired soldiers from other countries and b) They forced all adult men and women to
paid them very well. serve in the army.

c) They bought slaves to fight their wars, in d) They required all men between the ages of
order to spare the lives of their own people. 25 and 60 to serve in the army.

3. What was the advantage of fish-scale armor produced by Han

ironworkers?

a) It allowed soldiers to float if they fell into b) It produced a smell that overpowered their
water. enemies.

c) It was flexible enough to move with the body. d) It allowed warriors to withstand very cold
water.

4. What did the Han do with kites?

a) The Han used them to transport goods over b) The Han used them for a variety of military
long distances. purposes.

c) The Han used them to capture electricity d) The Han used them for entertainment.
during lightning storms.

5. How did Han emperors rule their vast empire?

a) They made all decisions personally to avoid b) They used a large, complex bureaucracy to
having to share power. run the government.

c) They shared control with local governments d) They divided the duties of government
run by their male relatives. between themselves and their wives.
6. Before the Han dynasty, government officials were hired based
on

a) their civil service exam results. b) their appearance.

c) their incomes. d) their social status.

7. How did the Han dynasty select its government officials?

a) Candidates had to belong to one of the b) Candidates had to pay a large bribe to the
highest-ranking families. hiring officials.

c) Candidates had to pass a difficult civil service d) Candidates had to be related to the emperor.
exam.

8. Every three years, civil servants

a) could be promoted or demoted depending b) were automatically promoted to the next

upon an evaluation of their work. level, regardless of job performance.
c) received a paid month off to deepen their d) were moved into a new position, to prevent
knowledge of classic Chinese writings. them from giving special favors to friends.

9. In addition to growing food for their families, Han farmers had

to

a) grow enough food to stock the shared b) build their own homes.
granaries

c) give one month of unpaid labor to the d) all of the above

government.

10. The chain pump helped Han farmers

a) pump water from deep underground into their b) move water from irrigation ditches to the
homes. fields.
c) plow the soil more effectively. d) move much heavier loads than they could
carry.

11. How did the Han's skill in ironwork help the farmers?

a) Strong iron plows helped them plow the soil b) Mechanical harvesters made from iron
more easily. helped them harvest more crops in less time.

c) Iron harnesses allowed them to use horses d) Seed drills made from iron helped farmers
to pull their wagons and plows. plant significantly more crops.

12. Which invention helped Han farmers move much heavier loads
than they could carry?

a) iron plow b) wheelbarrow

c) chain pump d) horse cart

13. People in ancient times valued salt because it was used to

a) preserve meat and vegetables b) process silkworm fibers into cloth.

c) create steel out of iron ore. d) produce gunpowder for use in fireworks.

14. Which artistic material was invented during the Han dynasty?

a) ink b) paper

c) books d) paint

15. Why was it important that the Han made silk production more
efficient?

a) The Han emperor required huge quantities of b) The Han navy used silk for the sails of their
silk for his palaces. massive warships.

c) The Han knew of no other fibers from which d) The Han had a valuable silk trade with
to make clothing. people outside of China.

16. What impact did paper have on communication?

a) Fewer people wanted to create books b) Paper was so expensive that only very
because paper was too bulky and awkward wealthy people could afford to use it.
to use.

c) Scholars refused to use paper for their d) Paper was cheap enough that more people
writings, because it was less durable than could communicate in writing.
silk or bamboo.

17. The Chinese believed that it was important to position their

temples, graves, and homes using direction. This led them to
invent the

a) seismograph b) magnetic compass

c) lodestone d) moxibustion

18. How did ancient Chinese healers believe that illnesses could
be cured?

a) by restoring the natural balance of the forces b) by driving out the demons that were making
of yin and yang the patient ill

c) by draining the bad blood from the patient’s d) by prayer and divine intervention
body
19. To treat long-term diseases, ancient Chinese healers would
burn a small cone of powdered leaves or sticks near the skin.
This technique was called

a) acupuncture b) yin and yang

c) moxibustion d) seismograph

20. What natural events led the Chinese to invent the

seismograph?

a) tornadoes b) hurricanes

c) blizzards d) earthquakes
Answer Key
1. b
2. d
3. c
4. b
5. b
6. d
7. c
8. a
9. d
10. b
11. a
12. b
13. a
14. b
15. d
16. d
17. b
18. a
19. c
20. d