DYNASTY YEAR STARTED PROMINENT LEADERS CONTRIBUTIONS REASON FOR THE DOWNFALL

the invention of
writing; the development The final king in the
of a stratified Shang lineage, King Di
government; the Xin, was considered a
SHANG 1600 BCE King Di Xin advancement of bronze cruel leader who enjoyed
technology; and the use torturing people, leading
of the chariot and to calls for the end of
bronze weapons in his rule.
warfare.
new agricultural
practices, invented
The feudal rulers of
coinage, standardized
CHOU/ZHOU 1046 BCE outlying provinces gained
their writing system,
more authority
and developed iron
tools.
the emerging
Most of the empire had
written Chinese
revolted against the new
language, the creation
CHIN/QIN 221 BCE Qin Shi Huang emperor, creating a
of the Great Wall and a
constant atmosphere of
large army of Terracotta
rebellion and retaliation.
Warriors.
Advancement in science The Han Dynasty suffered
and technology was also from in-fighting,
sought by the rulers, political intrigue,
and the Han invented natural disasters, and
paper, used water many rebellions and
clocks, sundials, the revolts. Unable to keep
HAN 206 B.C.
construction of the their power centralized,
Great Wall of China and the emperors eventually
developed a seismograph. lost control of local
Calendars were published warlords and their eunuch
frequently during the advisors, and the dynasty
period. crumbled.
Failed military campaigns,
 The excavation of the poor civic treatment such
SUI 581 C.E.
Imperial Canal as forced labor, and high
taxation.
TANG 618 Invented gunpowder, Tang rulers imposed taxes
 waterproofing,
fireproofing, gas that were high to meet the
stoves, and air rising cost of the
conditioning. They government. This brought
developed agricultural hardship to the people and
machines to speed up the failed to cover the costs
processes of planting, of military expansion and
irrigating, and new building programs.
harvesting crops.
 Improvements in
agriculture, development
of moveable type, uses
Political corruption and
for gunpowder, invention
invasions from external
SONG 960 of a mechanical clock,
tribes, and civilian
superior shipbuilding,
uprisings.
the use of paper money,
compass navigation, and
porcelain production.
The Yuan rebuilt
the Grand Canal and put
the roads and postal Class conflict caused by
stations in good order, the heavy taxation, the
and their rule coincided other one was the ethnic
YUAN 1271 with new cultural contradiction resulting
achievements including from the 'Four Class
the development of System'.
the novel as a literary
form.
The refurbishment of the Rampant corruption and
Great Wall to its misappropriation of funds,
greatest glory, large influence of the eunuchs,
naval expeditions, economic breakdown due to
MING 1368
vibrant maritime trade, scarcity of silver,
and the rise of a natural disasters, rise of
heavily monetized the Manchus, and rebellion
economy. by peasants.
Handicraft industries The Civil War, Natural
prospered, and Roman Disaster, Population
Catholic missionaries growth, economic issues,
CHING/MANCHU 1644 were tolerated and Foreign aggression, The
employed as astronomers Opium wars, The Sino-
and artists. Painting, Japanese war and the
printmaking, and Unequal trearies.
porcelain manufacture
flourished, and
scientific methods of
philology were
developed.