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 * Ming Dynasty Map**

Origins of the Ming Dynasty:

 * Ming Dynasty was from 1368-1644
 * Mongols discriminated against the Han Chinese
 * Civilians in rebellion drove out the mongols from China
 * After the fall of the Yuan-Mongol(Mongol Empire) dynasty
 * Rebellion of Han Chinese groups due to Mongol taxing pressure



Hongwu

 * A peasent’s son
 * Commanded the rebel army that drove out the Mongols from China
 * Designed agricultural reforms
 * A ruthless tyrant paranoia of mutiny
 * Drafted a new Confucian law
 * Died in 1398

Economy:

 * During the 16th century, the Ming Dynasty's economy was stimulated through trade with the Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch.
 * There was trade with European Powers during this time, and the Japanese traded lots of silver, which then replaced copper and paper banknotes as the common currency for exchange in China
 * Traded with the seven essential art forms: Carpentry, porcelain, brick and stone making, jewelry, earth works and paintings, color painting with decoration, paper work on balls and dealing
 * Built new types of ships to explore the oceans
 * Jobs: Sailor, Poter, Jewelry, merchants, artists, and smith's
 * Most renowned for their China pottery
 * Traded with the Spanish, Portuguese, and the Dutch
 * Helped Spread gun powder



Yonglo

 * Continued father’s policies
 * Moved to the royal court in the Forbidden City
 * Curious of the outside world
 * 1405 began to sail beyond ming borders



**[|Zheng He]**

 * Zheng He died in 1435 at age of 65
 * His voyages are way before Colombus and other famous sailors
 * He helped Zhu Yuanzhang defeat the Yuan Dynasty
 * 1405-1433, he led his fleet to the western sea 7 times
 * His treasure ship was 4 and a half times bigger than Christopher Columbus's
 * Made China a superpower over the oceans
 * Zheng He had a fleet larger then all of the european fleets

media type="youtube" key="xZwk_XGL8-Y" height="315" width="420"
 * Start the video from 2:27-6:24, the ships helped the Zheng He expedition over the seas.**

Rise to power:
The Ming dynasty developed extremely quickly once the mongols were out of the country. The society was very equal creating a sense of peace and harmony, which allowed the Ming empire to focus on growing rather then war. The people of China were very happy under the various leaders in the Ming dynasty. The economy thrived because the amount of new ideas and items that China brought to the global market at the time. The new ships and expansion that was created under the rule of Zheng He, meant China could expand and easily trade with the West. The Ming dynasty developed a way to counteract scurvy, which many other international sailors had been suffering from. They had planted beans, which they ate during their expeditions. The expeditions were mainly for economic purposes. The Ming also reinforced the great wall of China in order to prevent from outside intruders from entering the premises. The Ming empire explored the seas around the world.



**The Ming Dynasty's Decline**
 * Death of the great Chancellor Zhang Juzheng
 * Emperor Shenzong declined state affairs and the government went haywire
 * Under only Emperor Shenzong, the Ming army was defeated by the Nurhachu
 * Ming Dynasty's end was during the time of Emperor Weizong
 * Corruption of Court Officials and the Eunuchs took over
 * Natural Disasters caused hardships
 * Peasants ended the Ming Dynasty by attacking all the last of the Ming Dynasty's areas



**Social Classes**
 * Feudalism system- Shi (Scholars), Nong (peasant Farmers), Gong (Artisans and Craftsmen), Shang (merchants and traders)
 * Lived by conservative morals
 * Man was always the more dominant, However women were still well respected
 * Believed in a host of Deities- Daoism, Buddhism, Chinease Folk Religion
 * The emperor was said to have a connection with God, all men bowed down to him

**Legacy**
 * They built modifications to the Great Wall of China
 * Their expeditions and ships were years ahead of their European counterparts
 * Brought China Pottery to the World
 * Unique Architecture- Summer Palace and Forbidden City

**Citations:**

"Yongle dadian." //Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online //. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <[|**http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/654973/Yongle-dadian**]> (Culture, 2003) (Culture, 2003)

acts, C. (2010, March 29). //Ancient China Social Classes//. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from kwintessential: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/china/ancient-china-social-classes/2413

Chan, D. B. (2012, January 23). //Hongwu//. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from Britannica: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276619/Hongwu

Culture, C. (2003, January 14). //Zheng He//. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from ChinaCulture: http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22644.htm

TravelChina. (2011, April 6). //Ming Dynasty//. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from travelchinaguide: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/ming.htm