Ming and Qing China History Quiz

Ming and Qing China

• The Mongols conquered China and established the Yuan Dynasty.
• The Chinese overthrew the Mongols and created the Ming Dynasty.
• Hongwu, a peasant, founded the Ming Dynasty.
• Yongle, Hongwu's son, sponsored Zheng He's voyages.
• Zheng He's voyages explored the Indian Ocean region using large Chinese ships (junks).
• Yongle halted the voyages due to perceived cost.
• China practiced isolationism in overseas trade from the mid-1400s to the 1500s.
• Vasco da Gama used warfare and fighting in trade.
• China established key port cities where only Europeans could trade and established high taxes.
• China's trade practices led to a booming black market for luxury goods.
• Merchants held higher socioeconomic status than peasants, but lower than the ruling class in Confucian society.
• The Ming Dynasty weakened due to corruption, poor leadership, and heavy taxation.
• The Manchus invaded and established the Qing Dynasty in 1644.
• The Qing Dynasty marked a period of great prosperity for China with a large population.
• Kangxi ruled the Qing Dynasty from 1661 to 1722.
• Qianlong ruled from 1735 to 1795 and is considered a high point in the Qing Dynasty.

Tokugawa Japan

• Japan experienced a period of civil war from 1467 to 1658.
• Feudal lords (daimyo) and samurai controlled Japan.
• Japanese society had a strict social hierarchy with the emperor at the top.
• Similar to the European feudal system, daimyo held land and power.
• Samurai warriors served the daimyo and were loyal to them.
• Japan's feudal system was similar to the medieval European system of knights.
• The Tokugawa Shogunate established a unified, centralized rule in Japan in 1603.
• Tokugawa Ieyasu declared himself shogun to restore order.
• Japan's economy remained primarily agricultural but was stable.
• Peasants were heavily taxed, but Japan was relatively isolated from the outside world.
• The development of the kabuki theater was a sign of the changing societal dynamics.
• King George III sent an expedition to trade with China, but was refused entry due to the kowtow ceremony.
• Britain smuggled opium into China to gain trade access, and this event eventually led to the Opium Wars.
• This forced China to open to trade.

Zen Buddhism

• Zen Buddhism, a form of Buddhism, emphasizes meditation and self-discipline.
• Zen emphasized the importance of the body and mind.
• Zen Buddhism was dominant in Japan during this period.