History of East Asia

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/history-of-east-asia

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the earliest confirmed writing system?Oracle bone script from the Shang Dynasty (China), c. 1600-1046 BCE
2. What is the key technological milestones?Paper (c. 105 CE), movable type printing (11th century), gunpowder, magnetic compass
3. What is the Mandate of Heaven?The Mandate of Heaven is a rule that says a ruler must be good and fair. If they are not, the heavens say it is okay to change leaders. It helps explain why kings can be replaced.
4. How did the Qin Dynasty change China?The Qin Dynasty made everything the same in China. They set the same weight, money, and writing for everyone. They also started building the Great Wall to keep the country safe.

Mandate of Heaven: A traditional Chinese political and religious doctrine used to justify the rule of the King or Emperor.
Meiji Restoration: A political revolution in Japan that restored imperial rule and modernized the country.
Cosmopolitanism: Including or containing people from many different countries and cultures.