Song Dynasty

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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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/song-dynasty

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 dynastic period?960–1279 AD, divided into Northern Song (960–1127) and Southern Song (1127–1279)
2. What is the economic developments?Introduction of paper money, significant growth in trade and commerce, and urbanization
3. Why did the Song Dynasty invent gunpowder?They used gunpowder to create new weapons like fire arrows, bombs, and early cannons, which changed how armies fought.
4. How did the Song Dynasty make books easier to read?They invented movable type printing around 1040, using ceramic characters that could be reused to print many copies of a book quickly and cheaply.

Neo-Confucianism: A philosophical movement that synthesized Confucianism with elements of Buddhism and Daoism, emphasizing ethics and metaphysics.
Shan Shui Painting: A style of Chinese landscape painting characterized by brushstrokes that depict mountains and water, often conveying philosophical ideas.
Meritocracy: A system where advancement is based on individual ability or achievement rather than social status or wealth.