Warring States period

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/warring-states-period

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 chronological placement?Followed the Spring and Autumn period and preceded the Qin Dynasty
2. What is the primary contending states?Qin, Chu, Qi, Yan, Han, Wei, and Zhao
3. What was the Warring States period in China?It was a time from about 475 to 221 BCE when many small kingdoms fought each other until one, Qin, became the ruler of all China.
4. Why did the wars change how armies fought?Soldiers moved from chariots to big infantry with iron weapons, and new tools like the repeating crossbow and strong walls were built to help win battles.

Suzerainty: A relationship where a dominant state exercises control over a subordinate one, often without direct annexation.
Hegemony: Dominance or leadership of one state or group over others, often maintained through influence rather than direct rule.
Hundred Schools of Thought: A period of significant intellectual and philosophical diversity in ancient China.
Legalism: A school of Chinese philosophy emphasizing strict laws, state control, and pragmatic governance as the means to achieve order.