The Han Dynasty
Global History: Spiconardi
The Government The Han emperor relied on a bureaucracy to help
him rule Bureaucracy highly organized and centralized
government A system of agencies and departments are developed to
assist government carry out its work
Han Bureaucracy
The Government Civil Service Exams
In order to acquire a position as a government official, one had to pass an exam
The exam was based on Confucianism
No favoritism; had to prove qualifications
Test lasted several days
Achievements Paper
Prior to the invention of paper, the Chinese wrote on silk, which was expensive
Paper was a cheaper alternative to silk
Achievements Wheel Barrow
The burden of weight was distributed equally between the wheel and the puller
This allowed for heavier loads to be transported
Achievements Compass
Originally not used for navigation
Used for geomancy Geomancy interpreting
geography for divine messages or to gain insight
Chinese used the compass to align their houses & cities with the Earth’s forces
Unlike many compasses, the first
Chinese compass pointed South, not
North
Achievements Seismograph
Informed people when an earthquake was occurring and from which direction
Achievements Acupuncture
Inserting needles into certain points in the human body can alleviate pain
Believed to restore health & well being
Trade The Silk Road a series of trade routes
stretching fro Xian (Chang’an) to Rome Chinese exported silk to rest of the world
Promotes cultural diffusion