China

Ancient China

  • Period: 2205 BCE to 1575 BCE

    Xia

    Xia was the first dynasty in Ancient China.
  • Period: 1570 BCE to 1045 BCE

    Shang

    Shang ruled much of the area along the Yellow River. The last capital city the Shang owned was the great city of Yin.
  • Period: 1368 BCE to 1644 BCE

    Ming

    This was the last of the great Chinese dynasties, and during this time, the Ming finished building the Great Wall, and built the Forbidden City, which was a large place for the empire. The Ming came into power by overthrowing the rule of the Mongols.
  • Period: 1279 BCE to 1368 BCE

    Yuan

    Kublai Khan, a Mongol leader, after the Mongols defeated the Song in a lengthy war, established the Yuan dynasty.
  • Period: 1045 BCE to 256 BCE

    Zhou

    Zhou was the longest ruling dynasty in the history of China, and the Zhou used first the Mandate of Heaven to secure their rule. A lot of the land was ruled by feudal lords who were relatives of the Zhou family.
  • Period: 960 BCE to 1279 BCE

    Song

    Reunited under the Song, China became the leader of the world in technology including inventions such as gunpowder and the compass.
  • Period: 907 BCE to 960 BCE

    Five Dynasties

    A peasant rebellion took down the Tang dynasty and ushers in a period of division.
  • Period: 618 BCE to 907 BCE

    Tang

    This was a time of peace and prosperity, and the Tang rule was is sometimes referred to as the Golden Age of Ancient China. Literature, arts, and technology all became more popular. The capitol city Chang' an became the world's largest city.
  • Period: 589 BCE to 618 BCE

    Sui

    The Sui united China again under the same one rule. They also expanded the Great Wall, and constructed the Grand Canal.
  • Period: 222 BCE to 581 BCE

    Six Dynasties

    This was a period of time when China was not united under one ruler.
  • Period: 221 BCE to 206 BCE

    Qin

    The start of the Chinese Empire, Shi Huangdi became the first Chinese Emperor, and although this may be considered a short dynasty a lot was accomplished including the beginning of the Great Wall; standards were set for weights, money, and measures; many roads and canals were built; and one type of writing was used throughout the country. All of these advancements would be used in the future to make the dynasties in China strong.
  • Period: 206 BCE to 220 BCE

    Han

    This dynasty established the civil service to create a strong and organized government. Paper and porcelain were discovered during this time. The Han also embraced poetry, literature, and Confucianism.