Unit 2: How Trade and Travel Changed the World

Lesson D: The Chinese Continent

Lesson Overview

Angkor Wat Temple ^[1]

Overview

The shift from the Mongol to Ming Dynasty in China followed the historical pattern of changing rule in East Asia. The interaction of goods and ideas continued between East Asia and Southeast Asia, resulting in commerce and shifting religious majorities. Confucianism and Daoism were among the belief systems that impacted Southeast Asian society. The diffusion of languages and political ideas also reflected the interaction of diverse populations on the continent. This image shows the front entrance to Angkor Wat, a temple complex first constructed for a Cambodian king, and later used as a temple for Hindus and Buddhists.

Key Questions

1. How and why did trade and interaction lead to changes in political, economic, and social systems?
2. How can there be different explanations of the same event in history?
3. How did geography and location significantly impact events in history?

Student Outcomes

1. Examine how Confucianism and Daoism impacted Chinese politics and society.
2. Evaluate the impact of Chinese trade and cultural diffusion on the religions, languages, and governments of Asian societies such as Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and other Asian societies.
3. Assess the uses and credibility of a source by examining personal and contextual influences and by corroborating with other historical sources. (Historical Thinking Skill)

Key Terms

• civil servants
• diaspora
• diffusion
• philosophy
• pluralism

Student Resources

• Chinese Belief Systems Brief Constructed Response (BCR) (doc)
• Historical Investigation – China and Southeast Asia (doc)
• Ming China Brief Constructed Response (BCR) (doc)

Chart of Activities:

Time

Time for Lesson: 155 minutes

Page Notes:

^[1] Source: This image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Angkor_wat_temple.jpg is licensed with Creative Commons Attribution. Attribution: Fuzheado.