Around 221 BCE one western state defeated the rival kingdoms of China and joined them under a single ruler, ending centuries of warfare between separate states. What was this new dynasty called?

Under the Qin, the emperor divided the land into districts, each run by an official he could replace at any time, and took power away from the old noble families. What kind of political arrangement does that describe?

The Qin government set one written script, one system of weights and measures, and one coinage for the whole empire. What did these shared standards mainly make easier?

Qin rule was guided by Legalism, which held that strict written laws and severe punishments were the way to keep order. Which dynasty later made Confucian teachings the guide for its officials instead?

Qin workers linked and extended earlier earthen walls along the empire's northern frontier, facing the grasslands of the steppe. What was the main purpose of that building project?

Near the tomb of the first Qin emperor, archaeologists uncovered pits holding thousands of life-size clay soldiers, now called the Terracotta Army. What is this find strong evidence of?

The Qin dynasty unified China but held power for only about fifteen years before rebellions brought it down.

After rebellions destroyed the Qin, a new dynasty took power and governed China for centuries. What was that dynasty called?

Han rulers began selecting some government officials by testing candidates on Confucian texts rather than by family birth. What was the aim of that system?

Han court records credit an official with improving papermaking around 105 CE, using bark, rags, and plant fibers. Why did cheaper paper matter to the Han government?

Han armies and envoys pushed west across Central Asia and protected the caravan routes beyond the frontier. What are the overland trade routes carrying Chinese goods toward western Asia called?

Caravans on the Silk Roads carried goods, but travelers also carried beliefs, inventions, and customs between distant societies. What is the spread of ideas and customs from one society to another called?

During the Han period, a belief system that had begun in South Asia reached China along the western trade routes and later spread widely there. Which belief system was it?

Han farmers using iron plows and improved animal harnesses grew more grain than their own families needed. How did that farming surplus support job specialization?

A Han inventor built a bronze instrument meant to signal the direction of a distant earth tremor. What kind of device is that?

Historians often describe the Han period as a golden age. What does the term golden age mean when it is applied to a society?

Han China was governed as an empire, while Athens and Sparta were city-states. What is the main structural difference between an empire and a city-state?

The written script standardized under the Qin continued in use across China for many centuries after that dynasty fell. What does that make the standardized script an example of?

Qin officials kept order through strict laws and severe punishments, while Han officials were expected to govern using Confucian ideas of duty and proper conduct. On what dimension do the two dynasties differ here?

Han rule finally broke apart as rival generals and regional powers seized control, and China stayed divided for centuries afterward. About when did Han rule end?