*Han

- For starters, the Hans invented Chinese history as we know it today. Additionally, the overwhelmingly predominant ethnic group in China is called the Han; they are named after the dynasty. But, most importantly, they developed :actually, it was invented by Qin Shihuangdi [|Qin Dynasty], but perfected by the Han: the administrative model which every successive dynasty would copy, lock, stock, and barrel.

China was a big country. In 206 BC, when Han dynasty was founded, China stretched from modern Shenyang (some 500 km north of Beijing) in the north to around Guilin in the south; from the Pacific in the east to well past Chongqing in the west. Until Russia laid claim to Far East Siberia, China was the largest country in the world. It was also the most populous (60 million people at the time), and still is

-The Han dynasty was the dynasty that defeated the Qin army in the Valley of the We in 206 b.c. -the Han dynasty was known for its changes (what changes?) it made to the chinese government. The Hansol (another name for the han dynasty empire ruled in many of the same ways that the qins did only they gradually added confucian ideals to the government and There was an econonocal expansion. (why?) The Han dynasty's main goal was to unify China it was a successful because of expanding there military prowess across the border of other regions in asia.

The Han empire began in 206BC. The first emperor was Liu Bang. The Han empire was divided in two periods

The empire expanded westward as far as the rim of the Tarim Basin (in modern Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region), making possible relatively secure caravan traffic across Central Asia to Antioch, Baghdad, and Alexandria. The paths of caravan traffic are often called the [|"silk route"] because the route was used to export Chinese silk to the Roman Empire. Chinese armies also invaded and annexed parts of northern Vietnam and northern Korea toward the end of the second century B.C. Han control of peripheral regions was generally insecure, however. To ensure peace with non-Chinese local powers, the Han court developed a mutually beneficial "tributary system". Non-Chinese states were allowed to remain autonomous in exchange for symbolic acceptance of Han overlordship. Tributary ties were confirmed and strengthened through intermarriages at the ruling level and periodic exchanges of gifts and goods. After 200 years, Han rule was interrupted briefly (in A.D. 9-24 by Wang Mang or, a reformer), and then restored for another 200 years. The Han rulers, however, were unable to adjust to what centralization had wrought: a growing population, increasing wealth and resultant financial difficulties and rivalries, and ever-more complex political institutions. Riddled with the corruption characteristic of the dynastic cycle, by A.D. 220 the Han empire collapsed. 

Era of Disunity
The collapse of the Han dynasty was followed by nearly four centuries of rule by warlords. The age of civil wars and disunity began with the era of the [|Three Kingdoms] (Wei, Shu, and Wu, which had overlapping reigns during the period A.D. 220-80). In later times, fiction and drama greatly romanticized the reputed chivalry of this period. Unity was restored briefly in the early years of the Jin dynasty (A.D. 265-420), but the Jin could not long contain the invasions of the nomadic peoples. In A.D. 317 the Jin court was forced to flee from Luoyang and reestablished itself at Nanjing to the south. The transfer of the capital coincided with China's political fragmentation into a succession of dynasties that was to last from A.D. 304 to 589. During this period the process of sinicization accelerated among the non-Chinese arrivals in the north and among the aboriginal tribesmen in the south. This process was also accompanied by the increasing popularity of Buddhism (introduced into China in the first century A.D.) in both north and south China. Despite the political disunity of the times, there were notable technological advances. The invention of gunpowder (at that time for use only in fireworks) and the wheelbarrow is believed to date from the sixth or seventh century. Advances in medicine, astronomy, and cartography are also noted by historians.

Han Dynasty accomplishments:
 * Civil Service competitive exams
 * State Academy
 * seismograph invented to detect earthquakes
 * Iron ploughs led by oxen became common; coal to smelt iron
 * Water-power mills
 * Censuses
 * Paper invented
 * probably gunpowder

-The Western Han Dynasty was regarded as the first unified and powerful empire in Chinese history. -This Han Dynasty based on a series of political and economic reforms, was ruled by [|12 emperors] in succession enjoying peace and prosperity. -During the reign of [|Emperor Wu], Liu Che who ruled from 141 - 87 BC, the Han Dynasty achieved its most powerful and prosperous period. He dispatched two generals Wei Qing and Huo Qubing to fight against the invasion of the Hun (an ancient tribe that lived in the north part of China) and greatly enlarged the territory of the Western Han. -In industry, productivity was improved greatly in both metallurgy and the textile industry -The stability of the country and rapid development of the arts with the invention of paper and porcelain and industry provided commerce a favorable environment to develop. Many commercial cities developed around the center of Chang'an. Not only domestic trade flourished but foreign trade prospered due to the opening up of the Silk Road. Diplomatic missions and trade were established with ancient Rome, India and many other countries. Culture and Arts :

Achievements of Han