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NAME DATE CLASS
Imperial China
Geography and History Activity
Lesson 1 China Reunites
Understanding Location: ChanganandHangzhou
Changan
ThecityofChanganhadbeeninhabitedforthousandsofyearssincearound6000B.C.TherulersoftheTangdynastymadeittheircapitalcity.Ithadseveralgeographicadvantages.First,itwassituatedatthepointwheretheHuangRiverandtheHeRivermeet.TheseriversprovidedbothnaturalresourcesandakeytransportationroutetotheEastChinaSeaandbeyond.Inaddition,thecitywaslocatedonalowplainthatwasprotectedtothesouthbytheQin(CHIHN)Mountains.Withtheseresourcesandnaturalprotections,thecitywasabletoprosper.
Thecityhadaneconomicadvantageaswell.TradeprosperedinChanganbecauseitwastheeastern-moststopontheSilkRoad.Changanwasaculturalcenter,too.ItistheplacewhereBuddhismwasintroducedtotheChinese.InA.D.652,theBigWildGoosepagoda,ortemple,wasbuiltthereforworship.BytheA.D.900s,Changanwastheworldslargestcity.Itwashometomorethanamillionpeople.TodaythecityiscalledXian(SHEEANH),andmorethanthreemillionpeoplelivethere.
HangzhouWheninvadersfromMongoliainthenorthmadelifeinChanganunsafe,theSongdynastyrulersmovedthecapitalcityabout750milessouthtoHangzhou.Hangzhouwasnotjustaplacetoescapeinvaders,however.ItwasabeautifullocationsituatednearHangzhouBayandXi(SHEE)Lakeandsurroundedbygentlyrollinggreenhills.AroundA.D.1126,Songemperorsbuiltlavishpalacesandgardensaroundthelakefortheirenjoyment.PoetsthroughouttheageshavecelebratedHangzhousbeautyintheirpoems.
ThewatersandlandaroundHangzhoumadeitanagriculturalcenter.ItwasknownastheLandofFishandRice.Farmerswereabletocollectmanyspeciesoffishandgrowmanyvarietiesofriceandtea.Inaddition,thecitywasamajorproducerofhighqualitysilks.BecauseHangzhouwaslocated
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Copyrigh
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NAME DATE CLASS
Imperial China
Geography and History Activity Cont.
ontheGrandCanalandneartheChangJiang,traderswereabletotransporttheproductsofHangzhoutootherpartsofChinaandaroundtheworld.
Capital Cities of the Tang and Song Dynasties
HangzhouChangan
CHINA
MONGOLIA
TIBET
INDIA
JAPANKOREANPENINSULA
Huang He
Ch
ang J
iang
Mekong R.
EastChina
Sea
ArabianSea
Bay ofBengal
SouthChina Sea
PAC I FI CO C E A N
N
SE
W
0 1000 km
1000 miles0
Two-Point Equidistant projection
DOPW (Discovering our Past - World)
RESGChapter 17Map Title: Capital Cities of the Tang and Song
DynastiesFile Name: C12-04A-NGS-824133_A-RESG.aiMap Size: 39p6 x
20p0
Date/Proof: Mar 1, 2011 - First Proof
Directions Answerthefollowingquestions.
Understanding the Concept1. Identifying
WhatgeographicaladvantagesdidChangan
have?
2. Describing ForwhatgeographicalfeatureswasHangzhouknown?
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NAME DATE CLASS
Imperial China
Geography and History Activity Cont.
3. Explaining
WhydidSongdynastyrulersmovethecapitalcityfromChangantoHangzhou?
Applying the Concept4. Analyzing
Howdidgeographyinfluencetheeconomiesof
thetwocapitalcities?
5. Evaluating
Whichcapitalcityprovidedmoreadvantagesfortraders?Forfarmers?Forrulers?Why?
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