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206 BCE
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty ruled China for 400 years.
In 220 CE the Han Dynasty fell.
Many factors caused instability in China and weakened the Han Dynasty. -
1368
Ming Dynasty
To restore order, Ming Dynasty established strong, centralized rule and revived traditional Chinese values, including Confucian ideals.The new Ming emperor set out to restore traditional Chinese rule. By the early 1600s, however, the Ming dynasty had grown weak and corrupt -
Qing Dynasty
They established a new dynasty, the Qing, which means “pure.” By the time the Manchus officially formed the Qing dynasty in 1644, they had been gradually building their power in China. -
Isolation and Decline
As a result, China’s economy continued to grow, and so did its population. Between 1650 and 1800, the population rose from 150 million to 350 million, more than one-third of humanity.In the 1800s, it began to experience food shortages and famine. Once again, rebellions broke out and the dynasty faltered. -
Chinas Civil War
The May Fourth Movement, along with China’s split between the two rival governments, soon sent the nation down a revolutionary path. CCP members joined the KMT, although they never lost their identity as Communists. -
Communism (Big Event)
The Communists, led by Mao Zedong, eventually won, and in 1949, they founded the People’s Republic of China.The triumph of communism in China took both the United States and the Soviet Union by surprise. Communist states now ruled a part of Eurasia. In 1950, Chinese forces invaded and occupied Tibet. The United States intervened and provided military aid and assistance to defend Taiwan and its Nationalist government. -
Modern China
Following the events of Tiananmen Square, China continued economic reforms that began during the 1970s, now without government officials to oppose them.By 2001, only the United States had a larger economy. China also carved out a role for itself on the world political stage.
