Flashcards on The Ming Dynasty of China
The Ming Dynasty of China: History, Achievements & Decline
Tap to flip · Swipe to navigate
Ming Dynasty
23 cards
Card 1
Question: When did the Ming dynasty rule China and how long did it last?
Answer: From 1368 until 1644, lasting 300 years.
Card 2
Question: Who was the first Ming emperor and how did he come to power?
Answer: He was the leader of a peasants' revolt that drove the Mongols out of China.
Card 3
Question: What type of rule did Ming emperors have?
Answer: They were absolute rulers who made decrees that officials carried out.
Card 4
Question: What were mandarins and how were they chosen?
Answer: Mandarins were government officials chosen by a competitive system of examinations to form an efficient civil service.
Card 5
Question: What city served as the Ming capital and what was special about its layout?
Answer: Beijing was the capital and was made of three cities in rings; the inner city was the Forbidden City where the emperor lived.
Card 6
Question: Name three major inventions or advances China had before the Ming dynasty that showed its advanced society.
Answer: Printing, paper, and gunpowder (and advanced navigation instruments).
Card 7
Question: How did the Ming dynasty participate in long-distance trade?
Answer: They sent silk, porcelain, and tea along the Silk Road to the Mediterranean and traded by sea with Japan and Indian Ocean countries.
Card 8
Question: Who was Admiral Zheng He and what did he do in the early 15th century?
Answer: Zheng He led seven large fleets of treasure ships between 1405 and 1433 on voyages to southeast Asia, Ceylon, India, Arabia, and the east coast of Afr
Card 9
Question: What was notable about Zheng He's treasure ships?
Answer: They were huge wooden ships about 40% larger than other vessels of the time.
Card 10
Question: Why did the Ming empire become more inward-looking in the mid-15th century?
Answer: The voyages were stopped after 1433 and the empire grew distrustful of strangers while facing renewed attacks from the Mongols and Manchu and a Japane