China-History


 * General Information || Geography || History || Culture || Political System || Economics || Activities || Teacher's Page ||


 * Native People **

The first humans came to China from Central Asia or India thousands of years ago. These people are referred to by some as stone age people because they lived in caves and wore clothing made from fur. They hunted and gathered their food. Eventually these people began to farm rice and keep sheep and chickens. As several more years past they began to creating pottery and building houses. ([|Kidipede])


 * Brief History **

China's history is divided into dynasties, each period marks a rule of a line of emperors.

China's history can be traced back a few thousand years to the Xia Dynasty. The final dynasty to rule, the Qing dynasty, ended in 1911 with a military revolution. ([|PBS.org)]

The first emperor of China was Shi Huang Di of the Qin dynasty. He established the script, currency, measurement and weight, and countries found in China today. The Great Wall of China was constructed under his rule as well.

Beijing was made the capital of China by Kublai Khan who founded the Yuan Dynasty.

The Revolution of 1911 ended the rule of the Qing Dynasty and is of great significance in Chinese modern history.

Following a war with the Chinese Nationalists, the communist party gained its control in 1949.

([|Asian][|Info.org] )


 * Significant Day in History **

The People's Republic of China was founded in Beijing on October 1, 1949 by Mao Zedong. The new government took control following a country "exhausted" by generations of conflict and war. This new government was modeled after the Soviet Union form of government.

The new leader quickly gained support by by "restoring the economy, and rebuilding many war-damaged industrial plants." The new authority was involved in nearly all aspects of people's lives. The party was controlled by large, loyal military forces. Member tied to the party were responsible for filling positions of leadership in mass organizations. ([|U.S. Dept. of State Diplomacy])

**Glimpse of Country Today** Today, the way of life in China is not different at all from anywhere else in the world due to Western influence. You can see in China today modern apartment complexes and towering high-rise buildings as well as modern style homes. Clothing in China is very similar to that of the Western cultures now. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 11pt;">However, tradition still lingers in all Chinese households and societies all over the world. In older neighborhoods, rural mud and straw houses can still be seen, and in rural areas the traditional way of life are still very alive. And although the way of life now is very modernized, traditional values of family importance and reputation still is felt by all families. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 11pt;">Today, the Chinese live in smaller family units, usually only with parents and children, and sometimes grandparents. Almost all adults have a job, male or female. In many families, a grandparents looks after the house and children during the day, and more and more children attend nursery school and kindergarten so that mothers can be free to work. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 11pt;">Today, girls as well as boys are valued. Women now do many kinds of work outside the home. Many young households share in the shopping, housecleaning, cooking, and caring for the children to show that they believe the sexes are equal. Some of the older generations may still show slight hope for a grandson or great-grandson and disappointment if the outcome is a granddaughter, but in the end they love and value each with equality. However, equality between the sexes is more widely accepted in the cities than in the countryside. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 11pt;">Relationships have become more democratic as parents no longer expect their children to show unquestioning obedience; however, most Chinese parents today, although much more lenient and reasonable, still are strict and expect a good deal of respect. As for marriage, young people today generally choose their own marriage partners on the basis of shared interests and mutual attraction. However, parents still play a role in arranging some marriages, especially in rural areas. Any couple today would at least consult their parents about such a major decision.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 11pt;">This article was inserted from [|Think Quest.org].