Tuesday, 2/28/06 - The Ming Decline, the Qing Take Over

Bell-Work:

• Have your homework on your desk so Mr. Locke can check it.
  
• What is the Forbidden City? Who built it? Who lived there?
• Why did China think it was the center of the world?
  

Objective:
SWBAT use cause and effect to explain why the Ming dynasty fell.

Homework:
Define these vocabulary words:

• Foreign
• Decline
• Exploration
• Exotic
• Prosperous
  

---

Intro to the Lesson:

China was the envy of people all over the world. Zheng He had led explorations from China all the way to Africa and proven how advanced Chinese civilization was. Chinese silk, porcelain and tea were wanted all over the world, especially in Europe. Traders came from around the world to buy China's exotic goods, which they would take back to their own country and sell for a lot of money. With all of these people coming from thousands of miles just to get their hands on Chinese goods, it seemed natural that China would think it was the center of the world.

However, even though China grew rich and prosperous, the Ming dynasty could not hold on to power. Many factors brought the Ming dynasty down. Read this excerpt from yesterday's reading about the decline of the Ming. You are going to use the idea of cause and effect to explain why things happened as they did to cause the Ming to fall. YOU will figure out what caused the Ming to fall and YOU will explain this with your group. Then, when you have finished this, you will learn a little about the Qing (Ch'ing) dynasty that took the Ming's place.

Read this part of yesterday's reading:

The Ming Decline
"Later Ming emperors worried about Mongol invaders. They strengthened and extended the Great Wall, begun by Shi Huangdi almost 2,000 years earlier.

"The Great Wall was expensive. The Ming abandoned shipbuilding and lost interest in voyages of exploration. China's attention turned inward for the next few centuries.

"By 1600 the Ming dynasty had become weak and corrupt. Taxes were raised to finance the luxurious life of the emperor's court. Several bad harvests caused millions to starve. Rebellions and riots undermined the Ming government."

Directions:

1. Use cause and effect to explain why the Ming dynasty declined.
1. Remember, to find the cause, ask "WHY?"
2. To find the effect, ask "WHAT?"
   
2. Create a cause and effect chart using what you have read about the Ming decline. Below are 6 facts from the reading above. Each is either a cause or effect. Using the reading, for each cause, find the effect; for each effect, find the cause.
1. Cause: Ming emperors worried about Mongol invaders.
2. Effect: The Ming lost interest in voyages of exploration.
3. Cause: The Great Wall was expensive.
4. Effect: Riots and rebellion happened in China.
5. Cause: The emperor lived a luxurious life and needed money to pay for it.
6. Effect: The Ming dynasty became weak.
3. Once you have completed the cause and effect chart, read this introduction about the Qing dynasty in China that took the place of the Ming dynasty.
   
4. Once you have finished reading, check out Time for Kids' "Go Places: China" page for some fun China activities.

Homework:
Define these vocabulary words:

• Foreign
• Decline
• Exploration
• Exotic
• Prosperous