Citations

www.wikipedia.org/

http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Authentication/LogOn?returnUrl=%2FHome

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/

http://www.ahistoryofgreece.com/goldenage.htm

Great Schism

Hello, I'm Katie and today I will be interviewing Charles Caspian, who lived during the time of the Great Schism.

Katie: How did this all start out?
Charles: Since early Christian times, differences had emerged over Church leadership. Although the Byzantine emperor was not a priest, he controlled Church affairs and appointed the patriarch, which is the highest Church official in Constantinople. Byzantine Christians rejected the pope's claim to authority over all Christians. 
Katie: Can you explain what happened when the Church divided?
Charles: Well during the Middle Ages, the two branches of Christianity drew farther apart. A dispute over a use of icons, or holy images, contributed to the split. Many Byzantine Christians used images of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the saints in their worship. In the 700s, a Byznantine emperor outlawd the veneration of icons, saying it violated God's commandment against worshiping "graven images."
Katie: Obivously, the ban set off violent battles within the empire. How did the empire reach to this?

Charles: From the west, the pope joined in the dispute by condemning the Byzantine emperor. Although a later empress eventually restored the use of icons, the conflict left a great resentment against the pope in the Byzantine empire.

Katie: What happened in 1054?

Charles: Other controversies provoked a schism, or split between eastern and western Christianity, known as the Great Schism. The Byzantine church became known as the Eastern, or Greek, Orothodox Church. The western branch became known as the Roman Catholic Church. The pope and patriarch excommunicated each other. After this, contacts between the two churches were guarded and distant. They treated each other as rivals rather than as branches of the same faith.

Columbus Leaves Spain

Hello, I'm Katie and today I will be interviewing Christopher Columbus.

Katie: Why did you decided to take a journey and leave Spain?
Christopher: Well, once i heard about Portugal's success, I decided that I wanted to find another sea route to Asia.
Katie: What was your goal for this expedition?
Christopher: I wanted to reach the East Indies by sailing west across the Atlantic.
Katie: Unlike many Europeans, you knew that Earth was in fact a sphere. So how did you figure out how to map out your journey?
Christopher: Well, I would bring the ship to eastern Asia. My plan did make sense, but I underestimated Earth's size.
Katie: Well, what happened from there.

Christopher: Portugal refused to sponsor me, but I persuaded Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain to finance my voyage. So, to increase their authority, the Spanish rulers had taken radical measures, including expelling Jews from Spain. They hoped their actions would strengthen Catholicsim. But, the loss of some of Spain's most affluent and cultured people weakened the nation. The rulers hoped that my voyage would bring wealth and prestige back to Spain.

Katie: What day did you set sail for your voyage?

Christopher: On August 3, 1492, Columbus sailed west with three small ships, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. And on October 12, we spotted land. But, since I thought we reached the Indies, we returned home to Spain where you got a hero's welcome. And in three later voyages, I remained convinced that I reached the coast of East Asia. Not long after this, Europeans realized that I had found a route to previously unknown continents.

Charlemagne

Hello, I'm Katie and today I will be interviewing Charlemagne.

Katie: What year did you become king?

Charlemagne: I became King of the Franks in 768.

Katie: What happened in between you and Pope Leo III in 799?

Charlemagne: Well, Pope Leo III asked me for help against the rebellious nobles in Rome. So, I sent a delegation to Rome that arrested Leo's opponents. Then, on Christmas Day, the pope showed his gratitude by placing a crown on my head and proclaiming me Emperor of the Romans.

Katie: Why did the ceremony have enormous significance?

Charlemagne: Well, a Christian pope had crowned me, a Germanic king, successor to the Roman emperors. In doing so, Pope Leo III revived the ideal of a united Christian community, which came to be called Christendom.

Katie: What was one of the main things you focused on as king?

Charlemagne: Well, I strove to create a unified Christian Europe. I worked close with the Church and helped spread Christianity to the conquered peoples on the fringes of my empire.

Katie: Did you have any ideas on how to unify your kingdom other than by religion?

Charlemagne: Yes, I did. I also had the idea of education to unify the kingdom. Even though I could only read and not write, I still saw the need for the officials to keep accurate records and write clear reports. So, I set out to revive Latin learning throughout my empire and encouraged the creation of local schools. I also wanted to revive the glory of Rome at my court at Aachen. I brought many of the best scholars of Europe to the Palace School there.

Crusades

Hello, I'm Katie and today I will be interviewing Pope Urban II about the Crusades.

Katie: Can you explain what the Crusades were?

Pope Urban II: The Crusades were a series of military campaigns during the time of medievel England against the Muslims of the Middle East. The specific crusades to restore Christian control of the Holy Land were fought over a period of nearly 200 years, between 1095 and 1291.The Crusades were fought mainly by Roman Catholic forces against Muslims who had occupied the near east since the time of the Rashidun Caliphate, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and and political enemies of the various popes.

Katie: What was the main goal of the Crusades?

Pope Urban II: The Crusades originally had the goal of recapturing Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim rule and their campaigns were launched in response to a call from the Christian Byzantine Empire for help against the expansion of the Muslim Turks.

Katie: What is something that we might not know about the Crusades?

Pope Urban II: Well, the Crusades had far-reaching political, economic, and social impacts, some of which have lasted into contemporary times. Because of other conflicts between Christian kingdoms and political powers, some of the crusade expeditions were diverted from their original aim, such as the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the sack of Christian Constantinople.

Magna Carta

Hello, I'm Katie and today I will be interviewing King John about the Magna Carta.

Katie: King John, can you explain what the magna carta is?

King John: The Magna Carta is and English legal document written in 1215 which had a huge influence on the developing legal system of England. The proper name for the Magna Carta is the Magna Carta Libertatum, the Great Charter of Freedoms. The document is usually abbreviated as the Magna Carta, or Great Charter. It could be considered a bill of rights for medievel England, although it was not heavily enforced for several centuries. But more importantly, it set a precedent which changed the face of England forever, by establishing that the I was not above the law.

Katie: Why did you sign the Magna Carta?

King John: I signed the Magna Carta after an immense amount of pressure from the Church and my barons. I often lived above the law, violating both feudal and common law. I was also heavily criticized for my foreign policy actions within England.

Katie: What happened after this?

King John: Well, the Barons, with the support of the Church, pressured me to spell out a list of their rights and guarantee that those rights would be enforced. Then they provided a draft, and after some negotiation, I put my seal to the Magna Carta in Runnymede in June of 1215.

Katie: What happened after the signing of the Magna Carta?

King John: Later I abadoned the Magna Carta, triggering a war which lasted until my death in 1216. My son, Henry III, took the throne, and reissued the Magna Carta in 1225.

Battle of Tours

Hello, I'm Katie and today I willing be interviewing Charles "The Hammer" Martel about the Battle of Tours.

Katie: So when was this battle?

Charles: This battle was fought by the Frankish against invading Muslims from Spain on October 25, 732.

Katie: What was the reason for this battle?
Charles: Well, a Muslim army, in a crusading search for land at the end of  Christianity, after the conquest Syria, Egypt, and North Africa, had began to invade Western Europe under the leadership of Abd-er Rahman, governer of Spain. Abd-er led an infantry of 60,000 to 400,000 soldiers across the Western Pyrenees and toward the Loire River, but we met the right outside the city of Tours.
Katie: What happened from there?
Charles: Well, I gathered my forces directly in the path of oncoming Muslim army and prepared to defend ourselves using a phalanx style of combat. The invading Muslims then rushed toward us, relying on the slashing tactics and overwhelming number of horsemen that had brought them victories in the past. However, my army and I, composed of foot soldiers armed only with swords, shields, axes, javelins, and daggers, were well trained.
Katie: What was the strength of the Muslim army?

Charles: The strength of the Muslim army was their cavalry. They were armed with large swords and lances, which along with their baggage mules, limited their mobility.

Katie: How did this battle end?

Charles: The battle ended when we captured and killed Abd-er Rahman. Then the Muslims withdrew peacefully.

Katie: What happened to the Muslims after the battle?

Charles: For the Muslims, the death of their leader caused a sharp setback and they had no choice but to retreat back across the Pyrenees, never to return again.

William the Conqueror

Hello, I'm Katie and today I will be interviewing William of Normandy, also known as William the Conqueror.

Katie: How old were you when you became the Duke of Normandy?

William: I was seven years old when I became Duke. From that day on my life was in constant danger, mostly from jealous relatives.

Katie: After you were knighted at the age of 15, what happened from there?
William: Well I got help from my liege lord, Henry I of France, to put down rebellions by my barons. Then was I was 20, I led an army to defeat my cousin, King Edward.
Katie: What happened after this?
William: Well, I raised an army and won the backing of the pope. I then sailed across the English Channel to England. At the Battle of Hastings, my army and I triumped over Harold. I then become king of England on Christmas Day in 1066.

Katie: Now that you have conquered England, what else did you do?

William: I set out to impose control over the land. I granted fiefs to the Church and to my Norman lords, or barons but I also kept a large amount of land for myself. I monitored who built castles and where. I required every vassal to swear first allegiance to him rather than to any other feudal lord.

Katie: Well that's all the time we have for today. Thank you William for being here.

Rome sacked/falls to Barbarians

Hello, I'm Katie and today I will be interviewing Henry Smith, a Roman citizen at the time Rome was taken over.

Katie: So in 378, when a Roman army tried to turn back the Visigoths at Adrianople, it suffered a stunning defeat. Roman power was fading. What else was going on at the time?

Henry: Well, new waves of invaders were soon hammering at Rome's borders, especially in the west. And in 410, the Visigoth general Alaric overran Italy and plundered the city of Rome.
Katie: I also heard that during this time that a Germanic people called the Vandals moved through Gaul and Spain into North Africa. What happened from there?
Henry: Gradually, Germanic groups occupied more and more of the western Roman empire. But, the worst is yet to come. Starting in 434, the Hun leader Attlia embarked on a savage campaign of conquest across much of Europe.
Katie: I heard that Christians called Attila by another name, what was this name?
Henry: Yes, Christians called him the "scourge of God" because they believed his attacks were a punishment for the sins of humankind.
Katie: As you know, the Hun invasion sent still more Germanic peoples fleeing into the lands of Roman empire. What was the last act that ended the Roman empire for good?

Henry: Finally, in 476, Ocdoacer, a Germanic leader, ousted the emperor in Rome. The Roman empire had already lost many of its territories, and Roman power in the west had ended. 

Constantine the Great

 Hello, I'm Katie and today I will be interview Constantine the Great.

Katie: So in 312, you gained the throne. As emperor what did you do?

Constantine: Well, I continued Diocletian's reforms. And in addition, I took two steps that changed the course of European history.

Katie: How did you change European history.

Constantine: First, I granted toleration to Christians. Second, I established a new capital at the centuries-old city of Byzantium, which I renamed Constantinople. With this "New Rome", Constantine made the eastern empire the center of power.

Katie: The reforms of Diocletian and Constantine had mixed results. What is your opinon on the results?

Constantine: Well, they revived teh economy, and by increasing the power of government, they helped hold the empire together for another century. Still, these reforms failed to stop the long-term decline. In the end, internal problems combined with attacks from outside to bring the empire down.

Julius Caesar and the Fall of the Roman Republic

 Hi, I'm Katie and today I will be interviewing Julius Caesar, a previous dictator of Rome.

Katie: So, in 58 B.C. you and your army set out to make new conquests. What happened from there?
Julius: Well, after nine years of fighting, I completed the conquest of Gaul. But, Pompey was fearful of my rising fame, so he persuaded teh senate to order me to disband my army and return to Rome.
Katie: How did you react to this order?
Julius: Well of course I defied the order. So, very secretly, I led my army across the Rubicon River into northen Italy and headed toward Rome. Once again, civil war began across the Roman world.
Katie: What happened during 44 and 48 B.C.
Julius: Well Katie, I pushed through a number of reforms intended to deal with Rome's many problems. I launched a program of public works to employ the jobless and gave public land to the poor. I also reorganized the government of the provinces and granted Roman citizienship to more people.
Katie: What do you think is your biggest accomplishment?
Julius: My biggest accomplishment would have to be the introduction of a new calendar based on the Egyptians. This calendar was used in Europe for more than 1,600 years.
Katie: Wow, that is a big accomplishment. I heard there was a big worry around this time too. What was going on?

Julius: Well, some of my enemies were worried that I planned to make myself king of Rome. So, in March of 44 B.C., as I arrived in the senate, my enemies stabbed me to death. After my death, Rome plunged into a new round of civil wars.

Alexander the Great

Hi, I am Katie and today I will be interviewing my good friend Alexander the Great.

Katie: So Alexander, is it true you were only 20 years old when you became king?
Alexander: Yes, my father Philip II was assassinated at his daugther's wedding, so I then became king.
Katie: What was your first accomplishment as king?
Alexander: My first accomplishment as king was when I conquer Persia. At the time, Persia was no longer the great power it had once been. The emperor Darius III was weak, and the provinces were often in rebellion against him. Still, the Persian empire stretched more than 2,000 miles from Egypt to India.
Katie: So, what happened next?
Alexander: We then won are first victory against the Persians at the Granicus River.
Katie: Did everything go well after this victory?
Alexander: Yes, actually we moved from victory to victory, marching through Asia Minor into Palestine and south to Egypt before turning east again to take Babylon in 331 B.C. But, before I could capture Darius, the Persian emperor was murdered.
Katie: So, with much of the Persian empire under your control, did things get easier?

Alexander: Yes, I guess you could say that. But, fighting for your country, your people, and your own life, never gets easy. In 326 B.C., my troops and I for the first time faced soldiers mounted on war elephants.

Katie: Wow war elephants! That sounds diffitcult! How did you handle that?

Alexander: Well, my soldiers were tired of the long campaign and refused to go farther east. So I agreed to turn back. So, after a long and diffitcult march, we reached Babylon, where I began planning a new campaign.

Katie: That must of been terrible to have to turn around and march all the way back home. What happened once you returned home?

Alexander: Well, before I could even set out again, I suddenly developed a fever and later passed away. And following my death, my empire crumbled and will never be the same as it once was  before.

Golden Age of Greece

Hello, I am Katie and today I today I will be interviewing Plato.

Katie: Ok Plato, lets start from the beginning. How do you feel about democracy?

Plato: After the execution of Socrates, I have had a lifelong distrust with democracy.

Katie: So how what was the result of this distrust?

Plato: Well, I actually fled Athens for 10 years.

Katie: Wow! Ten years that's crazy! What did you do when you returned?

Plato: I set up a school called the Academy. There, I taught and wrote about my own ideas.

Katie: I also heard that you wrote a book. Is this true?

Plato: Yes, I wrote a book called the Republic which describes my vision of and ideal state.

Katie: That's very interesting. What do you think your biggest accomplishment is?

Plato: Well, I rejected the Athenian democracy and instead I argued that the state should regulate every aspect of its citizens' lives in order to provide their best interests.Then I divided the society into three classes: workers to produce the necessities of life, soldiers to defend the state, and philosophers to rule. This elite class of leaders would be specially trained to ensure order and justice. The wisest of them, a philosopher-king, would have the ultimate authority.

Katie: Wow! That's incredible! Well, Plato thank you for allowing me to interview you.

Plato: Thank you for having me.

Unification Of China

Hello, my name is Gen and today I will be telling you about the unification of China. It all started in 221 B.C., during the Qin Dynasty under the rule of Shi Huandgi. Shi Huangdi became king of the Qin when he was only a boy. Well advised by officials, Zheng, as he was then known, grew to become one of the most successful warrior-kings China has ever known. After many years of war, the Qin defeated their rivals and unified China. As first emperor, Shi Huangdi set about strengthening his rule and ordering his territory. In creating a central government, Shi Huangdi undermined the feudal structure of politics that had been predominant. Likewise, he took away the hereditary claims of the nobles—going so far as to exclude them from high offices, positions he filled with common people. He standardized weights and measures and writing, and he divided China into several administrative units to help him govern better. Making it illegal to own weapons, Shi Huangdi helped secure his reign from internal threats and punished infractions quickly and harshly. To deal with external enemies, Shi Huangdi improved the earthen fortifications of earlier rulers and began work on the Great Wall of China. He also built canals, roads, and a giant palace. Yes, Shi Huandgi did have very impressive achievements, but he was a extremely harsh and cruel leader. Even though he wasn't the most kind leader, he still had some of the greatest achievements in Chinese history.

Zheng He

Hello, I am Zheng He and today I will be telling you about my role in Chinese history. Early Ming rulers sent Chinese fleets into distant waters to show glory of government. And I was the commanding Admiral on one of those ships one the first expedition in 1405. Sailng by my side were sixty-two large ships and 200 smallers ships. The goal in this expedition was to promote trade and collect tribute from lesser powers. From 1405-1433 I explored the coasts of Southeast Asia and India. But, the exploration all end in the year of my death 1435.

Sung Dynasty

Hello, I am Qin and I am a teacher in rural China. Today I will being telling you about the Sung Dynasty. The Sung Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279 A.D. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes, or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a permanent standing navy. This dynasty also saw the first known use of gunpowder, as well as first discernment of true north, using a compass. The Song Dynasty is divided into two distinct periods: the Northern Song and Southern Song. During the Northen Sung, the capital was in the northern city of Bianjing and the dynasty controlled most of inner China. The Southern Sung  refers to the period after the Song lost control of northern China to the Jin Dynasty. First, I will start by telling you about the northern Sung. The Northern Sung was the first, most advanced, and longest period of the Sung history. The increase in education carried the literature advancements from the Tang Dynasty into the Sung period. With this rise in culture came a new religion, called Neo-Confucianism. This religion was thought of by a scholar named Chu Hsi. He combined three religions from the Tang period and put them into the Neo-Confucianism that became the orthodox state doctrine. Governmental positions were based on exams over the teachings of Confucius. This was much better than the aristocrats ruling due to family linage rather than knowledge. The economy rose by putting these newly educated people into positions of authority. The only bad part of the period was the weak military directly under the emperor's control. He feared that power hungry generals might want to rebel. When small barbarian tribes or nations would attack then the Sung would try to sign treaties with them. After Wang’s death most of his work was repealed, until after the Mongols took over. The Juchens, who had made an alliance with the Sung, rebelled and forced the Sung to flee south. This was the beginning of the Southern Period. Wang’s death came at the end of the Northern Sung period. When the Southern period started, reformers and antireformers fought for power making this government unstable for a short time. During this period there were no trade routes by land that could be used due to hostile patrols by opposing forces. The creation of a ship called a junk was what people used for their trading ventures. Gunpowder was created and the pottery industry advanced with the creation of porcelain with a celadon glaze. With these new creations came dramatic increases in agriculture and production based economies. The Sung Dynasty ended when a group of Mongols under the command of Kublai Khan overthrew the Sung. The Sung did not have much of a military to defend themselves against the Mongol force that was sweeping across the Asia.

Tang Dynasty

Hello, I am Liu and I am a merchant in Northen Vietnam. I will be telling you about the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty, 618-907 A.D., was a dynasty that was characterized by strength and brillance. The Tang Dynasty was vast, with its control raging from Korea, southern Mancuria, and northern Vietnam. It was founded by the Li family who, seized power during the decline and collaspe of the Sui Empire. The dynasty was interrupted briefly by the Second Zhou Dynasty  when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne,  becoming the first and only Chinese empress regnant, ruling in her own right. The Tang Dynasty is considered the high point in Chinese civilization. Its territory, acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers, was greater than that of the Han period, and it rivalled that of the later Yuan Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. With its large population base, the dynasty was able to raise professional and conscripted armies of hundreds of thousands of troops to contend with nomadic powers in dominating Inner Asia and the trade routes along the silk road. The Tang Dynasty was largely a period of progress and stability, except during the An Shi Rebellion  and the decline of central authority in the latter half of the dynasty. The Tang Dynasty maintained a civil service system by drafting officials through standardized examinations and recommedations to the office. Chinese culture flourished and further matured during the Tang era.

Mongols take China

Hello, I am Zhen and today I will being telling you about the Mongols taking over China. The Mongols first started off as a nomadic group living in rural areas of Central Asia. In the early 1200s Mongol chieftain took the name of Genghis Kahn, or the "universal ruler." Genghis Kahn, originally named Temujin, was known for being very ambitious and courageous. Genghis's life was rough from the beginning. At the young age of nine, his father was poisned by a rival Mongol clan. And by the age of fifteen, he was a taken prisoner. After being let free, he was determined to get his revenge. Once the Mongols took over China they inforced very strict military discipline and demanded absolute loyalty. They quickly developed a highly skilled army and had the best horseman in the world. Genghis accomplished many extraordinary things during his rule. But sadly, he died during the conquest. After Genghis, Mongols were not oppressive leaders. He very much respected artisans, artists, and scholars. He even listened to the ideas of Confucians, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Zoroastrians. Between 1200s-1300s the Mongols took control over the Silk Road, and not longer after trade began to flourish. Even the cultural exchanges increased in food, inventions, tools, and ideas spread along the protected trade routes. It took seventy more years for Kublai Kahn to conquer southern China. In the year 1279, the Song Empire was conquered. Not long after the Song Empire was conquered, Kublai Kahn declared that only Mongols could serve in the military. He also reserved the highest government jobs for Mongols only. In 1279 A.D. the Yuan Dynasty begins. A mix up of Chinese and foreign customs arouse in China. Once the Yuan Dynasty started, Kublai got right down to business. He turned Beijing into a walled city, extended the Grand Canal to his new capital, and made the shipment of rice and other foods easier. In 1294 Kublai Kahn died, which led to the decline of the Yuan Dynasty.

Han Dynasty

Hello, I am Liu Bang, the prince of Han. The Han empire began in 206 B.C. when I defeated the Qin army in the valley of Wei. This war all started because the people were dissatisfied with the tryanny of the Qin Leaders and their Legalist form of government. The Han continued to rule in the traditaion of the Qin, and only gradually incorporated Confusican ideals into their Legalist form of government. Under this new form of Legalism and Confucianism, rewards and punishments were still used for common people. However, the administrators were judged based on Confucian princples with the justification for these different sets of standards as they were educated. Just like the Qin Dynasty before us, our main goal is the unification of China. This goal led to the downfall of imperial nobility. This process was finally completed during the reign of Wu Ti's, from 141-87 B.C. His reign was a period of great military expansion. The Han dynasty is actually two separate dynasties. It is considered one dynasty by the Chinese because the second dynasty was founded by a member of the former Han dynasty who declared he had restored the Han Dynasty. The second Han Dynasty had much success with their foreign policy. In 73 A.D. the Chinese began a campaign in Turkestan. Turkestan was quickly conquered which would have ensured a trading monopoly, however, the emperor Ming Ti died and Chang Ti became emperor. He favored an isolationist policy so that much of what was gained in Turkestan was now lost. Pan Ch'ao, the deputy commander who had led the invasion, stayed in Turkestan to try and hold onto what had been won, and eventually in 89 A.D. a new emperor came to power with a renewed interest in holding Turkestan. Despite the military success, economic and political struggles arose within China. Internal struggles for power taxed the peasants, until in 184 A.D. when another peasant uprising occurred. This movement was begun by the Yellow Turbans. This uprising served to unite the factions who had previously been fighting one another because they needed to unite to defeat the Yellow Turbans. Despite conquering them, China did not return to a united state. Rather, three kingdoms emerged and the Han Dynasty came to an end.

Buddhism comes to China

Hi, I am a good friend of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha. Siddhartha was a prince of the Sakya Tribe of Nepal in 566 B.C. His father never wanted Buddha to leave the palace, he wanted him to become one of the best rulers anyone has ever known. But Buddha knew being a ruler wasn't his true calling in life. He knew there was something better beyond the palace walls. So, at the age of twenty-nine, Buddha left the palace and the comfort of his home, to seek the meaning of the pain and suffering he saw around him. He trained for six years with yoga masters and spiritual teachers. He tried many forms of meditaion and yoga, including severe regimes of fasting during which he nearly died. Finally, Siddhartha found enlightenment. Siddhartha, now known as Buddha, taught his followers the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to help others achieve enlightenment as he had. By the year 300 B.C., Buddhism was a major religion in India. Buddhism was spread along the Silk Road and other trade routes and had reached China in the year 67 CE. Today, Buddhism is one of the main religions in China. Buddhism is actually one of the most practiced religions in the world.

Great Wall

Hello, I am Qiu and I will be telling you about the Great Wall of China. My great grandfather was actually there during the process. He was one of the most important builders. The wall once stretched more than 4,500 miles from the Jiayu Province in the east. It began as a series of walls and fortifications built more than 2,000 years ago, and eventually unified under the Ming Dynasty, which took power in 1368 A.D. But, vandals reduced the wall to 1,500 miles. From 475 to 221 B.C., there were seven warring states in China's Zhou Dynasty Qi, Chu, Han, Wei, Qin, Yan, and Zhao. So, they bulit the wall as a defense against them. In the year 221 B.C. the first emperor Shi Huangdi started reinforcing his defenses against the Xiongnu by  joining four earlier fragmentary walls and building new sections to extend them to 3,100 miles.  In 214 B.C., he sent General Meng Tian, with an army of 300,000 workers and countless prisoners, to the northern frontiers of his empire to begin building the wall. Shi Huangdi's policies of taxation Shi Huangdi's policies of heavy taxation, the Great Wall, and other public works created a social unrest. When he died in 210, his empire collasped. Later the Han dynasty was founded in 206 B.C. Under the Emperor Wudi, who reigned from 140 to 67 B.C., the Han expanded into southern China, Vietnam, and Korea and opened trade routes through Central Asia to India, Persia, and the Western world. Now, thousands of years later, the Chinese government declared it a national monument.

Laozi and Taoism

Hello, my name is Laozi and today I will be telling you about my life. I was born in 604 B.C.E. I am a native of Chu, a southern state in the Zhou Dynasty. In the beginning of my life, i served as a keeper of archival records at the court of Zhou. I also consulted with Confucius. During the Eastern Han Dynasty I developed the religion Taoism. It originated as philosophy in anicent China during the era of Warring States from 475 to 221 B.C. Taoism means the way. Nature is one of the main concepts or therioes of Taoism. It is difficult to describe Taoist concepts simply because Taoism is about defining the undefinable.

Confucius

Hello. My name is Confucius. Today i will be telling you a little about myself. I was born in 551 B.C.E, which was the Chou Dynasty. During the beginning of my life I was a thinker, political figure, and an educator. I was also a founder of the Ru school of Chinese thought. One day, during my political time, i came up with the idea of goodness. My theory is goodness, or respect, would be able to hold society together. If a ruler set good examples for his people, his people would follow those examples. But, one of my main theories is family is the foundation of society. So, I told these ideas to some of the main people involved with the Chinese government. But, they disliked my idea. They thought it encouraged subordinates to speak out if superior make mistakes. After this, I decided if the people didn't want to come to me, I would come to them. So, i walked the streets and taught my ideas to the people. I did this till the end of my life. I died in the year 479 B.C.E. But, during the Han Dynasty, they decided to make confusianism the official state philosophy.