Ancient China's Han Dynasty

• Detail the political contributions of the Han Dynasty to the development of the imperial bureaucratic state and the expansion of the empire.

• First, students are introduced to the Han Dynasty by their textbook.
  

• Next, students are given this handout. 

• Then students are to make up a story about a person that lives in the era of the Han Dynasty and uses one item contributed from each category.  They have to mention all of the governmental contributions and increasing land holdings. 
  

• Example outline of story: A hero will be in a war for the government.  He can comment on his thoughts about the centralization, addition of Confucianism, bureaucracy, roads and canals, grains, and civil service test.  He can mention the weapon he carries to fight for more land, the farming equipment he used at home, and the silk equipment his wife used, the writing (art) messages he carries, medicine used to fix him when he is injured, and the compass. 
  
• The stories are fun to read and really don't take that long once the students understand what is requested of them. 
  
• This planning guide may make it easier for the students to write.