One of the most challenging things about this course is that we break up the history of the various regions of the world, returning to them time and time again. The history of China is a perfect example of this. I think that, whenever possible, it is helpful to tie the history together so that we can develop our understanding of the continuities and changes that empires/countries/regions undergo. We are currently studying the Tang and Song dynasties. How does this history flow out of Han and all that came before?
The video embedded here - Engineering an Empire: China - does a pretty good job at helping us get a big picture view of this Chinese history. It is by no means comprehensive. It uses engineering projects as a guide through history, so you will see a great deal of coverage on things like the Great Wall. It begins with the Warring States period, and moves beyond the Song (by only about 10 minutes).
Your homework tonight is to watch the video. Really watch it! Focus! You should have received a viewing guide in class (can also be downloaded here). Complete during and after watching the video, and be prepared to turn it in tomorrow. If you consider copying the answers from a classmate, rather than watching the video yourself, you should know that I am considering a short Knowledge Check based on it. Do the right thing. Besides, it is an interesting and informative presentation, and it will help with your understanding of the history.
Remember: You also need to read pages 278-285.
