Early China: Shang, Zhou, Qin & Han — Drills · Grade 9 Social Studies
Chapter: Ancient Cities, States & CitizenshipWhat these drills covers
By the end of Early China: Shang, Zhou, Qin & Han you should be able to:
- I can read divination and legitimacy.
- I can explain a historical connection using relevant evidence and qualify the conclusion.
4 questions, written answer, each with a worked explanation.
Vocabulary used: context, evidence, interpretation, Mandate of Heaven, bureaucracy.
Problem 1
Answer and explanation
A religious or moral justification can support authority while also providing language to criticize failure. Identify the speaker and occasion. A royal ritual record cannot be treated as a survey of all households’ beliefs.
Problem 2
Answer and explanation
Standardization can make administration and exchange easier while coercive projects impose costs. Do not infer that one harsh personality alone caused collapse. Succession, rebellion, institutions, and the demands of expansion need to be connected through chronology.
Problem 3
Answer and explanation
An ideal of learned service differs from equal access to office. Compare how candidates were selected and who could obtain education. A moral text can describe an official’s duty without showing that every appointment followed merit alone.
Problem 4
Answer and explanation
A border interaction is not merely civilized people meeting outsiders without institutions. Name the parties and their interests. The end of a dynasty changes rule; it does not mean a population’s history or achievements stop.