Han+China+and+Rome


 * In what ways were the economic foundations of the Roman and the Han Empires similar? What were the consequences of the differences?

Rome and Han China were founded upon agricultural-based economies that placed a large emphasis on external trade facilicitated by a merchant class. Rome also utilized slavery while Han China did not, therefore allowing for the inexpensive production of goods and the establishment of trade colonies that steadily supplied a rapidly expanding empire.


 * Compare the institutions of imperial government in Han China to those established in Rome after Augustus

The political system of Han China was an intricately devised bureaucracy in which the central government was powerful and power divided among bureaucrats, while Rome took on the title of an empire after Augustis, and power was immediately consolidated under one ruler and a weak Senate. Although both had different political systems, both civilizations succeeded in maintaining a high level or organization for their respective systems.


 * Compare the social and economic organization of Rome and Han China.

While both Rome and Han China developed agricultural-based economies that also placed an equally heavy emphasis on trade and commerce, Han China lowered the social status of its merchants while an expanding Rome elevated the merchant class even more.Because slavery existed in Rome,the Roman empire was able establish profitable trading colonies and commercial agriculture while China relied on the production and trading of natural goods.


 * Compare and contrast the factors that lead to, and the effects of, the collapse of ancient Rome and Han China.

Both Han China and Rome experienced unstable and corrupt political leadership during their decline, and eventually both empires were invaded by nomadic outsiders (the Huns) that took advantage of these internal weaknesses. Intellectual and economic decline were also major factors of the collapse of these civilizations. While the fall of Han China lead to the end of the Chinese Classical period, Confucianism and political bureaucracy were eventually revived in the 6th century, while in the case of Rome, permanent political dissolution was evident and the Roman Empire was divided by the many different invading groups of people.

Essay Outline based on #2:

Thesis:

The political system of Han China was an intricately devised bureaucracy in which the central government was powerful and power divided among bureaucrats, while Rome took on the title of an empire after Augustis, and power was immediately consolidated under one ruler and a weak Senate. Although both had different political systems, both civilizations succeeded in maintaining a high level or organization for their respective systems.

(rest is currently on paper)
 * Han China maintained a highly effective bureacracy, while Rome developed an empire ruled under one emporer.
 * China = bureacracy
 * Rome = empire
 * Confucionism & philosophy
 * Elite, aristocratic class present
 * Both the bureaucracy and the empire becaome highly organized over times in order top meet the needs of there expanding empires.
 * Rome organized power under emporer and gave territorial power to trusted generals.
 * China also assigned powers to governmental bureacrats.
 * Expansion
 * different philosophies.