Han Dynasty (jan 1, 202 BC – jan 1, 220)

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The Han Dynasty, founded by Liu Bang, was separated into two eras: The Former Han Dynasty and The Later Han Dynasty, with the short rule of Wang Mang separating the two. The Han Dynasty remained mostly centralized like the preceding Qin Dynasty with minor attempts to balance decentralized and centralized ideas. Ruler, Han Wudi furthered Qin ideas such as the building of roads and canals and the use of legalist philosophies, as well as new systems of taxation and state-run monopolies on lucrative industries like salt and iron. In order to find individuals capable of running his government, Han Wudi standardized the Confucian education system as the standard way of determining entry into the government. This secured Confucianism's fate of long-term survival. The Former Han Dynasty ended when a Han minister named Wang Mang took over in the midst of social tensions and conflicts over land distribution. His rule was ended shortly after it started due to revolts over his socialist policies relating to land distribution. The Later Han Dynasty solved very little of the problems that plagued the Former Han Dynasty and eventually fell due to a combination of peasant uprisings, namely the Yellow Turban Uprising, corruption, and the formation of factions within the government. (2.1)(2.2)(2.3)

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