The

Mandate

of Heaven

How Chinese Emperors Justify Their Power

Justify

• to give an acceptable explanation of something that other people think is unreasonable

PARTNER DISCUSSION

How do American Presidents justify their power?

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PARTNER DISCUSSION

Why do we find it reasonable to give all this power to our presidents?

The Mandate of Heaven

• The Mandate of Heaven is what the Chinese people believed gave their rulers the right to be king or emperor.

• It meant that the gods had blessed that person with the right to rule.

• A ruler had to be a good and just ruler to keep the Mandate of Heaven.

The Mandate of Heaven

• When a ruler or dynasty lost power and became weak, this meant that they must also have lost the Mandate of Heaven.  

• Poor crops, losses in battle, and natural disasters were considered indications that the ruler had lost the mandate.

PARTNER DISCUSSION

Try to explain The Mandate of Heaven using the terms: China, emperor, justify, rule, gods, and natural disasters.

The

Dynastic Cycle

Explains the Rise and Fall of Dynasties in China

Dynasty

• a family of rulers whose parents, grandparents, etc have ruled for many years

Cycle

• a number of related events that happen again and again in the same order

PARTNER DISCUSSION

Try to explain the Dynastic Cycle using the terms: new dynasty, old dynasty, corruption, and natural disasters.

Step 1

A new dynasty brings peace and provides land and protection to the people. They would also provide infrastructure

Infrastructure

• the basic systems and structures that a country or needs in order to work properly

• for example:

  roads, irrigation, crop storage, etc

Step 1

A new dynasty brings peace and provides land and protection to the people. They would also provide infrastructure

Step 2

An old dynasty fails to do a good job. Maybe they tax people too heavily, treat people unfairly, or can't protect their people.

Step Three

People begin to question whether the dynasty has lost the Mandate of Heaven.

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Step Four

A new dynasty claims the Mandate of Heaven.

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​Dynasties often ended with natural disasters, peasants' revolts, or invasions.