AP World History Exam: Classical China

Chinese women in the classical age were legally subordinated to fathers and husbands at all class levels. This means that regardless of their social status or influence, women were required to obey and be under the authority of their fathers and husbands. This legal subordination limited their freedom and autonomy, as important decisions and actions were controlled by the male figures in their lives.

The correct answer is that the commoners, especially the peasants, remained the largest group. This can be inferred from the statement that although they varied greatly in wealth and social status, the commoners, especially the peasants, were still the largest group. This suggests that the majority of the population in China at that time consisted of commoners, with peasants being the largest subgroup within this group.

Confucian social relationships established a hierarchy and insisted upon reciprocal duties of the people. This means that in Confucianism, there was a clear social structure where individuals had specific roles and responsibilities based on their position in society. It emphasized the importance of fulfilling these duties and obligations towards others in order to maintain social harmony. This hierarchical structure helped to maintain order and stability within the community.

During this time period in China, merchants were considered to be part of the lowest social class and had very little societal influence. Despite their material success and increased wealth, they were still ranked below peasants in terms of social status. This meant that they did not have much power or influence in the government or society as a whole. This is in contrast to the other options, such as the Chinese rulers being isolated from the masses or the scholar-gentry being prohibited from owning land, which are not mentioned in the given information.

During the Han Dynasty, scholar officials implemented a system of examination to prepare professional civil servants. This system allowed individuals from various social classes, including merchants and peasants, to have an opportunity to become government officials based on their knowledge and abilities rather than their social status. This helped to ensure that qualified individuals were chosen for governmental positions and promoted meritocracy within the bureaucracy.

Trained bureaucrats from non-aristocratic groups would have likely supported the Qin dynasty because the Qin dynasty implemented a centralized bureaucratic system. This system relied on educated officials who were selected based on their merit rather than their social status. Trained bureaucrats would have benefited from this system as it provided them with opportunities for advancement and influence within the government. Additionally, non-aristocratic groups would have been more inclined to support the Qin dynasty as it weakened the power of traditional aristocrats, who had previously held a monopoly on political power.

Chinese belief systems differ from single deity religions and polytheism most in their secular emphasis and lack of identifiable gods to worship. Unlike single deity religions, such as Christianity or Islam, and polytheistic religions, such as Hinduism or ancient Greek religion, Chinese belief systems do not focus on worshiping specific gods or deities. Instead, they emphasize correct behavior and performance of rituals and rites, as well as deifying nature. This secular emphasis sets Chinese belief systems apart from other religious traditions that place a strong emphasis on worshiping gods.

By encouraging settlers to move into the Yangtze river valley, the Zhou rulers programmed future generations of Chinese to obey the dictates of the highly centralized state. This means that by promoting settlement in this specific region, the rulers were able to establish a system where the Chinese people were conditioned to follow the orders and rules set by the central government. This likely helped to maintain control and authority over the population, ensuring obedience and stability within the state.

The correct answer is "Tolerated local lords performing functions for the central government." This answer suggests that the doctrine sponsored by the Qin dynasty allowed local lords to maintain some autonomy and continue their administrative roles under the central government. This policy would have helped to maintain stability and ensure the smooth functioning of the state.

Confucianism and Daoism are religions that developed in Classical China and originated as responses to societal problems during times of disruption. They were not fully sanctioned doctrines of the Qin and Han emperors, as they faced periods of suppression and were not always favored by the ruling elite. Additionally, they did not emphasize the needs of the individual over the welfare of the state, as Confucianism placed importance on social harmony and hierarchical relationships, while Daoism emphasized living in accordance with the natural way of the universe. They also had significant influence throughout Chinese history, rather than only in the late 900's CE.