Eric and Rob talk with Dr. Dan Barish who discusses how teachers can present the early Qing Dynasty in China to their students. Dan is an Associate Professor of History and the Undergraduate Program Director at Baylor University. He shares that teachers should begin with the big idea that the Qing is an inner Asian empire that has much in common with other early modern empires. It is more than just the last Chinese dynasty, and in many ways it is distinct from earlier dynasties. Teachers should discuss both the rise of the Qing state and the decline of the Ming dynasty as simultaneous events. Dan notes that while the Qing have distinct political and cultural systems, they do incorporate many elements of Ming society to help them govern an empire where they, as Manchus, are outnumbered by ethnic Han Chinese at a ratio of 350 to 1. Finally, he explains that the Qing did not “become Chinese” but rather they appealed to the different populations within the empire by representing the emperor through the culture of and languages of those groups. In that way, the Qing emperor was a global, universal ruler.
Lesson Plans and resources:
The Qianlon Image Analysis lesson can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/43SWezn
Advising the Qing Emperor lesson can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/4acbvPw
The Association for Asian Studies website can be found at https://www.asianstudies.org/
Columbia University’s Asia for Educators website (with links to primary documents and lessons) can be found at https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/
Credits
Opening theme music, “Bossa Bossa,” created by Clare Howard www.clarehoward.com Music supported by the National Council for History Education www.ncheteach.org
Transition theme music, “The Clock is Ticking,” created by Emily Hahn.
Logo artwork created by Jessica Goldman.
Shit I Have to Teach in 20 Minutes is produced by Eric Hahn and Rob Good. Audio and video editing by Sebastian Rosales.
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