Hannah BaumanBen ClarkErika FischerJ.P. Wojciechowski

KOREA

Korea has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Age

109 B.C.E. a Han dynasty emperor

conquered the Korean kingdom of Choson and settled Chinese colonies in Korea

These Chinese colonies provided the conduit through which Chinese culture was transmitted.

Chinese control of Korea weakened and the indigenous Koguryo established an independent kingdom in the northern part of the peninsula

HISTORY

Koguryo contested control of the peninsula with two smaller kingdoms, Silla and Paekche.

688 – Korea was unified under the Silla kingdom Rivaled the T’ang court in

splendor Silla had been around

since 57 BCE Silla fell to the Koryŏ in

935Koryŏ set up rule based

on Buddhism

HISTORY (CONT.)

Supposedly founded as early as the 1500’s BCE Semi-sedentary people moved

into the region Pottery and metalwork have

established this date The Founding legend says

that God chose Hwanung to establish the Choson kingdom, and says it was founded in the 2000’s BCE

Expanded lands through military conquest

Farmed rice, worked with bronze, and were skilling in pottery-making

Conquered by the Han dynasty of China in 109 BCE

CHOSON

Founded in 57 BCEConquered Baekje in 660

CE and Goguryeo (Choson) in 668 Led to the unification of

KoreaThe king was, in theory,

an absolute monarch, but the aristocracy held significant power Hwabaek – royal council

that helped with decision making like succession to the throne and declaration of war

Hwabaek confirmed Buddhism as the offi cial state religion of Silla

SILLA

After 668, with Korea unified, the government began to adopt Chinese models of bureaucracy

Buddhism - formally adopted by Silla in 527 under King Beopheung, Koreans had been

exposed to the religion for over a century

Buddhist temples were financed by the central government and aristocrats

Fell in 935 to the Koryŏ

SILLA (CONT.)

Founded in 918 CE by Emperor Taejo

United the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 Later Three Kingoms: Silla,

Choson, and Koryo 892 to 936 CE, unified by the

Koryo Developed under Silla rule due

to unrest in the kingdomFunctioned as an empire

with multiple capitals and a strong centralized government Adopted Confucianism and

brought in civil service exams for the bureaucracy

KORYO

Traded with the Chinese kingdoms, the later Song dynasty, Japan and the Abbasid Empire Exported: Gold, silver, ginseng, marble,

paper, ink, cotton, and moreDeveloped the world’s fi rst

metal moveable type Also developed artillery for

ships and introduced the use of gunpowder in the Korean military

Highly skilled potters Perfected their art of

porcelain

KORYO (CONT.)

SOCIAL CLASSES

King/Emperor

Aristocracy

Scholar-Elite

Merchants/artisans

Peasants

While upward mobility was theoretically possible (via the civil service exams), it required wealth for education to pass said exams Prohibited movement

Lineage was stressed as uber-important Records of ancestry were kept

diligently There was a huge gap between

the ruling class and the ruled Peasants made up most of the

population Merchants/artisans had their

wealth regulated by the state Cemented their positions in

society

SOCIAL CLASSES (CONT.)

Metal-workingMoney lendingPottery-making and

porcelain Learned the art from

Chinese masters, but soon surpassed them in skill.

Exported raw materials: Gold, silver, ginseng,

marble, paper, ink, cotton, and more

Used slave labor to attain said materials

Also exported/imported luxury goods for the aristocracy

ECONOMICS