The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China

Ancient China from the Bronze Age through the Tang Dynasty (c. 1600 BCE - 907 CE) left a legacy of contributions that shaped China’s later history, the cultures of the region, and, through trade and exchange, the world. This four-week online course introduces core geographical features of China and the rise of state-level society there; centralization projects and philosophies of governance; indigenous and imported belief systems and how they shaped the lives of different sectors of the population; and China’s influence across Asia and East Asia, through trade and exchange, arts, inventions, and Tang-era innovations. Teachers of elementary and middle grades may choose different pathways through course topics. All participants will gain an appreciation for the depth and richness of early Chinese culture and history, as preserved in artifacts, art, and writing dating back several millennia.

Course Objective #1

Discuss the diverse geography and environment of China and how people interacted with the challenges and opportunities it posed.

Course Objective #2

Analyze and discuss key moments and developments of Chinese history using evidence from primary and secondary sources.

Course Objective #3

Critically evaluate perspectives found in a variety of source materials from the Shang to the Tang dynasties, as well as in contemporary sources.

Course Logistics

Dates Fall 2026: Wednesday, October 21 to Tuesday, November 17, 2026 Grade Levels Supported: For all educators of grades K-12 Course Format: Online, asynchronous Professional Development Points (PDPs): 22.5 PDPs Graduate Credit: 1 optional graduate credit available ($180) with credit accreditation through Southern New Hampshire University Fee: $750 (contact us at [email protected] to enroll in the course using a Purchase Order) This program provides content support for Grade 7, Units 2 and 3 of Investigating History.

Sarah Winne

Sarah recently retired from a 30-year career as a gifted specialist in Maine schools. Her love of world cultures has been a life-long affair. As an adolescent, she lived for 3 years in Micronesia and literally traveled “around the world” and then in her college years, she studied Chinese language and culture in Hong Kong and Taiwan. After graduation, Sarah settled in rural Maine, but her passion for China remained strong. In addition to working with Primary Source for many years (writing curriculum, and facilitating workshops and courses), she spent seven summers as a volunteer in China providing PD to Chinese teachers of English. Sarah is fortunate to have traveled extensively throughout China - down the Yangtze, to Tibet, to deserts, rainforest, mountains and cities.

Massachusetts Standards & Professional Alignment

[2.T2.4] Explain and describe human interaction with the physical world; [2.T3.4] Identify what individuals and families bring with them when they move to a different place; identify elements that define the culture of a society; [6.T1.2] Give examples of ways in which a current historical interpretation might build on, extend, or reject an interpretation of the past; [6.T3g] Describe the impact of encounters through trade, cultural exchange, and conquest among the societies and empires in the region, in particular, exchanges on land routes of the Silk Roads; [7.T2] ALL East Asia-specific standards.

Course Overview

5 Chapters · 38 Lessons

1. (Included in full purchase)
  Course Overview
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  Image Credits
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  The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China Course Syllabus
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  Final Course Assignment
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  Course Guidelines
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  Discussion Forum Guidelines
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  Graduate Credit Assignment & Registration Information
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  Session One Readings & Activities
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  Introduction: Why Study Ancient China?
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  China's Geography and Environment: A Multimedia Introduction
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  Exploring the Timeline of Ancient China
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  Discussion Forum: Session One
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  Investigating History Connections
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  Session Two Readings & Activities
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  Bronze-Age China: Complex Society Emerges in the Shang and Zhou
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  Communicating the Values of the Shang and the Zhou
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  Indigenous Chinese Beliefs Systems: A Search for Harmony
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  Discussion Forum: Session Two
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  Final Project: China's Enduring Legacies — Connecting Past and Present
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  Topic & Brief Rationale (Final Assignment)
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  Investigating History Connections & Further Resources
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  Session Three Readings & Activities
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  Qin Dynasty: Centralization Projects — Costs and Benefits
3. (Included in full purchase)
  Han China: The Confucian State and its Neighbors
4. (Included in full purchase)
  Discussion Forum: Session Three
5. (Included in full purchase)
  Final Project: China's Enduring Legacies — Connecting Past and Present
6. (Included in full purchase)
  Sources for Lesson or Activity (Final Assignment)
7. (Included in full purchase)
  Investigating History Connections & Further Resources
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Session Four Readings & Activities
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  Disunity and Unity and their Cultural Effects
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  The Arrival and Spread of Buddhism in China
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  China's Role in Silk Route Trade and Exchange
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  Tang Dynasty: A Golden Age of Innovation and Regional Influence
6. (Included in full purchase)
  Final Project: China's Enduring Legacies — Connecting Past and Present
7. (Included in full purchase)
  Investigating History Connections & Further Resources
8. (Included in full purchase)
  Post-Course Survey
9. (Included in full purchase)
  Final Project Submission
10. (Included in full purchase)
  Graduate Credit Project Submission

What our Educators are Saying

Join hundreds of educators across Greater Boston (and beyond!) who trust Primary Source for engaging, high quality professional development.

”

I have brought in so many resources, projects, and knowledge to the classroom because of these classes. My students have a richer, more intentional outlook on what we study.

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I have brought in so many resources, projects, and knowledge to the classroom because of these classes. My students have a richer, more intentional outlook on what we study.

About Primary Source

Primary Source educates global citizens by working with teachers to foster students’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions for thoughtful and engaged citizenship. With our guidance and resources, teachers cultivate students’ civic-mindedness, cultural awareness, and global competence, preparing them for our increasingly diverse and interconnected world. We collaborate with teachers, schools, and educational organizations to offer professional development programs and resources that help make global, civics, and cultural education an integral part of every student’s classroom experience. Our engaging face-to-face and online programs, curriculum resources, and international study tours enhance global understanding, civic engagement, and cultural understanding, and help thousands of teachers every year bring the wider world to their students. To learn more, visit our homepage at primarysource.org!

The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China