Describe the major political, economic, and social achievements of each of the following empires. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay When the Ming dynasty began to crumble, a Manchurian leader named Nurhaci (1559-1626) united the numerous Manchu tribes to take control of China and marked the beginning of the Qing dynasty. Not only did they rule a larger area than any previous Chinese dynasty (excluding the Tang), but they also established the empire quite quickly by forcing the subjugation of nomadic peoples in the West and collecting tribute from kingdoms such as Vietnam and Burma in the south. . For the most part, the Manchurians kept the political system of the Ming dynasty intact. Both the Manchus and the Chinese were granted important positions in the bureaucracy, but it was undoubtedly easier for the Manchus to obtain these jobs. They also restored the examination system, promoted Confucianism, and restored the concept of the Sons of Heaven. The early Manchu rulers were also great patrons of the arts. One ruler, Kangxi (1661-1722), was a Confucian scholar, and was one of the few Manchu rulers who sponsored the creation of a huge collection of Chinese encyclopedias. Socially, the extended family was very important in the elite classes. The government disapproved of corporations and secret societies. Even under this new dynasty, women were still treated poorly compared to men, probably due to the strengthening of Confucian philosophy. Lower-class women had more power than elites because they were forced to work to earn a living. If a woman were lucky enough to be a man's first wife, have a child, and live long enough, she would eventually be able to run the household. However, the Qin Dynasty was not the ideal place for women. The Manchus worked hard in an attempt to reverse the damage resulting from the fall of the Ming dynasty. They spent a large sum of money in their efforts to restore dams, canals and roads. They lowered taxes and labor requirements, and farmers were encouraged to grow crops. The Manchus also lifted the Ming Dynasty's foreign travel restrictions. This allowed trade to increase, greatly increasing the wealth of Chinese merchants and creating a new group of wealthy merchants called compradors. China was a major exporter of tea, porcelain and silk fabrics and received large payments in silver in exchange for exporting these goods. Merchants played a huge role in connecting China to the outside world. Although trade prospered, things quickly deteriorated. The Europeans did not like the trade balance that favored China; thus European merchants attacked the Chinese with opium. The government was already weakening due to corruption and now people of all social classes were spending large sums of money on this new drug. To put an end to this craze, Lin Zexu was called upon. European merchants and naval officers refused to cooperate, so he blockaded the trading areas in Canton and proceeded to confiscate and destroy the opium. This led to a negative response from the Europeans and this gave rise to the Opium Wars. Britain defeated China and began to take control of its own government, forcing China to treat Europeans as equals, rather than barbarians (which was what they were used to). Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom EssayJust when it seemed like the situation couldn't get any worse, Hong Xiuquan began.