Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 CE)

• What did the Han get rid of?
  • Han got rid of book burning
  • Executions as the 1st option for controlling the population
• What did the Han retain?
  • Han retained a centralized government
  • All of Shi Huangdi's institutional reforms
• Innovations
• Examination System (one of the few things you should definitely know about the Han dynasty)
  • Merit system
  • 130,000 bureaucrats in government (most don't take the exam)
  • Special schools
  • Didn't want to leave all the important high class jobs to the nobles
  • Writing was very important and you must be extremely efficient in writing (write a LOT of characters)
  • Lasted for over 2,000 years
  • You've made it if you have a job in the government