How the Mandate of Heaven Shaped China

CrashCourse

This fast-paced educational video explores over 2,000 years of Chinese history, focusing on the continuity of the Chinese state through the dynastic system. Host John Green explains how China was the first modern state with a centralized government and bureaucratic corps, maintaining a similar structure from 150 BCE until 1911 CE. The video breaks down the concept of a dynasty, touches upon the exception of Empress Wu, and provides a rapid-fire timeline of the major Chinese dynasties from the Shang to the Qing.