Korea: Land of the Morning Calm

The Basics:

• Gojoseon (2333 B.C.)- (300 B.C.)

• Three Kingdoms Period (313 A.D. -688 A.D.)

• United Silla Dynasty (688-935 A.D.)

• Koryo Dynasty (935-1392 A.D.)

• Choson (Joseon) (YI) Dynasty (1392-1910 A.D.)

The Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms Period (around 50 B.C. -688 A.D.):

• Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla

• Buddhism spread through Korea

• China has civil war- not messing with Korea

United Silla Dynasty (688-935 A.D.)

• Silla joined the Chinese Tang Dynasty and defeated the Goguryeo and Baekje

• China invades Silla with one million soldiers

• Silla drives out Chinese and unify Korea

• Constant civil war breaks Korea apart again

Koryo Dynasty (935-1392 A.D.)

•Unified most of Korea

•Freed all of the slaves in 958

•Created Civil Service Exams (like China) for government jobs

•Mongols invade and take over

•Mongols fade away- Japan begins raiding

•General Yi Song-gye of Korea starts a new dynasty, kills off the old ruling family

Choson (Joseon) or (YI) Dynasty (1392-1910 A.D.)

• Highly organized state

• Economic and Agricultural Reforms

• Paper Money

• Schools and Academies Prospered

• Great King Sejong 1397-1450 (height of Choson Dynasty)

1. Founder of the modern Korean language

2. New Laws

3. Civil Rights

Downfall of the Yi Dynasty

• Japan unsuccessfully invades in 1590s, but weakens the Yi

• After Japan, the Manchus (China) invade

- Next 250 years Manchus are overlords of the Yi Dynasty

- Famines and poor government continue until the 20th century

Social Structure• 1) Royals • 2) Civil and Military officials known as

the yangban • 3) Palace people of lower official rank • 4) regional clerks and other lower

government officials • 5) tax-paying free citizens, mostly

peasant farmers, fishermen, artisans, etc. 6) Considered inferior people: low class merchants and slaves.

Religion• Buddhism and Confucianism dominated

• Both religions/philosophies adopted at different times in government

1. Buddhism popular in Koryo Dynasty-state religion

2. Neo Confucianism popular in Choson Dynasty- exams for government jobs

• Today – Christianity dominates South Korea– North Korea is officially atheist

Korea: 20th – 21st Century•Late 19th Century Japan and Western powers force Korea to end its isolation and open up for trade• Early 20th Japan and China fight for control, Japan wins and annexes Korea in 1910, Yi Dynasty officially ends• Japan runs Korea… Koreans second class citizens in their own country• 1945: Defeat of Japan

- North Korea influenced by Communists (China/Russia)- South Korea influenced by America/UN

• 1950-1953 Korean War- North Korean success- Americans/UN land drive North Koreans back- China enters and a stalemate- Cease-fire signed… no peace agreement

Korea Since the End of the War

• South Korea- Slowly transitioned to a Democracy- Modernized through government support of giant

corporations (Chaebols) and protectionism- Asian Tiger: Seen as a great economic world power

• North Korea- Communist government dominated by Kim-ll Sung and now son Kim Jong-il - Poor human rights record-Highly developed military (15%+ of GDP)- Inadequate energy and food resources for population- Tense relations with neighbors and the U.S.- Nuclear Weapons- a few

- uses them as a negotiation tool

Korean Buddha Statue

Korean Confucius Statue

Pictures of Korean CultureGranite Carved Buddha 751 A.D.

Silla Era Pagodas

Artistic Poetry, Koryo eraKorean Letters