Describe the major political, economic, and social achievements of each of the following empires.Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay As the Ming dynasty began to collapse, a Manchu ruler named Nurhaci (1559-1626) unified the many Manchu tribes in order to take control of China and triggers the start of the Qing dynasty. Not only did they rule a larger area than any previous Chinese dynasty (except the Tang), but they also established themselves fairly quickly in the empire by forcing the submission of the nomadic peoples of the West and collecting tribute from kingdoms like Vietnam and Burma to the south. . For the most part, the Manchus kept the political system of the Ming dynasty intact. Both Manchus and Chinese were given important positions in the bureaucracy, but it was arguably easier for 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 of the rulers, Kangxi (1661-1722), was a Confucian scholar and he was one of the few Manchu rulers to sponsor the creation of a huge collection of Chinese encyclopedias. Socially, the extended family was most important in the elite classes. The government disapproved of guilds 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 the elites because they were forced to work for a living. If a woman were lucky enough to be a man's first wife, have a son, and live long enough, she could eventually run the household. However, the Qin dynasty was not an ideal place for women. The Manchus worked hard to try to repair the damage caused by the fall of the Ming dynasty. They spent a lot of money restoring dikes, canals and roads. They reduced taxes and the demand for labor, and peasants were encouraged to farm. The Manchus also lifted foreign travel restrictions imposed by the Ming dynasty. This allowed trade to grow, 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 textiles, and in return for the export of these goods it received large sums of money. Merchants played a huge role in connecting China with the outside world. Although business flourished, the situation quickly worsened. Europeans did not like the trade balance which favored China; European merchants therefore addicted the Chinese to opium. The government was already weakened by corruption and now people of all social classes were spending large sums of money on this new drug. In order to put an end to this craze, Lin Zexu was called. As European merchants and naval officers refused to cooperate, he blockaded the commercial zones of Canton and proceeded to confiscate and destroy the opium. This led to a negative response from the Europeans, which gave rise to the Opium Wars. Britain defeated China and began to take control of its government, forcing China to treat Europeans as equals rather.