Exploring Trade and the World Economy:
A City Street and Shops in 18th Century China
Sean McManamom, Bronx High School of Science, Bronx, New York
Class Activities
- Have students open the page of “Interactive Urban Mapper for 18th Century Suzhou”
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/qing/q6-districts.html
(Cut and paste this url.)
There are 8 different categories of shops and other establishments "pinned" in the scroll. (See list in upper right-hand corner of the link). Divide students into eight groups and assign each group one of the categories. Allow students to explore their categories together for five minutes.
- Ask students to imagine that they are one of the characters they see in the city. (Each student can choose a different character, be it a merchant, a farmer, an official, an entertainer, a housewife, a child, a peddler, or member of the Emperor’s advance party or entourage.) Have them work together to determine:
- Who is each character?
- What type of life does he lead – does he travel, live and work only in Suzhou?
- What might be the economic and social position of the person in the society? How is his position a reflection of the power of the Qing?
- What might be this person’s impression of the Emperor and his entourage?
- What activities might this person engage in within the city? What would he buy? Sell? Where would he eat? Would he have entertainment available to him?
- Ask students to make a list of some of the shops in their district as well as any evidence of commercial activity they see along the street itself.
- What types of goods are being carried and traded?
- Where do these goods come from – can students determine if they are from Suzhou? From other parts of China? From countries beyond China?
- What impressions of the Chinese economy do students have from viewing the activity on the Suzhou street?
- What type of transportation is available and what is its significance?
- What evidence is there, if any, of international trade and China’s involvement in it? Use examples.