Teaching East Asia: Korea Teaching East Asia: Korea | Page 20

Teaching East Asia: Korea includes a chapter on Korean American history.
Grade Six – World History/Geography: Ancient Civilizations (to 500 CE)
Standard 6.6 (3) Know about the life of Confucius and the fundamental teachings of
Confucianism and Daoism.
Standard 6.6 (7) Cite the significance of the trans-Eurasian “silk roads” in the period of the Han
Dynasty (206 B.C.E. – 220 C.E.) and Roman Empire (27 B.C.E.-476 C.E.) Since the Silk Road
began in ancient times and began to play a significant role in trade and travel as early as 100
BCE, students could view selected segments of Silla Korea and the Silk Road on the Korea
Society’s website (See Chapter on Resources).
Students can learn how China influenced Korea’s Three Kingdoms: Goguryeo (37 B.C.E.-668
C.E.), Baekche (18 B.C.E – 660 C.E.) and Silla (57 B.C.E. – 935 C.E.). The silk industry reached
Korea with the arrival of Chinese immigrants in 200 BCE. Buddhism and Confucianism were
transported to Goguryeo and Baekche from China in the 4 th century CE. In the 5 th century Silla
adopts Buddhism as a state religion. Throughout the lifetimes of the Three Kingdoms and
afterwards Korea maintained a close relationship with China. Each kingdom eagerly sought
cultural innovations from China yet retained distinct cultural elements unique to it.
Teaching East Asia: Korea incorporates a lesson on Confucianism (See Chapter on Religion and
Philosophy) that could be adapted for use in six grade classrooms. Students will learn that
Confucianism still has a strong influence in Korea and continues to influence the Koreans who
live in the United States. Teaching East Asia: Korea also includes an article titled “The
Founders of the United States and Confucius.”
Grade Seven – World History and Geography: Medieval and Early Modern
Times (500-1789)
All of the following Standards allow for the inclusion of Korean history and culture:
Standard 7.3 (1) Describe the reunification of China under the Tang Dynasty and reasons for the
spread of Buddhism in Tang China, Korea, and Japan.
Standard 7.3 (2) Describe agricultural, technological, and commercial developments during the
Tang and Song periods.
Standard 7.3 (3) Analyze the influences of Confucianism and changes in Confucian thought
during the Song and Mongol periods.
Standard 7.3 (4) Understand the importance of both overland trade and maritime expeditions
between China and other civilizations in the Mongol Ascendancy and Ming Dynasty.
Standard 7.3 (5) Trace the historic influence of such discoveries as tea, the manufacture of paper,
wood-block printing, the compass, and gunpowder.
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