The Economy of the Han Dynasty of ancient China reflects a period of fluctuation between periods of economic prosperity and decline. Major features of the Han economy were population growth, increasing urbanization, unprecedented growth of industry and trade and government experimentation with nationalization. In this era, the levels of minting and circulation of coin currency grew significantly, forming the foundation of a stable monetary system. The Silk Road facilitated the establishment of trade and tributary exchanges with foreign countries across Eurasia, many of which were previously unknown to the people of ancient China. The imperial capitals of both Western-Han (Chang'an), and of Eastern-Han (Luoyang), were among the largest cities in the world at the time, in both population and area. Here, government workshops manufactured furnishings for the palaces of the emperor and produced goods for the common people. The government oversaw the construction of roads and bridges, which facilitated official government business and encouraged commercial growth. Under Han rule, industrialists, wholesalers and merchants—from minor shopkeepers to wealthy businessmen—could engage in a wide range of enterprises and trade in the domestic, public, and even military spheres.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_Han_Dynasty

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1356:

Hundred Years' War: English forces led by Edward the Black Prince decisively won the Battle of Poitiers and captured King Jean II of France. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Poitiers_%281356%29

1796:

George Washington's Farewell Address was published in many American newspapers, warning citizens, among others, about the dangers of political factionalism and to avoid permanent alliances with other foreign powers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington%27s_Farewell_Address

1893:

New Zealand became the first country to introduce universal suffrage, following the women's suffrage movement led by Kate Sheppard. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage_in_New_Zealand

1944:

Finland and the Soviet Union signed the Moscow Armistice to end the Continuation War. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuation_War

1985:

An 8.1 ML earthquake struck Mexico City, killing at least nine thousand people and leaving up to 100,000 homeless. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Mexico_City_earthquake

1995:

The Manifesto of "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski was published in The Washington Post and The New York Times, almost three months after it was submitted. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Kaczynski

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

crocodile tears (n): (idiomatic) A display of tears that is forced or false http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/crocodile_tears

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Basically I'm an optimist. Intellectually I can see man's balance is about fifty-fifty, and his chances of blowing himself up are about one to one. I can't see this any way but intellectually. I'm just emotionally unable to believe that he will do this. This means that I am by nature an optimist and by intellectual conviction a pessimist, I suppose. --William Golding http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Golding