What are the key aspects of the socio-economic situation in Dai Viet during the Ly Dynasty? What is the development logic of the 7th-grade History and Geography curriculum in Vietnam?

What are the key aspects of the socio-economic situation in Dai Viet during the Ly Dynasty?

The socio-economic situation in Dai Viet during the Ly Dynasty (1009 – 1225) is outlined as follows:

1. Economic Situation

Under the Ly Dynasty, the economy of Dai Viet developed steadily with several positive changes, especially in agriculture, handicrafts, and trade.

a. Agriculture – The Pillar of the Economy

- The Ly Dynasty implemented various policies to encourage agricultural production, with the most important being:

- The "ngu binh u nong" policy: Soldiers would return to farm when not engaged in war, supporting the labor force in production.

- Organization of land reclamation and establishment of new villages, particularly in the midland and mountainous areas.

- The "quan dien" policy: Redistribution of land to ensure farmers' rights and limit land concentration in the hands of landlords.

- Focus on building dykes to prevent floods and protect crops, notably expanding and reinforcing the Red River dike system.

=> Thanks to these policies, there were many years of abundant harvests, leading to a more stable life for farmers.

b. Handicrafts – Robust Development

- Handicrafts under the Ly were divided into two sectors:

+ State-run handicrafts:

Establishment of workshops specifically for the royal family and military, such as minting coins, manufacturing weapons, building warships, and making royal garments.

+ Folk handicrafts:

Development of various trades like ceramics (Bat Trang), silk weaving, papermaking, iron forging, and jewelry making.

- Notably, the ceramic industry of the Ly era reached a high artistic level, with products being exported to neighboring countries.

c. Commerce – Expansion of Trade

- Domestic exchange:

+ Formation of markets and major trading centers, especially in Thang Long — the most bustling capital of Dai Viet.

+ Development of interregional trade, exchanging various goods such as rice, silk, salt, and handicrafts.

- Foreign trade:

+ Strengthened trade relations with China, Champa, Chenla, and Southeast Asian countries.

+ Major exports included silk, ceramics, spices, and valuable timber, while imports consisted of fabrics, books, and metal goods.

+ Van Don Port became an important trade port, attracting foreign merchants.

- The Ly Dynasty also minted copper coins, widely circulated to promote commerce.

2. Social Situation

The society of Dai Viet under the Ly Dynasty was divided into the following main classes:

a. Ruling Class comprising the King and the royal family:

- The King held supreme authority, regarded as the "Son of Heaven." The Ly Dynasty practiced hereditary succession according to the father-to-son transmission policies.

- Nobles, mandarins, and landlords were privileged classes, owning vast lands, influencing political and economic life.

b. Subjugated Class

- Farmers: The majority; they were granted land under the quan dien policies but still had to pay taxes and perform labor services. Some displaced farmers became tenant farmers, dependent on landlords.

- Craftsmen and merchants: Although numerous, they did not yet have high social status, mainly residing in the capital and urban areas.

- Slaves: The lowest class in society, mainly prisoners of war or debtors, serving in the royal court and noble families.

c. Influence of Buddhism on Society

- Buddhism flourished, becoming the state religion. Ly kings were devout Buddhists, building numerous large pagodas such as One Pillar Pagoda, Phat Tich Pagoda, Dien Huu Pagoda.

- Monks played important roles in political and social life, with many such as Van Hanh, Nguyen Minh Khong having significant influence.

- Buddhism helped stabilize society, link communities, and shape Dai Viet's culture.

3. Conclusion

The socio-economic situation of Dai Viet during the Ly Dynasty was stable, particularly in agriculture with effective land and irrigation reforms. Handicrafts and trade also made significant advances.

Society was distinctly stratified yet maintained stability due to the influence of Buddhism. The Ly Dynasty laid solid foundations for the long-term development of Dai Viet in the subsequent centuries.

Note: The content is for reference purposes only!

What are the key aspects of the socio-economic situation in Dai Viet during the Ly Dynasty? What is the development logic of the 7th-grade History and Geography curriculum in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

What is the development logic of the 7th-grade History and Geography curriculum in Vietnam?

According to the General Education Program for History and Geographyissued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the development logic of the 7th-grade History and Geography curriculum in Vietnam is as follows:

- The history education content across all three levels is different from the current program as it is not designed concentrically from low to high. At the lower secondary level, students will study history from prehistoric times to the present. Hence, significant events, phenomena, and figures from both world history and national history are arranged chronologically.

- The difference in degree within the secondary school program is not solely in the content volume or event details; importantly, it lies in a very basic understanding of the essence of historical events, the causes of historical transformations, the diversity of social models, social cognition theory, and the focus on skill development, applying knowledge to new situations.

- At the lower secondary level, based on the psychological characteristics of students and subject features, the Geography subject is developed with a logic: from general physical geography in Grade 6 to continental geography in Grade 7, then to Vietnam’s physical geography (Grade 8) and socio-economic geography of Vietnam (Grade 9).

- This logic ensures that upon completing the subject program At the lower secondary level, students will have basic and general knowledge about geography, particularly Vietnam’s geography, to advance to the upper secondary level or participate in the workforce.

- In geography teaching, the process of forming basic concepts typically progresses from geographical images to geographical concepts. Creating geographical images is significantly important for Grade 6 and Grade 7 students, ensuring that they can easily remember images and concepts, connecting them with real-life applications. Building basic concepts is a process that, in some instances, requires multiple lessons and chapters.

- Some concepts are developed throughout an entire education level or subject program. Teachers need to be mindful of this during teaching to avoid overwhelming younger students and create vertical connections between grades. Many broad physical geography concepts are initially presented in Grade 6 and are further developed in Grades 7 and 8.

For example, the concept of atmospheric circulation in Grade 6 is only presented through diagrams of pressure belts and winds. This concept is used and developed in Grade 7 Geography, such as mentioning monsoon circulation in Asia.

- Further, concepts related to fronts or tropical convergence can be utilized when students study Grade 8 or Grade 9 about Vietnam’s geography. Some socio-economic geography concepts can be simply discussed in Grade 7, with further elaboration in Grade 9 during the study of Vietnam's socio-economic geography. Interdisciplinary concepts require longer periods to establish and develop.

How many lessons does the History section in the 7th-grade History and Geography curriculum in Vietnam cover?

Under the General Education Program for History and Geographyissued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT regarding the 7th-grade History and Geography curriculum:

- Duration

The allotted time for the subject is 105 lessons/grade/school year. The percentage of lessons allocated for each content circuit is in the table below:

Thus, the History section in the 7th-grade History and Geography curriculum involves 42% of 105 lessons per school year, equivalent to 44.1 lessons annually.