Final answer:
The first historical dynasty in China was the Shang Dynasty. The Qin Dynasty expanded the Great Wall and created the terracotta army while the Silk Road and administration improvements marked the Han Dynasty. The Forbidden City was built during the Ming Dynasty, and the last dynasty was the Qing Dynasty with the 'Hundred Schools of Thought' emerging in the Warring States Period.
Step-by-step explanation:
The dynasty often considered the first historical dynasty in China was the Shang Dynasty. This Bronze Age civilization is renowned for creating a written script and being substantiated through oracle bones. The Qin Dynasty significantly expanded and rebuilt the Great Wall of China as a defense against northern tribes. Moreover, the famous terracotta army was created during the Qin Dynasty's rule, commissioned by the first Emperor Qin Shi Huang to accompany him in the afterlife. When it comes to the flourishing of trade routes, the Silk Road became prominent during the time of the Han Dynasty, connecting China with Central Asia and beyond. The establishment of Confucianism and the civil service examination system are attributed to the Han Dynasty as well.
The construction of the famed imperial palace, the Forbidden City, occurred during the Ming Dynasty's reign. As for the last imperial dynasty of China, the mantle goes to the Qing Dynasty, which ruled until the establishment of the Republic of China in 1911. Lastly, the period that saw the emergence of the 'Hundred Schools of Thought', including Confucianism and Daoism, was the Warring States Period, preceding the Qin Dynasty.