Download How did the Qin dynasty unify China?

Unit 5-China
Qin Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty Quiz
A. Confucianism B. Daoism C. Legalism
•
•
•
•
•
1. Strict rule with harsh punishments
2. “Go with the flow”
3. All power to the legal ruler
4. Be in harmony with nature
5. Practice what you preach/lead by
example
• 6. Respect for family, hard work and
education
How did the Chinese dynasties affect
life throughout East Asia?
• How did the Qin dynasty unify China?
• What were the major achievements of the
Qin dynasty?
Qin Dynasty
• The Warring States period
marked a time in China
when several states
battled each other for
power. One state, the Qin
(chin), built a strong army
that defeated the armies
of the rivaling states.
Eventually, the Qin
Dynasty united the
country under one
government.
Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi
• In 221 BCE, the Qin king
Ying Zheng succeeded in
unifying China. He gave
himself the title Shi
Huangdi, which means
“first emperor.”
• Shi Huangdi followed
Legalist political beliefs.
He created a strong
government with strict
laws and harsh
punishment.
Policies
• Strong government with strict
laws.
• Books which did not follow
Legalism views were burned. 460
protestors were buried alive.
• Newly conquered lands would
have city walls destroyed and
weapons taken away to prevent
revolts.
• Standard laws – rules and
punishments were to be the
same in all parts of the empire
• Standard writing system, money,
and weights (to measure food
and prevent cheating) throughout
China would be the same.
Achievements
• Unified China.
• Built network of roads
and canals – transport:
people, goods, and ideas.
Every part of the empire
was connected. This
allowed the army to move
quickly.
• Built irrigation system to
improve farming. Some
still used today.
• Built the great Wall across
northern China to protect
from nomads from the
North.
Lasting Legacy -
Qin Shi Huangdi wanted an army to watch over him in
death. Altogether over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been
unearthed. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur.
The Fall of the Qin
• Shi Huangdi’s policies unified China. However, his
policies also stirred resentment. Many peasants,
scholars, and nobles hated his harsh ways.
• After Qin’s death in 210 BCE, the government
began to fall apart.
• Rebel forces formed across the country. Each
claimed to have received the Mandate of Heaven
to replace the emperor. The capital city was
captured and burned to the ground. Qin
authority disappeared, the country fell into civil
war.
How did the Chinese dynasties affect
life throughout East Asia?
• How did the Qin dynasty unify China?
• What were the major achievements of the
Qin dynasty?
What Do You think?
• 1. What were Qin Shi Huang Di’s
biggest accomplishments in China?
• 2. What were his biggest failures?
• 3. What steps did Qin Shi Huang Di
take to unify China?
• 4. Was Qin Shi Huang Di a fair ruler?
Why or why not?