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THE QIN DYNASTY
221-206 B.C
I can explain how Shi Huangdi united China while ruling the Qin
Dynasty.
At the end of the Zhou period, several states were
still at war. As you recall, the Chinese believed in
the Mandate of Heaven. According to that belief,
wars and other troubles were a sign that the
ruling dynasty had lost heaven’s favor. A new
ruler was needed.
The Qin Unified China
The new ruler of China came from the Qin. The new
emperor took the name Shi Huangdi. He would unify and expand
China.
In 221 B.C., Qin ruler Shi Huangdi
began ending internal battles between warring
states. He then conquered rival states and
drove out nomadic invaders. China grew larger
than it had been under the Zhou.
Shi Huangdi believed in the Legalist
way of running the country. He tried to wipe
out Confucian teachings. He had 460 critics
and Confucianists killed. He also ordered the
burning of books that contained ideas he
disliked.
UNITING CHINA
Shi Huangdi wanted a strong central government. To gain personal control
of the government, he set out to weaken the noble families. He took land away from
defeated nobles. Shi Haungdi also forced the nobles to live at the capital so he could
watch them.
Shi Huangdi set out to unite the lands under his control. To link the lands
together, he built highways and irrigation projects. He forced peasants to work on
these projects and set high taxes to pay for them. He also set government standards
for weights, measures, coins, and writing. These made it easier to trade and do
business everywhere in China.
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THE GREAT WALL
Shi Huangdi planned to build a long wall along China’s northern borders to
keep out invaders. He forced hundreds of thousands of peasants and criminals to
build it. Many workers died from hard labor. The deaths caused great resentment
among the people.
The first Great Wall linked smaller walls that had been built during the Time of
the Warring States. The earliest walls were built of earth. Later stone and brick were
used. The Great Wall has been built and extended many times.
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THE QIN DYNASTY ENDS
Shi Huangdi died in 210 B.C. He was buried in an elaborate tomb. Near
his tomb, an army of terra cotta (baked clay) soldiers was buried. Archaeologists
discovered the soldiers in 1974.
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FACTS ABOUT SHI HUANGDI’S
TOMB
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It’s 2,180,000 square meters in size is larger that Egypt’s great pyramid.
• Over 700,000 people worked on the tomb.
• 8,000 warriors
• 130 chariots
• 520 horses
• 150 cavalry horses
Other non- military figures such as musicians, acrobats and government officials are also found there.
• Each figure is made life sized and each is completely different from the next.
OTHER FACTS ABOUT THE QIN
DYNASTY
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• Shi Huangdi called himself the first emperor of China
People living in China at the time would be put to death without trial for
simply suggesting that the government might be improved.
The Emperor divided China into 36 provinces, and each province was
divided into districts.
To make sure everyone did their job, the Emperor set up a spy system
around China.
“A thousand may die so that a million may live.” This was a quote from
Shi Huangdi, who did not see himself as a cruel ruler.
During his reign, there were no rebellions in China. After his death in
210 B.C., his son took over but did not rule for long. People began
revolting against the Qin all over the country.
The peasant who led the revolt became the new emperor. His dynasty
was called the Han Dynasty. Life vastly improved during this time.