The Qin Dynasty
pp. 184-185
Objectives
•
6.35 List the policies and achievements of the emperor Shi Huang and
explain how these contributed to the unification of northern China under the
Qin Dynasty and the construction of the Great Wall of China. (H, P)
•
6.36 Detail the political contributions of the Han Dynasty and determine how
they contributed to the development of the imperial bureaucratic state and
the expansion of the empire. (H, P)
•
6.37 Cite the significance of the trans-Eurasian “silk roads” in the period of
the Han Dynasty and Roman Empire and their locations. (E, G, H)
•
6.38 Describe the diffusion of Buddhism northward to China during the Han
Dynasty
Shi Huangdi
The Qin Emperor
• Qin (chihn) was one of the strong
rulers during the Period of the
Warring States
• Qin sent a cavalry – army of men on
horseback – out to battle
• Defeated the surrounding territories
and ended the Zhou dynasty
• Controlled China from the Huang He
to the Chang Jiang
• Declared himself Qin Shi huangdi
– (Chihn Shee hwahng dee)
– means “the First Qin Emperor”
How Did Qin Change China?
Qin brought changes to Chinese government that
would last for many centuries:
1)Qin wanted to strengthen and unify China
2) He took control of the territories (before, under
the Zhou rule, aristocrats positions of governing
the territories was hereditary)
Now only Qin had the power to appoint the
governors
– Ruled with absolute control and punishment
– Anyone who disagreed was punished and killed
– Writings that displeased Qin were burned
Appointed Censors
• AKA governors
• This increased government
power
• These overseers made sure
government workers did
their work
Qin created currency or money
that everyone had to use =
standardized.
• Created a uniform system
• This made trading easier throughout China
Writing system was simplified
• Scholars were hired to make the writing
system easier
• and set rules for writing system – how and
when it was to be used
Qin Shi Huangdi’s Reign of Terror
• Many people admired Confucius and his
teachings.
• If you were caught studying his ideas, you would
risk being buried alive – along with your family!
• This means he believed in which philosophy of
life?
• Legalism – all should follow strict rules that have
severe penalties if broken
• Why? Just because you didn’t share the
emperor’s political view.
– How is that different from a democracy? (the
government of the U.S.?
6) Building projects
• Ordered farmers to build
– Palaces
– Roads
– Dams
– The Great Wall
– A huge, grand canal that connected the
Chang Jiang River in central China to many
territories in southern China
• This canal was used to transport supplies to
soldiers throughout the territories
– Qin’s tomb
Shi Huangdi Qin’s Tomb
• In March of 1974, Chinese peasants digging a
well near Xi'an in the central province of Shaanxi
found some unusual pottery fragments. Then,
deeper down at eleven feet, they unearthed a
head made of terra cotta (baked earth or clay).
They notified the authorities and excavation of
the site began immediately. To date, workers
have dug up about eight thousand sculpted clay
soldiers, and the site has proved to be one of the
greatest archaeological discoveries of all time.
Why was the Great Wall Built?
• To keep out
invaders
– Nomads and
herders moved
their animals
along the Gobi
desert
– Xiongnu –
skilled warriors
who fought on
horseback and
often attacked
Chinese
settlements
The Great Wall of China Facts
• The Great Wall of China was built
over about 2000 years by several
different Chinese emperors,
starting in BC 475, to protect the
people from their enemies, the
Huns.
• The Wall is a unique structure that
is considered one of the seven
wonders of the world. It snakes
through the mountains of China for
4,500 miles. That's longer than the
distance across from New York to
California by about 1,000 miles!
www.Brainpop.com
• The Great Wall is 25 feet tall and
15-30 feet wide. That's wide
enough for two cars to drive on!
Grand Canal
• Shi Huangdi Qin built a canal that
connected Chang Jiang to the Guangzhou
in Southern China
Terra Cotta Soldiers
The End of Qin Rule
• Shi Huangdi boasted that his dynasty
would rule China forever
• Both aristocrats and farmers revolted
against harsh Qin rule