Dynasties Rule!  Chinese people expected their rulers to provide: peace; security; land; infrastructure  The dynastic cycle show the influence of Confucian teachings by – the government was expected to take care of the people in exchange for their loyalty & obedience – If a dynasty failed to show virtuous behavior, the society lost its order & harmony & chaos resulted.  Those able to restore harmony & order then received the right to rule.  The dynastic cycle explains the history of ancient China – there were many dynasties, as one aged and weakened, there was an accepted way for another to take over.

Qin Dynasty  Prince Zheng – took name Shi HuangDi – First Emperor  Abolish – to do away with  Abolished practice of tying peasants to the land & ridding the nation of the noble class  New capital – Zianyang  Soldiers confiscated all weapon  Country divided into several countries – governor ordered Great Wall be connected

Qin Dynasty (cont.)  Wall – 4,000 miles long topped by roads  Qin’s greatest achievement – Great Wall  Abolished local laws wrote his own  Disagreed with Confucian ideas – established Legalism as official philosophy  People were ruled by strict laws & harsh punishments  In 210 B.C. Qin died of Mercury poisoning  Qin Dynasty brought down in 206 B.C.

PRO’S & CON’S Achievements/PositiveAbuses/ Negative Aspects of the Qin Dynasty Unified China Forced labor of the peasants Protection of Great Wall Heavy taxes Prestige of the empire No local control Organized government Harsh rule Uniform money Weights & measures Laws