United China
Warring States Period ► After the Zhou Dynasty, China has 7 individual kingdoms ► These kingdoms fight for control
China’s 1 st Emperor
Qin Dynasty ► The victor of the Warring States Period is the Qin Dynasty ► 221 B.C. – China is united for the first time
Qui Shi Huangdi China’s 1 st Emperor Started his reign at 13.
Ruling China ► Wanted a strong central government ► Shi Huangdi showed signs of violence at a young age Had his mother’s boyfriend and his whole family executed ► Qui Shin Huangdi ruled with an iron first ► Had many enemies from the old kingdoms ► Suppressed rebellions and oppressed peasants ► Made slaves of captors ► Harsh laws and heavy taxes ► Went to war every year to show his power and force the poor to be in the army ► Buried scholars alive and burned books ► Executed anyone who argued with his rule ► Forced old nobles to live in the capital, Chang’an (Now Xi’an) so he could watch them
He’s Not All Bad ► Standardized measurements ► Built highway ► Built irrigation systems for farming ► Standardized the value of coins ► Made it easier to do business ► Kept China safe
End of Qin Dynasty ► Shi Huangdi dies in 210BC while touring the country It’s an interesting story, ask me ► The Chinese hated him because of his harshness ► Shi Huangdi’s son is a weaker ruler and rebellions erupt everywhere ► The dynasty ends
The Elixir of Life
Describing Shi Huangdi ► "With his puffed-out chest like a hawk and voice of a jackal, Qin is a man of scant mercy who has the heart of a wolf. When he is in difficulty he readily humbles himself before others, but when he has got his way, then he thinks nothing of eating others alive. ► "If the Qin should ever get his way with the world, then the whole world will end up his prisoner."
The Great Wall of China
Shi Huangdi’s Tomb
The Terracotta Army