Ancient China

QIN Dynasty

Why is Qin Shi Huang Di

considered an important figure

in ancient Chinese history?

• Huge army and conquered rivals• Divided country into commendaries to help rule

(a bureaucracy).• Took away weapons from feudal lords• Forced Lords to move to his capital to keep an

eye on them.• Built roads and canals to help unify China

What steps did Qin Shi Huang Di take to unify China?

What aspects of Chinese culture did QSHD standardize?

• Complex writing system and forced people to use it.

• Standardized measuring system• Standardized the coin with a hole in

the middle of it.• Standardized laws with harsh

punishments• Advanced Roads and Pillars with

messages.

Book Burnings

Why was there conflict between Qin Shi Haung Di and Confucian scholars?

Confucian ideas challenged Qin’s ruleScholars criticisms could lead to the empire’s downfall.Qin was a LegalistScholars who disobeyed received a facial tattoo and sent to forced labor.

Why did QSHD force his subjects to build an enormous

wall in northern China?• To prevent invasion.• Forced thousands of workers to build the wall• It did not keep invaders out.

What is unique about the death and burial of QSHD?

• After he died, lots of people helped build his tomb.

• Died trying to find a potion for immortality• 700,000 workers worked on his tomb• Buried with thousands of Terra Cotta

warriors…his army for the afterlife.