and the Great Wall of China The Qin Dynasty and the Great Wall of China

6.35 Explain how Shi Huangdi united China and constructed the Great Wall During the Period of Warring States, one of the states was Qin. The ruler of the Qin sent a large cavalry to defeat the other states and end the Zhou Dynasty. The Qin came into control of China. The Qin ruler declared himself Shi Huangdi, which means “first emperor.”

How did Qin change China? Took direct control of China’s provinces Appointed governors loyal to him Unified China Appointed censors to make sure government workers did their job

Emperor Qin (Shihuangdi) Ruled with absolute control Used swift, harsh punishments Created a currency Simplified Chinese writing Ordered construction of his own tomb Built a canal connecting the Chang Jiang to city of Guangzhou

Qin Dynasty This dynasty lasted only 15 years One of the most famous dynasties Qin was the first man to control all of China He was a legalist which meant that he believed that people were basically bad and must be controlled He developed a spy system; spies were well rewarded He had great, absolute power

Changes during the Qin Dynasty Started construction of the the Great Wall Took land away from the nobles to weaken their power Burned books if they were not useful (based on his opinion!) Scholars who refused to burn their books were burned alive

More changes Qin He gave peasants one of two jobs: grow food or harvest silk Put people to building bridges, roads, canals Created a law code and enforcement group Created a system of standardization of weights and measures, money, laws, and written language Did not believe he was cruel His systems saved millions of lives from flood and famine and war He felt he was an outstanding ruler He planned for his son to take over, but farmers and aristocrats revolted which led to the Han dynasty

The Great Wall of China Qin wanted to keep his empire safe from invasion. Nomads, called the Xiongnu, lived in the Gobi Desert. The Xiongnu were skilled warriors who fought on horseback and attacked Chinese settlements. Qin wanted to have the existing walls joined and strengthened.

Construction of the Wall Qin forced hundreds of thousands of farmers to leave their fields and work on the wall. The wall used stone, sand, and rubble. The wall was 2,600 miles long and took 10 years to build. So many people died building it that it is called the world’s largest cemetery.

Let’s think…. How would you describe Qin as a ruler? What was Qin’s goal for China? What was the purpose of the Great Wall? Compare Qin and Confucius-what did they believe about people?

The End of Qin Rule 221 BC- Qin boasted that his dynasty would rule China forever! 210 BC- The dynasty ended soon after Qin’s death: People revolted against Qin’s harsh rule. Fighting erupted throughout China. 206 BC- The Qin dynasty was over, and a new dynasty arose.

Video http://www.history.com/videos/the-great-wall- of-china #history-of-the-great-wallYou tube: Discovering China-The Qin Dynasty-China’s First Dynasty