6.6.5 Shi Huangdi and the Qin Dynasty
Shi Huangdi Rules the Qin Dynasty
Shi Huangdi ruled China in 246 B.C. He came from the state of Qin. His goal was to unify and expand China. After on year, he began to stop internal battles between warring states, conquering rival states, and stopped all nomadic invaders. Because of that China expanded even more from the time when the Zhou Dynasty ruled. Shi Huangdi believed in Legalism and thought it would help him rule. He killed all the Confucists, 460 critics, destroyed Confucianism, and burnt all books that he did not like. Shi Huangdi wanted a strong central government so he weakened all the noble families, drove them to the capital, and kept them under his watch which made him more powerful. He wanted to unify China under his control so he linked all the lands together by building highways and irrigation projects. Peasants and criminals worked to complete the project and Shi Huangdi set high taxes for them. Afterwards he made government standards which had measurement, coins, and writing. This made buisness easier. Shi Huangdi then wanted to make a great wall along the northern border so he got all the slaves and made them work on this wall. The wall linked to other smaller walls which were made of earth. It soon developed into stones and bricks so it can block out nomadic invaders. Slaves died from hard labor and that caused great resentment from the people. In 210 B.C. He was buried in a tomb following with thousands of baked clay soldiers that protected his tomb.
Shi Huangdi ruled China in 246 B.C. He came from the state of Qin. His goal was to unify and expand China. After on year, he began to stop internal battles between warring states, conquering rival states, and stopped all nomadic invaders. Because of that China expanded even more from the time when the Zhou Dynasty ruled. Shi Huangdi believed in Legalism and thought it would help him rule. He killed all the Confucists, 460 critics, destroyed Confucianism, and burnt all books that he did not like. Shi Huangdi wanted a strong central government so he weakened all the noble families, drove them to the capital, and kept them under his watch which made him more powerful. He wanted to unify China under his control so he linked all the lands together by building highways and irrigation projects. Peasants and criminals worked to complete the project and Shi Huangdi set high taxes for them. Afterwards he made government standards which had measurement, coins, and writing. This made buisness easier. Shi Huangdi then wanted to make a great wall along the northern border so he got all the slaves and made them work on this wall. The wall linked to other smaller walls which were made of earth. It soon developed into stones and bricks so it can block out nomadic invaders. Slaves died from hard labor and that caused great resentment from the people. In 210 B.C. He was buried in a tomb following with thousands of baked clay soldiers that protected his tomb.