The fall of the Zhou dynasty in 700 BC. led to the rise of the Qin dynasty 500 years later. The royal Zhou family became weak, and nobles took uncontrollable power causing continuous series of rebels. The Zhou dynasty finally reached its end. (4) After the fall of the capital, Zongzhou, small cities-states arose and started battling other states in order to settle in the former land of Zhou, and Qin state was one of them. During the Chunqiu period (722-481 BC.) the Qin state was able to unify other neighboring areas and by the end of 400 BC., Qin was able to control the entire former Western Zhou. In the next century, Qin state began political reforms which allowed Qin to remain strong and taking over other states. Finally Qin state became Qin dynasty after the unification of China in 221 BC. (1)
Many Dukes had been fighting and reforming before the state of Qin could become a real powerful empire. King Zheng was in controlled when Qin became China, so he named himself Qin Shihuangdi or the first emperor. (1)He wished to build an empire that will last thousands of years but he knew not that his dynasty only last four years after his death. (2)During 200 BC., many things happened around the world along with the creation of China. Aritstarchus of Samos made a discovery on the size of Earth, Sun and the moon. He also calculated the distance between Earth and the Sun. Another Greek mathematician, Archemides, showed the value of pi and calculated area of a circle, and yet another Greek also discovered the law of specific gravity. During the time, the Asoka’s Empire took over India and ruled according to Buddhist laws. The Punic Wars were a big event when Hannibal led his army into battle to fulfill his great ambition. In addition, those years were bloody when Ptolemy IV of Egypt won Antiochus III of Syria in the series of Syrian Wars. The third century BC. were years of bloodsheds and discoveries. (3)
Even though the reign of Qin dynasty was short, it had made a lot of reforms and creations that still exist today. Feudalism was completely abolished and so the land were taken away from nobles and distributed to peasants. The empire had new sets of law based upon the idea that people has equal rights. The empire was divided into 36 provinces, each with its own governor that worked under the government. Men are recruited into the military. (1) Chinese written language, currency and measurements were standardized. (2) The emperor ruled his nation by totalitarian which means strict laws and deadly punishments. He ordered mass murder on people that opposed his rule. He also wanted all books burned fearing that intellectuals will took over him. He seized weapons from his people and used the metal for the construction of his grand palace. He wanted all rich families to stay in the capital so that they could be kept under state control. He commanded 500,000 soldiers and laborers to build the Great Wall to stop invasion from the north. (1) Another big group of builders were sent to Xian capital to construct the massive underground palace where thousand of terra-cotta warriors stand. The empire only lasted 14 years, but so many things were accomplished. (3)
After the death of Shihuangdi, his heirs were not strong enough to rule the empire. The court was unable to control the rebels which were growing. The nation went out of control and became chaos. The young prince was put to the throne and immediately surrendered to the people. Civil wars raged through China and Qin dynasty came to an end in 206 BC. (1)
Work Cited
1.) "Qin Dynasty," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2007
2.) http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/greatwall/Emperor.html Col, Jeananda. Enchanted Learning. http://www.EnchantedLearning.com 1996
3.)http://www.data.historycentral.com/dates/300bc.html HistoryCentral © 2000 MultiEducator, Inc.
4.)http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/early_imperial_china/qin.html Copyright © 2007MSU EMuseum TN 337 Minnesota State University
