The Qin Dynasty unified China under Shi Huangdi through military conquest and strong central government. The Han Dynasty then ruled over China for over 400 years, establishing a bureaucracy based on merit and Confucian ideals. Chinese civilization flourished during this time through advances in art, science, medicine, and the establishment of the Silk Road, which expanded trade and spread new ideas.

1. Ancient China:
The Qin & Han Dynasties
6-3.1: SUMMARIZE THE
MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS
OF THE CHINESE
CIVILIZATION FROM THE
QIN TO THE MING
DYNASTIES

2. Main Ideas
Government- Shi Huangdi conquered he warring
states, unified China, and built a strong government.
Government-The Han Dynasty took over
China and established a strong empire that
lasted 400 years
 Culture-Life in Han China set a pattern that is
still seen today

3. ”
“How did the Qin
Dynasty unify China?
As we go through the next slides, ask yourself this question based on the
information given.

4. A Legalistic Ruler
 Under the Mandate of
Heaven ongoing wars
were signs for the new
ruler
Emperor Shi Huangdi
from the state of Qin-new
ruler (13 years old)

6. Shi Huangdi of Qin
 He began ending battles between the Warring
States in 221 BC
Conquered rival states, drove out nomad
invaders, expanded China
 Ran country as a Legalists, wiped out Confucian
teachings
 He had 460 critics of Confucianists killed & burned
books (Why do you think he killed so many?)

7. Uniting China
 Shi Huangdi wanted personal control of strong central
government
Weakened noble families by taking land, made them live in the
capital
 United his lands by building highways, irrigation projects
 Forced peasants to work on projects, used high taxes to fund
them (similar to how Egyptian Pharaohs built their pyramids)

8. Uniting China
Set government
standards fro weights,
measures, coins, writing
This made it easier to
trade and do business
everywhere in China

9. The Great Wall
 Shi Huangdi built a long wall on
the northern boarders to stop
invaders
 Forced hundreds of thousands
of peasants, criminals to built it
Many died from hard labor,
creating resentment among
people
 First Great Wall linked smaller
walls from Time of Warring
States

10. Predict how
this Great Wall
will play a part
in the future
dynasties and
government
control of
China.
Video 4:48

11. The Qin Dynasty Ends
 Shi Huangdi died in 210 BC
 Was buried in an elaborate
tomb (similar to a pyramid)
 Army of terra cotta soldiers
buried nearby
 Discovered in 1974
Q: Sound familiar?
Discovering the Qin video-2:50

12. Army of the Terra Cotta
Video:3:23

13. ”
“How did the Han
rule China?
The Han Dynasty

14. The Han Replace the Qin
 Civil War broke out at the end of
the rule of Shi Huangdi’s son
General Liu Bang defeated the
Qin, ended the war, reunited
China
 Liu Bang began the Han
Dynasty- lasted from 202 BC to
about 220 AD

15. Han Government
 Lui Bang kept strong government, lowered taxes, reduced
punishments
Had peasants build roads, canals, irrigation system
 Set up bureaucracy-chosen officials ran offices, bureaus
 Officials were often Han family members & trusted people
 To find officials, they gave people a system of tests on
Confucianism
Tests helped select educated, ethical people

17. Empress Rules
 Liu Bang died in 195 BC; his
widow, Empress Wu, ruled for
her son
Outlived her son, kept
power by placing infants
on the throne
Died in 180 BC; all her
relatives were executed.

18. Expanding the Empire
 Wudi, known as the Martial
Emperor, ruled from 141 to 87
BC
Wars expanded borders to
south China, north Vietnam,
north Korea
 Han stayed in power despite
rebellions, revolts, floods,
famines

19. Han Confucian
Social Class Emperor, his court, & scholars
that held government positions
Largest class: peasants
Artisans who made items for
daily life and luxury
Lowest class: Merchants
The military was not an official
social class because of
(lowest class b/c they did not
Confucian beliefs, but joining
made anything)
did increase a man’s chance
of rising in social status
because the military was
considered a government job https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lit3HMnp-g
Video: Tung Chung-shu: Confucianism in the Han Dynasty

20. Daily Life in Han China
 Much of Han society lived in villages,
worked on farms
 Most lived in one or two story mud
houses
 Rich farmers used oxen to pull plows;
poor pulled plows themselves
 Simple clothing included clothes
stuffed like a quilt for cool months

22. Daily Life in Han China
 They raised wheat, millet in the north, rice in the south
 Fish and meat were expensive so most people ate them in
small portions

23. City Living
 Han cities were centers of trade,
education, government
 Cities were crowed with merchants,
craftspeople. Government officials
 Entertainment included musicians,
judges, jugglers, acrobats
 Some writers say the cities also had
street gangs

24. Quick Recap of the info
 In 221 BC, the Qin ruler Shi Huangdi unified China and
ruled by harsh Legalist principles
 The Han Dynasty ruled over a large and successful land
 The Han Chinese way of life is reflected in Chinese life
today
 Why it matters now…. Strong government remains
important in Chinese life today.

25. Amazing Achievements
Art & Literature:
 figure paintings (portraits of people)
 Paintings of realistic scenes from life (some
on walls & tombs)
 Fu poets combined prose and poetry to
create long works of literature
 Shi featured short lines of verse that could
be sung

26.  Science: ancient
Seismograph (device that
measures the strength of an
earthquake).
 When an earthquake struck,
a lever inside caused a ball to
drop from a dragon’s mouth
into a toad’s mouth,
indicating the direction from
which the earthquake had
came.

27. Science: Sundial-uses
the position
of shadow cast
by the sun to tell
the time of day.

28.  Medicine: Acupuncture-the
practice of inserting fine
needles through the skin at
specific points to cure
disease or relieve pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re58c7swYAU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMWZmQth2GM

29. The Silk Road
4,000 mile-long network of routes stretched westward from
China across Asia’s deserts and mountain ranges, through
the Middle East, until it reached the Mediterranean Sea
 Expanded China’s trade and wealth
 Named after the most famous item traded on these route-
Silk
 Exchanged ideas: religion, law, advancements

30. The Silk Road-video

31. Buddhism Comes to China
 1st Century AD- came to China via culture
diffusion via trade of Silk Road with India
 During time of government chaos and
hunger throughout China, the people
could not find answers in Confucianism or
Taoism- they turned to Buddhism for those
answers
 Buddhism offered rebirth and relief from
suffering- promises that led to the Chinese
embrace its teachings
Largest statue of Buddha in
the world