Qin and Han Dynasties

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Qin and Han Dynasties
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Qin Shi Huangdi
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Qin Dynasty

• Warring states in China 400-200 BC
• Qin Shi Haungdi conquers neighboring states one
  by one
• Declares himself first Emperor of China
• Rules based on legalism
• Any who oppose him are killed or punished harshly
• Burned books that opposed his rule

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Positive Changes in Government

• Appoints censors to make sure the government
  officials were doing their job
• Divided China into districts and counties to have
  more control
• Appointed leaders to the districts, no more
  passing on positions within families
• Created a common currency throughout China

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Changes in Government

• Ordered the building of roads and canals to
  supply troops
• Laws were made uniform throughout the empire
• Taxes were also made uniform in the empire
• Standardized weights and measures
• Built the first Great Wall for protection

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End of the Qin Dynasty

• People began to rebel because he
• Was a cruel leader
• Angered aristocrats by reducing their power
• Hated by scholars for burning books
• Hated by farmers for forcing them to build roads
  and the Great Wall
• 3 attempts were made on his life and he was
  searching for a magical potion to prolong his
  life

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Han Dynasty
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Han Dynasty

• 202BC Lui Bang comes to power and defeats his
  rivals, founds the Han Dynasty
• During the reign of Lui Bang and Han Wudi China
  makes great progress in government, inventions,
  seeking peace and medicine.

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Government

• Continued to use censors to make sure the
  government officials were honest
• Provinces and counties were also kept as
  government units
• Civil service exams government workers needed
  to talented so they were given tests to qualify
  for jobs

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Peace

• Added armies to protect and expand the empire
• Drove back the Xiongnu and had peace for 150
  years
• Enabled farmers to rent land and be tenant
  farmers, which gave them greater opprotunities

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Inventions

• Water wheels to grind grain
• Iron drills to mine more salt
• Gunpowder to use in mines and later in war
• Steel which was much stronger than iron
• Navigation tools like rudders and sails on ships

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Medicine

• Discovered foods could help prevent diseases
• Herbs could be used to cure sickness
• Acupuncture to relieve pain

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Major Changes in China

• Han Dynasty falls in 190 AD
• Aristocrats greed causes a civil war in 220AD
• China is invaded by the northern nomads
• Buddhism become an attractive religion because it
  promotes peace and ends suffering