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221 BCE
The Warring States Period
The years between 475 and 221 BC is known as the Warring States Period because the region of the Zhou Dynasty in China was divided between 8 different states. These states had frequent wars until 221 BC when Qin conquered them all.
The fighting were always fierce, some kings were fighting to survive or retain power, and some of them wanted more power and bigger territory. The Qin rulers generally wanted to conquer all the states. -
220 BCE
The Beginning Of A New Dynasty
The state of Qin won the Warring States period, therefore unifying China under the rule of Qin. Qin was led by Yin Zheng who after emerging victorious, called himself Shi Huangti, becoming the first emperor of China. -
218 BCE
The Contruction Of The Wall
Emperor Qin Shi Huang commanded the unification of many existing northern walls left over form the Warring States Period. The Emperor desired that the new wall would extend more than 10,000 Li to protect China from Northern attacks. The wall stretched over 3,000 miles form Shanhaiguan to the Gansu province. -
213 BCE
The Burning Of The Books
Minister Li Si proposed that all books that did not center on Qin historical records, agriculture, medicine, or Prognostication be burned in order to promote Legalist thought. The Emperor listened to Minister Li Si and ordered any book not encouraging Legalism was to be burned. -
212 BCE
The Execution
The Emperor was obsessed with the concept of immortality, an obsession which led him to seek answers in both magic and alchemy. Once he started summoning magicians to court, Confucius Scholars condemned his actions. The tension between the Emperor and the Scholars mounted until the Emperor executed 460 of them, effectively ceasing their oppositional defiance. -
210 BCE
The Death Of An Emperor
Although, Shi Huangdi experienced serveral assassination attempts, he death actually occurred during a tour to Eastern China while searching for immortal life. His death was supposedly caused by swallowing mercury pills which were intended to make him immortal. His grave was protected by over 6,000 terra-cotta warriors meant to watch over him in the after-life. -
206
The End Of The Dynasty
Due to Emperor Er Shi's weak rule, the Chinese people became emboldened and soon began to revolt. Uprisings and rebel alliances eventually overthrew the Qin authority and all of the imperial house was killed, therefore bringing the Qin dynasty to an end.
