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Qin Dynasty Essay

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Within the years of 221-206 BCE, a superpower was born. The Qin Dynasty put in all their blood, sweat, and tears to change China for the best. As a result, Chinese civilization was impacted tremendously in almost every aspect. These landmarks in Chinese history go back to the spreading of Legalism to the birth of the Great Wall. Through these countless contributions, the Qin Dynasty was able to revolutionize the Chinese civilization in such a short period of time. After unifying the Chinese empire, Qin Shi Huangdi (leader of Qin Dynasty) made several reforms that enhanced Chinese society. Unification of the empire was crucial because it marked the rising of Qin Shi Huangdi and his establishment of 40 prefectures, or states (Perkins OL). …show more content…

With the adaptation of Legalism, the Qin Dynasty began to reach its peak. Legalism was founded by Hanfeizi, and was brought to the Qin Dynasty by Li Ssu and Chao Kao. The idea of Legalism was that the state came first and people would be harshly punished for any wrongdoing. Many argue that the harshness of Legalism caused the downfall of the Qin Dynasty. However, it was one of the main reasons why the Qin stood as the strongest in China and possibly in the world (Upshur OL). This happened because harsh punishments encouraged good conduct and discipline. Legalism was similar to Hammurabi’s code because it discouraged criminal activity. When this is brought upon, there will be more room to contribute to society. Also under Legalism, the state would gain complete control over the people and land (Upshur OL). This way, everyone was equal and nobility was taken away. Without this proper discipline, the empire would have just shattered into pieces. This has also helped to carve a disciplined military (Upshur OL). Under strict conditions, the Qin definitely gained the upper hand and was successful in fulfilling their goals. One of the wonders of the world today is the Great Wall of China which was inspired by the Qin Dynasty. Although several other dynasties put time and effort in constructing the Great Wall, Qin Shi Huangdi was given the most credit. He started the construction and planned the layout, which would be shaped like a dragon

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