In this Grade 6 Pengi Social Studies lesson from Chapter 5: Ancient China, students examine how Qin Shi Huangdi unified China by ending the Warring States Period and centralizing power through the standardization of currency, writing, and weights and measures. Students also explore the construction of the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army as enduring symbols of the Qin Dynasty's influence.
Section 1
Unifying China through Legalism
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Qin Shi Huangdi ended the Warring States period by conquering rival kingdoms, becoming China's first emperor. To rule his vast territory, he established a centralized government based on Legalism.
He divided the empire into districts run by officials who reported directly to him. To prevent rebellion, he forced noble families to move to the capital and burned books that opposed his ideas.
Section 2
Standardization Strengthens the Empire
To unify the culture, the Emperor ordered a massive standardization. He created a single system of currency (money), weights, and measures.
He also mandated a common written language. These changes made trade easier and communication possible across different regions, helping to glue the fractured empire together.
Section 3
The Great Wall
###
To protect the empire from northern nomads, Shi Huangdi connected existing walls into the massive Great Wall.
While it served as a defense barrier, it came at a terrible human cost. Hundreds of thousands of peasants and prisoners were forced to build it in harsh conditions, and many died. It stood as a symbol of both the Emperor's power and his cruelty.
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Section 1
Unifying China through Legalism
###
Qin Shi Huangdi ended the Warring States period by conquering rival kingdoms, becoming China's first emperor. To rule his vast territory, he established a centralized government based on Legalism.
He divided the empire into districts run by officials who reported directly to him. To prevent rebellion, he forced noble families to move to the capital and burned books that opposed his ideas.
Section 2
Standardization Strengthens the Empire
To unify the culture, the Emperor ordered a massive standardization. He created a single system of currency (money), weights, and measures.
He also mandated a common written language. These changes made trade easier and communication possible across different regions, helping to glue the fractured empire together.
Section 3
The Great Wall
###
To protect the empire from northern nomads, Shi Huangdi connected existing walls into the massive Great Wall.
While it served as a defense barrier, it came at a terrible human cost. Hundreds of thousands of peasants and prisoners were forced to build it in harsh conditions, and many died. It stood as a symbol of both the Emperor's power and his cruelty.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter