Lesson 5.4 The Qin Dynasty

Why did Qin Shihuangdi believe he should be the next ruler of China?

• He believed he had the mandate of heaven.

• He believed he was the people’s choice to rule.

• He believed he could open China to outside trade.

• He believed he could turn China into a seafaring empire.

How did Qin Shihuangdi’s land grant policy contribute to economic growth?

• As farm sizes decreased, people pursued other work.

• As farm sizes decreased, taxes fell across the empire.

• As crop production increased, people paid more in taxes.

• As crop production increased, trade expanded beyond the empire.

How did Qin Shihuangdi use land to maintain his power?

• He gave land grants to the people to keep them happy.

• He lowered the taxes of wealthy landowners to gain support.

• He used the land to pay soldiers and to supply his military.

• He awarded land to local leaders to help them run the territories.

What type of government did Qin Shihuangdi establish?

• an aristocracy

• an autocracy

• a democracy

• a theocracy

Before it was united, how was China organized?

• It was controlled by local religious leaders.

• It was made up of separate feudal states.

• It was governed by a loose alliance of independent states.

• It was divided into provinces under a central government.

What was the purpose of harsh punishments under the Qin dynasty?

• to prepare people for military service

• to scare people into obeying the law

• to ensure that people were treated equally

• to force people to change their religion

Why did Emperor Qin Shihuangdi build a strong military?

• to conquer more territory outside China

• to protect the empire from being invaded

• to prevent oppression throughout the empire

• to perform manual labor like building the Great Wall

How did Emperor Qin Shihuangdi use forced labor?

• to conquer the previous ruling dynasty

• to complete major construction projects

• to prevent the people from joining a rebellion

• to fill military posts and increase the army’s size

Why did Emperor Qin Shihuangdi work to increase farming?

• He wanted to increase food surpluses for disasters.

• He hoped to improve Chinese diets by increasing crop variety.

• He wanted to use new lands to produce more food for trade.

• He hoped to gain the support of poor laborers with jobs on farms.

How did Legalism lead to the fall of the Qin dynasty?

• The government’s creation of a strict class system led to class conflict and the weakening of the empire.

• The government’s reliance on a single ruler left other leaders unprepared to govern in the future.

• The government’s focus on problems inside China allowed outsiders to invade and overthrow the Qin.

• The government’s cruel treatment motivated peasants and farmers to join rebels to overthrow the Qin dynasty.