The Qin Dynasty

Historians often refer to the period from the Qin Dynasty（221-207 BC）to the end of the Qing Dynasty（1644-1911）as imperial China.Though the unified reign of Emperor Qin Shihuang lasted only twelve years，he managed to subdue great parts of what constitutes the core of the Han Chinese homeland and to unite them under a tightly centralized legalist government seated at Xianyang.The doctrine of legalism that guided the Qin emphasized strict adherence to a legal code and the absolute power of the emperor.This philosophy，while very effective for expanding the empire in a military fashion，proved unworkable for governing it in peace time.

The Qin presided over the brutal silencing of political opposition.This would be the impetus behind the later Han Synthesis incorporating the more moderate schools of political governance.

The Qin Dynasty is well known for beginning the Great Wall，which was later augmented and enhanced during the Ming Dynasty.The other major contributions of the Qin included unifying the legal code，written language，and currency of China after the tribulations of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods（770-221BC）.Even something as basic as the length of axles for carts had to be made uniform to ensure an easy trading system throughout the empire.

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