-
259 BCE
Birth
Birth of Zheng, the eldest son of the King of Qin -
256 BCE
Becomes King
At the age of 13, Zheng becomes King after his father's death. (Pancella 2009) -
238 BCE
Zheng Begins to Rule Alone
After a consolidation period, Zheng is fully in control of Qin. (Pancella 2009) -
230 BCE
King Zheng Begins Campaigns Against the Warring States
Zheng begins his final campaigns against several warring kingdoms. (Pancella 2009) -
221 BCE
Zheng Unites China
Zheng unifies the country and changes his name to Qin Shi Huangdi (first Emperor of Qin). (Pancella 2009). -
220 BCE
Great Wall Construction Begins
Qin begins to construct the Great Wall of China as a military defense against "barbarian" kingdoms to the north. (Encyclopedia Britannica) -
213 BCE
Book Burning
Qin begins to burn books and execute scholars who own certain books as part of a reformation. This period is often known as the Burning of the Scholars. (BBC) -
210 BCE
Qin Shi Huang Dies
-
209 BCE
Rebellions Begin
After his death, the Qin Dynasty almost immediately begins to collapse. -
The Terracotta Warriors are Discovered
During construction, thousands of clay warriors are found in burial pits. -
The Great Wall
The Great Wall is designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.
