Fall

Qin Shi Huang ruled with harsh punishments and strict control. People were forced to work endlessly on the Great Wall and the emperor’s grand palaces. He banned books and punished scholars who disagreed with him. After he died in 210 BCE, his son became emperor, but the people were angry and tired of fear. Farmers, soldiers, and nobles joined together to rebel, and by 206 BCE, the Qin Dynasty had fallen. The Han Dynasty would rise next.

Even though it lasted only 15 years, it left behind a united China, one writing system, and many great inventions that lasted for thousands of years.