• Ascended to the Qin throne as a 13-year-old boy in 246 BCE
• Li Si, who had worked as a lowly clerk in Chu, was his chief minister
• For first few years of reign, the real power behind throne was Lu Buwei
• Assumed power in own right at 22 years old in 237 BCE
• Qin occupied many states, ultimately bringing end to Warring States
  • Qin occupied Han in 230, Zhao in 228, Wei in 226
  • One year later, Qin conquered Chu, the largest rival state
  • Qin occupied Yan in 222, Qi in 221
• Standards were implemented across the entire kingdom after the unification
• Li Si divided Qin into 36 commanderies and divided those into counties
  • Each commandery and county had a civil, military and inspector official
• Terracotta Army was created for his protection in the afterlife
• After he died in 211 BCE, Qin rule rapidly disintegrated