Hi,
I'm doing a History Project on the First Emperor of China, Qin Shihuangdi, and wondered if anyone could tell me when he was born and when he died? I have been on lots of websites but the dates are all in the wrong order, making it look like he died before he lived.
Could someone help?
Thanks,
Paige.
-Sigh-
http://www.royalty.nu/Asia/China/ShiHuangdi.html
"The First Emperor was born in 259 BC."
"The First Emperor died in 210 BC of natural causes. "
What is confusing you about the dates is that they are BC. The dates BC get smaller. Dates AD get larger.
Hi Paige! Don't worry, I'd be happy to help you with the birth and death dates of Qin Shihuangdi, the First Emperor of China.
To determine when Qin Shihuangdi was born and when he died, we can utilize both historical sources and reliable websites. One website that provides accurate information about historical figures is royalty.nu. The website states that Qin Shihuangdi was born in 259 BC and died in 210 BC of natural causes.
Now, I can understand that the dates might seem a little confusing at first. The reason for this confusion is that dates are represented differently depending on whether they are BC (Before Christ) or AD (anno Domini, meaning in the year of our Lord).
In BC, dates decrease as we move backward in time. So, for example, 259 BC is earlier than 210 BC. On the other hand, in AD, dates increase as we move forward in time. For example, 100 AD is later than 50 AD.
Therefore, when you encounter dates in BC and they appear in a different order, it is because they are being counted backward in time. Once you grasp this concept, it becomes easier to understand and compare dates in different eras.
I hope this clears up the confusion for you, Paige! If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Good luck with your History Project!