Which phrase best summarizes Qin government? A. It was centralized. B. It upheld Confucian ideals. C. It divided China into rival states. D. It relaxed the harsh laws of the Zhou dynasty.

The phrase which says that the Qin Government was centralized best summarizes it.

Answer: Option A

Explanation:

The earliest dynasty which covered the eastern part of present-day China was known as the Qin Dynasty. It lasted for not more than 15 years. Though it functioned for a very short span of time, the supreme ruler of the dynasty Emperor Qin Shi Huang was successful in establishing a network of efficient officials that would allow him to govern the entire dynasty centrally.

The Qin dynasty government was the central autocratic system nearly for the next two thousand years, although the dynasty itself was only fifteen years old. This was strongly influenced by legalistic flows, and many ministers and advisers of the direct emperor had an influential legacy. Under the leadership of Qin Shi Huang (also known as the First Emperor), the Qin government ruled with an iron hand armed with harsh punishments and rules.

Letter A is the correct answer: It was centralized.

Qin government was centralized, autocratic and highly influenced by the Legalist school of thought. Under Qin's rulership, the laws were known to be very strict and punishments for crimes were extremely harsh.