陳勝集團反秦的發展，大致上可分為三個階段：第一階段是初興期，從二世元年（西元前209）七月在大澤鄉起事，到八月，陳勝稱王。第二階段是興盛期，從八月陳勝稱王，至二世二年（西元前208）十月，周文的西征軍向東敗退。第三階段是敗亡期，從二世二年（西元前208）十一月，周文的西征軍被秦軍殲滅，到十二月，陳勝被殺。 陳勝集團失敗的原因，有陳勝本身的弱點，戰略失策，陳勝部下的錯誤及陳勝集團內部的分裂，尤其是六國舊貴族的割據自立，削弱了反秦的力量，使反秦革命失敗。

　　　　　The Chen Sheng gang rebellion against the Ch'in regime can be generally divided into three stages. The first stage is its initial stage in which the gang rose up at the Tatse Village against the Ch'in regime in the seventh month of the first year of the Er-shih reign (209 B.C.) and Chen Sheng claimed to be the leader of the gang in the eighth month of the same year. The second stage is its active stage beginning with the claim of Chen Sheng as the leader in the eighth month of the first year of the Er-shih reign and ending with the setback and retreat of the Chou Wen-commanded westward-army in the eleventh month of the second year of the Er-shih reign (208 B.C.). The third stage is its declining stage beginning with the defeat of the Chou Wen-led westward-army by the Ch'in army in the eleventh month of the second year of the Er-shih reign (208 B.C.) and ending with the killing of Chen Sheng in the twelfth month of the same year. The factors behind the failure of the Cheng Sheng gang rebellion consist of the personal shortcomings of Cheng Sheng, improper military strategies, mistakes committed by Chen Sheng's subordinates, internal splits, and especially the existence of regional powers formed by the aristocracy from the preceding six states. These factors had weakened the anti-Ch'in force and caused the failure of the Chen Sheng revolution against the Ch'in regime.