The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is the world’s largest military structure. It was built as a defense to stop invaders from northern areas. Those “invaders” were mostly from China’s neighbor to the north, Mongolia. The Great Wall is actually a series of walls built and rebuilt by different dynasties over 1,000 years. The Great Wall has a total length of over 1500 miles. A second wall, further south from the Great Wall measures about 342 miles long. What purpose do you think that wall served? What is the Great Wall?

During the Zhou Dynasty, southern tribes frequently attacked northern border states within China. The northern states eventually built their own walls for defense purposes. These walls were different than the Great Wall that you see today. Qin (pronounced “Chin”) was the first emperor of China and is considered the first person who actually thought about and considered a “Great Wall.” His “Great Wall” was different than the wall you see today. He was a relentless tyrant who’s dynasty eventually fell to peasant uprising. Who Built The Great Wall? First Emperor Qin Shi Huang

It is estimated that over 3 million people (70% of China’s population at the time) were involved in the construction of the wall. Who Built The Great Wall? A section of the Qin Wall built using the tamped-earth process. According to historical records, the Qin Great Wall was built in 10 years or about 25 miles a month. In modern dollars, the estimated cost to build the Qin Great Wall would be $260 billion.

Who Built The Great Wall? The major contribution of the Han Dynasty to the Great Wall was the watchtowers. This was the place where guards could be on the look-out for invaders. A section of the Han Wall built using water, gravel, and willow reeds.

Who Built The Great Wall? Facts… Different dynasties contributed to the Wall’s design. The dynasties mentioned are not the only ones that contributed to the design. Today, the Wall is split into four sections for the benefit of travelers. The Great Wall is the longest man-made structure in the world. The Chinese invented the wheel-barrow and used it to help build the wall.