The Great Wall of China
By: R.Haley
How the Great Wall Went from an Idea to an Accomplishment
Supreme Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi came up with the name The Great Wall. Qin then ordered that it be built and it was built with cheap and free labor from prisoners, soldiers, and ordinary slaves. The Great Wall was built to protect China and prevent the hundreds of attacks for barbarians. The Great Wall was an addition to the old walls that were not able to hold back barbarians. Today the Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure ever built and a great accomplishment for all.
Short Facts about the Great Wall
The Great Wall was built during the Qin Dynasty from 221 B.C. - 206 B.C. The estimated grand total of bricks used to build the wall is 3,873,00,000 bricks. The wall was built out of bricks made from dirt or stone, gravel, sand, and mud, with a wooden frame. The length in miles of the wall are always a great argument around China, but most resources believe that the wall is 4,160 miles long. In China some citizens call the wall, "Wan-Li Qang-Qeng.
Where does the Great Wall of China Run Through?
The Great Wall runs through deserts, grasslands, mountains, and plateaus. To be exact the Great Wall goes through Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, and Beijing
Who was Qin Shi Huangdi?
Qin Shi Huangdi was China's first Supreme Emperor. Qin Shi Huangdi took the throne in 221 B.C. Qin was feared all over China after the Great Wall was finished. Citizens feared him, because of his cruel behavior when the workers worked. He would whip the workers for going to slow and used force to make people think as he wanted them to. Several long walls were built before the great wall and had been ruined. Qin Shi had the idea to build the wall not just out of soil, but from out of stone and other resources. Sadly Qin Shi died 4 years before the Great Wall was completed in 210 B.C.
The Workers' Point of View
Over 800,000 men worked on The Great Wall. Workers consisted of common peasants or slaves, soldiers, and prisoners. Whenever workers died they were dumped in a trench along the wall or built with the wall with no ceremony. The men had to work for many long hours everyday for 10 years. Many men were lost due to colds, dehydration, heat stroke, and disease, leading to death. For workers it might have been an honor, sacrifice, and/or a painful job.
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