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Great Wall of China

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Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China served its purpose as a great defensive wall. It was constructed over many dynasties; however, the main structure was built between 221 and 201 B.C. The wall was built to stop tribes from invading from the north. It was cleverly built with simple materials. During the Qin dynasty it especially achieved its purpose by defending the Chinese people from the Mongols.

The Great Wall of China was built to protect the Chinese people from invasion. The Xiongnu tribes from the north invaded the Chinese and stole their crops and farm animals. The enemies had horses and found it easy to invade China. A reliable source states that “ The Qin dynasty was a turning point in the history of the Great Wall of China”. Emperor Shi Huangdi united the warring states and created a single imperial dynasty. He ordered for the walls to be united so they would be protested from the north. It certainly served as a defensive wall.

The Great Wall of China was a success because it was cleverly designed and built. It is the longest wall in the world, extending over 5000 kilometers. On average, the wall is seven meters high and five meters wide. They used a great deal of different materials, depending on the region e.g. granite, stone, wood and piles of rubble. Methods used in the construction of the wall included: labours carrying materials on their shoulder or backs and in winter water was splashed on the icy road and the stones were pushed or pulled along. Simple machinery was used, for example rolling logs, crowbars and winding gear. Hundreds of thousands of peasants, prisoners and political foes were forced to work on the Great Wall of China. It is said for every stone block used, every person died and it is also called the longest graveyard in the world. Chinese people were very creative when they built the Great Wall.

There are many reasons why the Great Wall of China was a great defensive wall. Firstly, the wall served as a key role in military communications. One of the clever ideas was to send a smoke signal, so this gave the Chinese advantage during wars as they knew when the enemy was approaching. Forts, passes garrisons and beacon towers were built along the wall to house soldiers and store weapons. This provided great protection from the enemy because they were ready to fight. Secondly, Shi Huangdi built one continuous wall. This meant no one could get through from the north. The wall severed its role as a defensive force to protect the Chinese people from wars. It meant they could have peaceful and stable society.

I strongly believe that the Great Wall of China served its purpose as a great defensive wall. A reliable source states that “It is considered as one of the marvels of the ancient world “. It was cleverly built and stopped the Xiongnu tribes and other enemies from invading their territory. This is why the Great Wall of China is so great.

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