THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

The Great Wall of China: An Ancient Marvel

Welcome to the Great Wall!

​Let's explore how this ancient structure has stood the test of time.

Open Ended

Think about why people build walls. What are they for?

​What is the Great Wall?

• A series of fortifications made of stone, brick, and other materials.

• Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty initiated the construction of the wall.

• It covered much of the northern border of China. The length of the Great Wall, when completed by the Ming Dynasty was about 5,500 miles long.

​Why did they build the wall?

• The wall was built to help keep out northern invaders like the Mongols.

• Smaller walls had been built over the years, but the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, decided that he wanted a single giant wall to protect his northern borders.

• He ordered that a single strong wall be built with thousands of lookout towers where soldiers could guard and protect his empire.

Multiple Choice

Where was the Great Wall located?

• Along the southern border

• Along the ocean to the east

• Along the western border

• Along the northern border

Multiple Choice

• Who was the emperor that initiated the Great Wall's construction?

• • a) Emperor Han Wudi

• • b) Emperor Qin Shi Huang

• c) Emperor Kangxi

Multiple Choice

• What was the primary purpose of the Great Wall?

• To attract tourists

• To divide the country

• To protect against invasions

• Generally, the wall was built with whatever resources were available nearby.

• Much of the later Ming wall was built with bricks.

​What did they build it with?

• Watch towers and beacon towers were built to send smoke signals when there was danger. As people saw smoke rising from the wall, they knew the enemy was approaching from the north.

The wall was really a fortification to protect the northern border. It also had watchtowers, beacon towers to send signals, and blockhouses to house soldiers

who guarded the walls and towers.

Was it just a wall?

• There were also towns built along the wall to garrison soldiers, so they could quickly get to the wall in case of a large attack. Wide moats were built outside the wall to make approach even more difficult.

• A great deal of the Great Wall still stands. You can visit it, stand on it and walk on it for miles.

• You can even see it from space! It is the largest man-made structure in the world which attracts thousands of visitors every day.

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The Wall Today

Drag and Drop

5) What were some other constructions along the Great Wall that aided in the

defenc​e against attacks?​

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Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Lookout towers

Moats of water

Beacon towers to send signals

Tunnels for secret passage

Guard dogs for protection

Stone bridges for easy access

Underground bunkers for hiding

Watchtowers for surveillance

Open Ended

a. Would you like to visit the Great Wall of China?

b. Why?

Open Ended

Today I have learned that......................