Great Wall

Great wall
The Great Wall is a series of fortifications made of stone,brick,tamped earth,wood, and other materials that built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern border of China to protect the Chinese states and empires. Some walls of Great Wall were built as early as the 7th century BCE and some were built later. Moreover, another reason to build Great Wall is to control the borders,allowing the imposition of suites on goods transported along the Silk Road.


Why people built Great Wall?
The main purpose of building the Great Wall was to protect people and territory from invasion. The walls,together with beacon towers,passes,fortification,etc. Created an elaborate defensive system providing Chinese society with a safe and peaceful environment. During the spring and autumn Period,it separates sections to prevent invasion by other states. In the Qin dynasty,the Wall was mainly used to protect the country from nomadic tribes. In the region of Emperor Wu of Western Han,the Wall played a significant role in protecting the main force as well as being a military base in the wars.Every time the country conquered new territory,the Wall would be extended,so that the local military force would be strengthened. With the help of the Great Wall, the Han Dynasty conquered more and more regions in northwestern China. In the Ming Dynasty,General Qi Jiguang reinforced the sections from Shanhaiguan pass to Juyongguan Pass by building many watch towers and then trained army based on local landform to defeat invasions.

Who built the Great Wall?
There are many answers of who built the Great Wall,some people say Emperor Qinshihuang, some say ordinary working people of ancient  China and some say it was slaves who built the wall
. Luckily,experts have given us the most credible answers. Three groups of people built the wall:soldiers,common people and criminals, not the emperors of each dynasty including Qinshihuang himself. During the Qin Dynasty(221-207BC),20% of the country's population was forced to build it. Also,many people died during the Great Wall's constitution because of the heavy works and difficult conditions.

When did people build Great Wall?
Construction started in the spring and autumn period(770-476 BC),and lasted until the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644)

How does Great Wall influence China?
In the mid-17th century, the Manchus from central and southern Manchuria broke through the Great Wall and encroached on Beijing, eventually forcing the fall of the Ming dynasty and beginning of the Qing (Manchu) dynasty (1644-1912). Between the 18th and 20th centuries, the Great Wall emerged as the most common emblem of China for the Western world, and a symbol both physical–a manifestation of Chinese strength–and psychological–a representation of the barrier maintained by the Chinese state to repel foreign influences and exert control over its citizens.
Today, the Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history. In 1987, UNESCO designated the Great Wall a World Heritage site, and a popular claim that emerged in the 20th century holds that it is the only manmade structure that is visible from the moon. Over the years, roadways have been cut through the wall in various points, and many sections have deteriorated after centuries of neglect. The best-known section of the Great Wall of China–Badaling, located 43 miles (70 km) northwest of Beijing–was rebuilt in the late 1950s, and attracts thousands of national and foreign tourists every day.