The History of the Great Wall of China for Kids - FreeSchool

Summary

The Great Wall of China is a vast and complex structure, built over thousands of years to protect China from invaders. It is not just one wall but a series of walls made from various materials like dirt, stone, and brick. The earliest walls were constructed over 2,000 years ago, with major developments under Emperor Qin Shi Huang and later during the Ming Dynasty. Once spanning over 13,000 miles, today much of the wall has deteriorated, yet it remains a popular tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Takeaways

• 🇨🇳 The Great Wall of China symbolizes China and consists of multiple walls and fortifications built over thousands of years.
• 🏰 The earliest walls were made of packed earth and gravel, built more than two thousand years ago to protect territories.
• 🔨 In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang ordered the destruction of walls dividing his empire and the construction of a new wall to protect from northern invaders.
• 🛠️ Over time, different dynasties repaired, rebuilt, or expanded the wall, with the Ming dynasty constructing the most famous version.
• 🏞️ At its peak, the Great Wall was over 13,000 miles long, making it the longest man-made structure.
• 🏰 The wall featured watchtowers and garrisons, with some sections being 30 feet thick and 25 feet tall.
• 👀 The claim that the Great Wall can be seen from space is partially true; it's not visible from the moon but can be seen from low Earth orbit.
• 🌐 Today, the Great Wall is a World Heritage site, protected for humanity to enjoy.
• 🚧 Only some parts of the wall are maintained due to its vast size and damage over time.
• 🏞️ Nearly one-third of the wall has disappeared, with some stones taken by locals for building purposes.
• 🌏 The Great Wall remains a top tourist attraction in China, drawing millions of visitors annually.

Q & A

What is the Great Wall of China known for?

The Great Wall of China is known as one of the most recognizable symbols of China and for its long and complicated history as a series of walls and fortifications built over thousands of years.

What materials were used to build the different sections of the Great Wall?

The walls were built with various materials including packed dirt, wood, stone, and brick, depending on the period they were constructed.

Who ordered the construction of the first unified wall in China?

The first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, ordered the construction of the first unified wall in 221 BC.

What was the purpose of the Great Wall during the time of Qin Shi Huang?

The purpose of the Great Wall during the time of Qin Shi Huang was to protect the empire from northern attackers by connecting the remaining pieces of wall after destroying the walls that divided his empire.

How did the Great Wall evolve over the centuries?

Over the centuries, different ruling dynasties repaired, rebuilt, or expanded sections of the wall, with the most famous version constructed by the leaders of the Ming dynasty starting in 1368.

What were the dimensions of the Great Wall at its peak?

At its peak, the Great Wall stretched more than 13,000 miles or about 22,000 kilometers in total length, with some sections being 30 feet or 9 meters thick, and 25 feet or 7.5 meters tall.

How many watchtowers were there on the Great Wall at its height?

At its height, the Great Wall was studded with as many as 25,000 watchtowers.

Is it true that the Great Wall can be seen from space?

It is partially true that the Great Wall can be seen from space. It cannot be seen from the moon, but from a much closer orbit, it could be seen by someone who knew exactly where to look and what it would look like.

What is the current status of the Great Wall of China?

Today, the Great Wall of China is a World Heritage site, protected and maintained for all of humanity to enjoy, although only some pieces are taken care of due to its size and damage over time.

How much of the Great Wall has disappeared or been damaged?

Nearly 1/3 of the wall has completely disappeared, fallen down, and even the stones have been taken away by local people to use in building.

Why is the Great Wall a popular tourist destination?

The Great Wall is the most popular place for tourists to visit in China, attracting millions of people each year due to its historical significance and architectural marvel.

Outlines

00:00

🇨🇳 History of the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built over thousands of years to protect China from invasion. It was constructed from various materials like dirt, wood, stone, and brick. The earliest walls were built over two thousand years ago by individual states using packed earth and gravel. The first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, ordered the destruction of dividing walls and the construction of a unifying wall in 221 BC. The most famous version of the wall was built by the Ming dynasty, starting in 1368, with watchtowers, garrisons, and walls of stone and earth. The wall once stretched over 13,000 miles, but only some parts are maintained today. It is a World Heritage site and a popular tourist attraction, despite nearly one-third of it having disappeared.

Keywords

💡Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of walls, trenches, and other defensive structures built along the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires against various nomadic groups' raids and invasions. In the video script, it is described as a symbol of China with a long and complicated history, built over thousands of years using different materials like packed dirt, wood, stone, and brick.

💡Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang was the first Emperor of a unified China and is known for initiating major projects such as the Great Wall. In the context of the video, he ordered the destruction of walls dividing his empire and the construction of a new wall to protect against northern invaders, marking a significant period in the wall's history.

💡Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China, and its leaders are credited with constructing the most famous version of the Great Wall. They built watchtowers, garrisons, and walls of stone and earth, which are now the most recognizable parts of the wall. The video script mentions that the Ming Dynasty's work on the wall ended in 1644.

💡Watchtowers

Watchtowers were an integral part of the Great Wall's defensive system, used for surveillance and signaling. The video script describes them as being added by the Ming Dynasty, with as many as 25,000 watchtowers along the wall, highlighting their importance in the wall's design.

💡Garrisons

Garrisons refer to the military posts or forts where soldiers were stationed. In the video, garrisons are mentioned as part of the Ming Dynasty's construction efforts on the Great Wall, serving as bases for troops to protect the wall and respond to invasions.

💡World Heritage site

A World Heritage site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Great Wall of China is recognized as such a site, indicating its cultural significance and the need for its preservation as mentioned in the video.

💡Invasion

In the context of the video, invasion refers to the historical threat of attack from northern nomadic groups that the Great Wall was built to counter. The wall's purpose was to protect China from such invasions, emphasizing its role as a defensive structure.

💡Packed Earth and Gravel

Packed earth and gravel were among the materials used in the earliest construction of the Great Wall. The video script explains that individual states built walls using these materials, providing an example of the wall's evolution and the materials available at the time.

💡Stone and Brick

Stone and brick were later used in the construction of the Great Wall, particularly during the Ming Dynasty. The script mentions that these materials were used to build the walls, watchtowers, and garrisons, reflecting an advancement in construction techniques and the wall's increasing sophistication.

💡Meters and Feet

The video script provides measurements of the wall's dimensions in both feet and meters, such as 30 feet or 9 meters thick, and 25 feet or 7.5 meters tall. These units of measurement help to convey the scale and grandeur of the Great Wall, making it easier for viewers to visualize its size.

💡Tourists

Tourists are visitors who travel for pleasure. The video mentions that the Great Wall is the most popular tourist attraction in China, attracting millions of visitors annually. This highlights the wall's significance as a cultural and historical landmark that draws global interest.

Highlights

The Great Wall of China is not just one wall, but many different walls and fortifications built over thousands of years.

Walls were built with various materials including packed dirt, wood, stone, and brick.

The earliest walls were built over two thousand years ago to protect individual states from attackers.

In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang ordered the destruction of walls dividing his empire and the construction of a new wall for protection.

The exact length and location of Qin Shi Huang's wall are unknown due to wear and destruction.

Over a thousand years, different dynasties repaired, rebuilt, or expanded sections of the wall.

The Ming dynasty constructed the most famous version of the Great Wall, starting in 1368.

The Ming dynasty initially built watchtowers and garrisons, later adding walls of stone and earth.

Construction on the Great Wall ended in 1644.

At its height, the Great Wall stretched more than 13,000 miles, making it the longest structure ever built by humans.

The wall featured walls that were 30 feet thick and 25 feet tall, with as many as 25,000 watchtowers.

The Great Wall is visible from space, but not from the moon.

Today, the Great Wall of China is a World Heritage site, protected and maintained for humanity.

Only some pieces of the wall are maintained due to its vast size and damage over time.

Nearly one-third of the wall has disappeared, with stones taken by locals for building.

The Great Wall remains the most popular tourist destination in China, attracting millions of visitors annually.

The Great Wall's history and significance are highlighted in the educational video.

Transcripts

You're watching FreeSchool!

One of the most recognizable symbols of China, the Great Wall of China has a long and complicated

history.

It is not just one wall, but many different walls and fortifications that were built over

the course of thousands of years.

The walls built at different times were often built with different materials, everything

from packed dirt or wood to stone and brick.

These walls were meant to protect China from invasion.

The earliest walls were built more than two thousand years ago when individual states

built walls of packed earth and gravel between boards to protect their territories from attackers

with swords and spears.

Hundreds of years later in 221 BC the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, ordered that

walls that divided his empire should be destroyed and a new wall connecting the remaining pieces

should be built, creating fortifications that protected the empire from northern attackers.

No one knows exactly how long that wall was or where it was built, as most of it has worn

down or been destroyed.

Over the next thousand years, different ruling dynasties repaired, rebuilt, or expanded sections

of the wall.

The leaders of the Ming dynasty, which began in 1368, constructed the most famous version

of the Great Wall.

They began by building watchtowers and garrisons, later adding walls of stone and earth.

New construction on the wall ended in 1644.

At its height the Great Wall stretched more than 13,000 miles or about 22,000 kilometers

in total length, making it the longest structure ever built by humans.

In some places the walls were 30 feet or 9 meters thick, and 25 feet or 7.5 meters tall,

and it was studded with as many as 25,000 watchtowers.

You may have heard that the Great Wall is so big that it can be seen from space, but

that is only partially true.

It cannot be seen at all from the moon, but from a much closer orbit it could be seen

by someone who knew exactly where to look and what it would look like.

Today the Great Wall of China is a World Heritage site, protected and maintained for all of

humanity to enjoy.

Only some pieces of the wall are taken care of, however, as it is simply too big and too

damaged by time and old battles to repair and take care of it all.

In fact, nearly 1/3 of the wall has completely disappeared, fallen down and even the stones

taken away by local people to use in building.

Still, the Great Wall is the most popular place for tourists to visit in China, attracting

millions of people each year.

I hope you enjoyed learning about the Great Wall of China today.

Goodbye till next time!