The Great Wall of China

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The Great Wall of China is an assemblage of smaller walls built by various dynasties over many years. Builders erected these walls for protection from invasions by those from the north. The Great Wall itself, with a history lasting over 2000 years, measures approximately 5,500 miles in length, although some of the sections lie in ruin or have disappeared altogether. It is about 25 feet high and is 15-30 feet wide. It is the longest man-made structure in the world.

In the 7th century B.C. the first of the smaller walls were constructed. Few of these remain today, but they were the starting point of what became the Great Wall of China. The first emperor to have the various lengths of walls joined together was Qin Shi Huang, whose dynasty ran from 221-206 B.C. He is well-known for his Terracotta Army. From 206 B.C-1368 A.D. the Great Wall was extended and rebuilt in order to keep invaders from crossing the northern borders. During the Ming Dynasty, which ran from 1368-1644 the wall reached its greatest length. In the final Chinese dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, which ran from 1644-1911, Ma...

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