Comparing and Contrasting two Great Walls
For this assignment, you are to read the two following articles. One is about the Great Wall of China and the
other is about another Great wall built by the Romans called Hadrian’s Wall. After you read both articles, fill
out the attached chart that lists the traits of both walls. Once the chart is finish, you should fill out the graphic
organizer to see the similarities and differenced between the two walls. Finally, you are to write two SPA
style paragraphs. One paragraph should detail the similarities between the two walls and the other should
detail the differences. Make sure you follow SPA format and use evidence from the text.
The Great Wall of China
1
The Great Wall of China is like a long winding dragon. It stretches more than 4,000 miles from east to west. For
thousands of years, this fortification helped block the advances of northern nomadic tribes. The sheer size of the entire
construction is so vast that it is one of the largest building projects ever carried out in human history! Recognizing its
architectural achievement and historical significance, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization) added the Great Wall of China to its World Heritage List in 1987.
2
Contrary to what many people may think, the Great Wall of China was not a one-time effort. It was, in fact, an ongoing one with its origin dating back to the 7th century B.C.
3
China was not a unified country back then. There were many warlords, each with a claim to a part of China. Among
those warlords, one from the state of Chu began to use packed earth to build a wall around his territory. He called it the
"Square Wall." When warlords from other states saw how effective the Square Wall was for defense, they began to follow
suit. For the next several hundred years, there were many Square Walls in China.
4
In 221 B.C., Ying Zheng, the warlord from the state of Qin, eradicated all other warlords and unified China. He
established a dynasty called Qin and proclaimed himself "Shih Huangdi," meaning "The First Emperor" in Chinese. About
the same time, a northern nomadic tribe called Xiongnu grew aggressive and became an imminent threat to Qin. In 215
B.C., Shih Huangdi sent his trusted commander Meng Tian and 30,000 troops to drive out the Xiongnu and to fortify
China's frontier. Shih Huangdi wanted to link up the existing Square Walls so the Xiongnu could no longer cross the
border and harass the Chinese. After nearly a decade of construction, Meng Tian finally completed this daunting task.
Shih Huangdi was very pleased with Meng Tian's work. He named the new structure "Wan Li Qang Qeng" which later
became known as the Great Wall of China.
5
In Chinese, the term "Wan Li Qang Qeng" literally means "10,000 Li Long Wall." Shih Huangdi picked that name
because the Great Wall of China was about 10,000 li long at the time. (Li is a Chinese measurement unit for length;
two li equal approximately 0.6 mile or 1 kilometer.)
6
After Shih Huangdi, many emperors from various dynasties helped repair the Great Wall of China. They also built out
several branches, making the Great Wall of China even longer. Among all those different endeavors, the emperors from
the Ming dynasty (1368 A.D. - 1644 A.D.) spent the most effort. Terrified by the Mongols in the north, Ming emperors
renovated the Great Wall of China over a course of more than 200 years. The new Great Wall of China, completed with
the usual passes and watchtowers, was built with solid stones instead of packed earth.
7
Ironically, though the Great Wall of China did help the Ming dynasty to fend off the Mongols, it eventually brought
the empire to its demise.
8
In 1644 A.D., a man named Li Zicheng revolted. After his troops captured Beijing, the capital, Ming's emperor
committed suicide. At the time, a Ming commander named Wu Sangui was guarding the Shanhai Pass, the most important
pass along the Great Wall of China. Wu Sangui figured that his military force was no match to Li Zicheng's, so he sought
help from the Manchus, a nomadic tribe living northeast of China. The Manchus had been eyeing China for a long time.
When Wu Sangui approached them, they seized the opportunity right away. The two sides made a pact -- the Manchus
would help Wu Sangui defeat the rebels and restore the Ming dynasty in exchange for money and land. Wu Sangui held
up his side of the bargain; he opened the gates of the Shanhai Pass and let the Manchus cross. Unknown to him, however,
was the Manchus' secret agenda. As soon as the alliance defeated Li Zicheng and his militia, the Manchus took control of
China and established a dynasty called Qing. Any hope of restoring Ming dynasty was all but gone!
Hadrian's Wall
1
The Great Wall of China is one of the world's most famous ancient military structures. It stretches more than four
thousand miles from east to west. For thousands of years, this fortification served China exceedingly well. It helped
block the advances of northern nomadic tribes. Without it, China would have had a hard time fending off intruders.
2
Certainly, the Chinese were not the only people to have ever thought of building a wall along the borders. It is just
that theirs was both the oldest and the biggest undertaking that we know of today. To visit other similar structures
elsewhere, we can take a trip to Great Britain where there is Hadrian's Wall, built by the Romans.
3
The Romans made their first invasion of Great Britain (known only as Britain back then) in 55 B.C. But the troops, led
by Julius Caesar, did not linger there for long. Almost a century later, the Roman Emperor Claudius picked up where
Julius Caesar had left off and conquered pretty much the whole island in 43 A.D. By the time Hadrian came to power in
117 A.D., the Romans had already built several forts across northern England. They were linked by a road called
Stanegate, which stretches from west to east between Carlisle and Corbridge.
4
In 122 A.D., Emperor Hadrian visited Britain. As he inspected the army, he saw the need of keeping soldiers busy
because a complacent life at the frontline would only weaken the military. Plus, he was more inclined to retain what the
empire already had, not to acquire more land. Hence, he conceived the idea of constructing a wall just a little bit north
of Stanegate. The project, once completed, would mark the northwest border of the Roman Empire.
5
To build this artificial frontier, Emperor Hadrian made good use of the three legions that were stationed in various
parts of Britain at the time. He had them come up north to take part in this great endeavor. As the soldiers constructed
the wall bit by bit, they stayed fit and remained orderly. They carried on this task for about six years. When it was finally
finished, the structure stretched from coast to coast for a total distance of eighty Roman miles (or seventy-three miles in
today's measurement.) It begins at Bowness-on-Solway, running eastward, and terminates at Wallsend. Along the way,
it cuts across three main rivers, the Eden, the Irthing, and the North Tyne. Wherever the wall intersects with the water,
the Roman soldiers put up bridges for better communications.
6
During the time of the construction of Hadrian's Wall, several major changes were made to the blueprint.
7
Originally, the wall toward the west of the River Irthing was to be made of turf, whereas the wall toward the east
was to be made of stone. In between the starting and ending sites, at an interval of every Roman mile, there would be
one gatehouse -- called "milecastle" -- in place to control the traffic in and out of the frontier. In addition, for security
reasons, the plan also called for two turrets or watchtowers to be built between each pair of milecastles. To the north of
the wall, the Romans dug a broad and deep ditch, except at places where the natural landscape (such as a crag) made it
unnecessary.
8
As the project progressed, Emperor Hadrian decided that some regiments should be stationed right by the wall
permanently. To accommodate these soldiers, as well as their families, he had twelve forts built astride the wall. Each
fort was like a mini-city, complete with a bathhouse, a hospital, a marketplace, and living quarters. Furthermore, to
improve defense, Emperor Hadrian saw the need of making a "vallum" to the south of the wall. A vallum is a
backbreaking excavation project that consists of a ditch and two mounds of earth lying on each side. Under his
command, the Roman soldiers built the vallum running along pretty much the whole length of the wall. The only way to
cross the vallum was through the new forts, not the milecastles.
9
After Hadrian's death in 138 A.D., there were several more changes made to the wall. But for a short period of time
from 142 A.D. to 164 A.D., the wall itself fell out of use. That was because Hadrian's successor, Antoninus Pius, pushed
the frontier farther north and put up a new wall ("The Antonine Wall") across central Scotland. Unfortunately, the
Romans were unable to hold that part of the territory for long. Eventually, they retreated to stay behind Hadrian's Wall.
They used it to fend off the Picts (a confederation of tribes living in Scotland) until they withdrew from Britain
completely in 410 A.D. During the time that the wall was once again functioning, the Romans put up additional forts.
They rebuilt the turf part of the wall in stone. And they constructed a new road called the Military Way to link the forts.
10
Today, almost two millenniums after Hadrian first conceived the idea of making this magnificent frontier, part of the
wall still stands. It is, by far, the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain. The whole length of the wall,
plus the additional fortifications down the Cumbrian coast from Bowness-on-Solway to Maryport, has long been one of
the most popular tourist destinations in northern England. The section between Housesteads and Steel Rigg is especially
mesmerizing. On this particular route, with a little detour here and there, the attractions include the Housesteads
Roman Fort (the best preserved Roman military structure in Britain), milecastle #37, Vindolanda (an active excavation
site and a well-stocked museum), and lots of breathtaking views. To see the wall up close, visitors can follow the trail on
foot or by bicycles. Alternatively, they can also catch bus "AD122" that makes several stops between Newcastle and
Carlisle. From the drop-off points, they can make their way to the wall and experience its beauty firsthand.
Traits Chart
The Great Wall of China
Traits
When was it built
Country that built it
Length
Was the country conquering or
protecting its power by when built
What is the wall known for
Where does its name come from
How long was it in active use
Its purpose
Hadrian’s Wall
Graphic Organizer: Use the traits chart and the reading to fill out this graphic organize. List the similar and different
traits/facts about both walls (this is like a Venn diagram).
Great Wall of China
Both
Hadrian’s Wall