1001 Space Earth Nature History First Civilisations Ancient Egypt Biblical Times Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Chinese, Japanese Civilisations Indian Civilisation African Civilisation The Early Americas The Rise of Islam The Middle Ages The Renaissance Civil War and Revolution The Industrial Revolution Two World Wars 20th-century Achievements Human World Science and Technology

When was the Great Wall of China built? During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), the Great Wall of China was built in stone, in the form that survives today. The Great Wall was started in about 300 BC, when the first separate parts, made of earth, were built by warring states to keep raiding tribes out of their lands. In 221 BC, Shih Huang-Ti, first emperor of a united China, ordered these short lengths to be joined to form a continuous wall. It took 300,000 slaves 20 years to complete the task.   Previous: Back Book: 1001 Section: History Chapter: Chinese, Japanese Civilisations