QIN (Ch'in) Pronounced "chin"
(221BC-206BC)
The English word for China is derived from the name of this dynasty. Qin means the divine Son of Heaven. (O'Connor 2002) The emperor Qin united all of China for the first time under the Qin dynasty. Prior to his dynasty, China was divided into seven kingdoms, each with a different ruler, all fighting one another. Qin unified China by forming a system of measurement, a common system of money and unified written language. Although he accomplished these, he was considered a ruthless leader. After the emperor Qin united China, he built a line of defense against attaching nomads from the north. The Great Wall of China was built out of masonry, rock and packed earth. Armies were then stationed every several yards. Once the armies realized an attack was occurring they started a fire to signal surrounding towns and cities.
In China the wall is called "Wan-Li Chang-Cheng" which translates to 10,000 Li-Long Wall. This wall expands 2,150 miles, 15 to 30 feet wide and 25 feet tall. Yes, the Great Wall of China can be seen from Outer Space! In 1994, space Shuttle Endeavour was able to produce images of the Great Wall of China from their Space Borne Imaging Radar. Many had believed that The Great Wall could be seen from the Moon, but that was proven to be a myth! (http://www.enchantedlearning.com ) The wall was built over 2,000 years ago by laborers to not only protect China from the northern enemies but to also it keep the Chinese in China. It also symbolized the power of Emperor Qin. Although only some of stretches of the wall built at that time remain, it is still the base of the wall in China today.
