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What makes the Great Wall of China so extraordinary - Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen

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The Great Wall of China is a 13,000-mile dragon of earth and stone that winds its way through the countryside of China. As it turns out, the wall’s history is almost as long and serpentine as its structure. Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen detail the building and subsequent decay of this massive, impressive wall.


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About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Megan Campisi, Pen-Pen Chen
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Director Steff Lee
  • Animator Rachinta Platts, Valentina Grasso
  • Composer Gav Cantrell
  • Narrator Pen-Pen Chen
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Interested in Qin Shi Huang’s role in combining the smaller walls in China into the Great Wall? Watch: Deconstructing History: The Great Wall of China. Qin Shi Huang was also famous for the construction of his army of Terracotta Warriors. Learn more from this TED-Ed Lesson: The incredible history of China's terracotta warriors.

What does the Great Wall of China look like? To answer this question, watch these two National Geographic videos: The Great Wall of China and Building The Great Wall.

Having so many visitors to the Great Wall has caused parts of it to crumble and need repairs. Read this article to find out what is being done to preserve this amazing structure. Would you love to visit China and amble along the landscape of the Great Wall? Check out: Hiking the Great Wall to learn about how you too could go trek along this amazing structure.

How well can you see the Great Wall from space? Read this Scientific American article and find out! Finally test your knowledge of the building of the wall with this interactive site! How did you do?

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Megan Campisi, Pen-Pen Chen
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Director Steff Lee
  • Animator Rachinta Platts, Valentina Grasso
  • Composer Gav Cantrell
  • Narrator Pen-Pen Chen

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