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Product Description More than two thousand years ago, with his land under constant attack from nomads, the First Emperor of China came up with a simple solution: build a wall to keep out enemies. It was a wall that kept growing and growing. But its construction came at a huge cost: it is believed that more than a million Chinese died building it, earning the wall its nickname--the longest cemetery on earth. Through the story of the wall, Patricia Brennan Demuth is able to tell the story of China itself, the rise and fall of dynasties, the greatness of its culture, and its present-day status as a Communist world power. From School Library Journal Gr 3–5—These solid though formulaic titles profile well-known locations. Demuth examines the longest human-made structure in the world, the Great Wall of China, outlining why it was constructed; Chinese rulers and tribes such as the Mongols, who invaded the empire; the intense manpower required to build the Wall in a time before machines and earth-moving equipment; the people who lived at and protected the Wall; and the Communist Party's actions to preserve the Great Wall and promote it to the world. O'Connor focuses on the Grand Canyon, examining its geological formations; the importance of the Colorado River; the native peoples who used to—and still do—inhabit the canyon; the adventures of geologist John Wesley Powell, who explored the canyon; wildlife; and the impact of man. Stine provides a history of the White House, explaining its design and remodelings; destruction by the British during the War of 1812; descriptions of various rooms including the East Room and the Blue Room; presidents and family members who have occupied the residence; and the staff of chefs, butlers, and more who keep the house running. VERDICT Suitable additions to history and geography collections.—Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community Colls., Mt. Carmel About the Author Patricia Brennan Demuth is the author of What Was Ellis Island?, What Was Pearl Harbor?, Who Was Laura Ingalls Wilder?, and Who Is Bill Gates? Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Where Is the Great Wall? More than two thousand years ago, the emperor of China had workers start building a wall. It was a wall like no other on earth—then or now. It has earned its name: the Great Wall. It is the largest structure that humans have ever made! It is impossible to give its exact length. That’s because the Great Wall wasn’t built at one time. It’s a series of walls constructed over two thousand years, starting in ancient times. Emperors built new walls and linked them to old ones. Some walls decayed and fell apart. But the last Great Wall, built from about 1400 to 1600, still stands. It stretches in an unbroken line four thousand miles across China’s northern border. If placed in North America, the main wall would reach from the tip of Florida to the North Pole. There are also side walls that reach down into China to protect and enclose important places. Altogether, estimates of the Great Wall’s length range from about six thousand miles to over ten thousand miles. By any measure, it’s huge! Many compare the Great Wall to a dragon, a symbol of power and strength in China. The head of the wall starts about sixty-six feet offshore, in the Pacific Ocean on China’s east coast. Then it twists and turns through the land—skirting rivers, crossing grasslands and plains, climbing steep mountains, and plunging down cliffs. Finally it ends in the harsh, dry desert on China’s western end. This amazing feat of engineering was handmade! There were no machines or power tools to help builders—no forklifts, tractors, drills, or cement mixers. There were just human hands using tools made of stone, iron, and wood. The wall ended up taking a terrible human toll. It is believed that a million Chinese died while building it. Today the Great Wall awes visitors from all over the world. The story of Chi