Argumentative Essay Introduction: The Great Wall of China

Argumentative Essay Introduction: The Great Wall of China – Did the Benefits Outweigh the Costs?

In this assignment, you will write the introductory paragraph for an argumentative essay analyzing the construction of the Great Wall of China and whether its benefits outweighed its costs. Your introduction should set the stage for your argument by engaging your reader and clearly presenting your thesis.

Your introduction must include:

✅ An engaging hook – Capture your reader’s attention with a vivid description, short anecdote, or dramatic scene related to the Great Wall’s construction. Imagine the perspective of a Qin Dynasty laborer, a Han Dynasty soldier, or a Xiongnu warrior facing the wall.

✅ Historical context – Provide necessary background information on why the Great Wall was built, who was involved, and its impact on China. Use details from our DBQ documents to explain the costs (human suffering, financial strain) and benefits (protection, trade control, unity).

✅ A clear thesis statement – Clearly state your argument by identifying whether the benefits of the Great Wall outweighed the sacrifices based on the evidence from Documents A-H.

Scoring Reminder:

To earn an Exemplary (4) score, your introduction should read like a story, immersing the reader in the historical significance of the Great Wall. Consider starting with a vivid scene—perhaps a laborer struggling under the sun, a soldier watching for invaders, or a Xiongnu warrior preparing to attack.

The Great Wall of China is often regarded as one of the ancient wonders of the world. It was built over a 2,000-year period, and GPS satellites have measured its various sections to be 5,488 miles long. Such a wall did not come cheap in terms of lives lost and time and money spent. This Mini-Q focuses on two of the early Chinese wall-building dynasties, the Qin ( “chin”; 221–206 BCE) and the Han (206 BCE–220 CE). It asks if all the effort was worth it.

Use the background information and your DBQ documents A-F to craft an engaging introduction.

Background Essay: The Great Wall of Ancient China: Did the Benefits Outweigh the Costs?

In 221 BCE, a local ruler from the Chinese state of Qin (“chin”) violently conquered many towns and states and merged them into a new kingdom. That kingdom was the beginning of the China we know today. This ruler, who came to be known as Emperor Qin, died 11 years later, but in that short time, he directed a number of grand projects. Using forced labor, he built roads, constructed a huge palace, and had artists make a terra cotta army of 8,000 larger-than-life soldiers to accompany him to the next world. He also ordered the construction of a great wall.

Before that time, the Chinese had built walls to protect individual towns and cities. What made Qin’s project different was its sheer size. The written record about Qin’s wall is very sparse, but the vancient stories, poems and artifacts that remain tell us part of the story.

Cruel rulers invite rebellion, and Qin was cruel. In 206 BCE, his successors were overthrown by the Han Dynasty, which ruled for the next 400 years. Like the Qin, the Han were concerned with border security. Plus, they sought to expand their influence over the Xiongnu (“shung-nu”), who lived beyond China's northern border and resisted the Han. Like the Qin, the Han decided to build a wall to keep out the Xiongnu and others.

The Qin and Han recipe for building a pounded-earth hang-t’u wall was fairly simple:

1. Construct a wall frame roughly 30’ long, 25’ wide, 20’ high.
2. Spread a layer of dirt within the frame.
3. Pound the dirt until it is 6”– 8” thick.
4. Repeat with as many layers as necessary to fill the frame.
5. Remove frame and repeat the process for several hundred miles.

At this point, two things need to be made clear: The Great Wall was never one continuous structure. What we call the Great Wall is really a series of walls constructed over a period of 2,500 years. When each dynasty came into power, workers connected previously built walls, repaired and extended them, or tore them down and built anew. It is also important to note that the beautiful, winding Great Wall that many of us have in our minds was built not by the Qin or the Han, but by the Ming Dynasty, which ruled 1,500 years after the Han. Our focus is on the earlier walls.

The walls constructed by the Qin and the Han were enormous projects. They were built to increase security, impress visitors and enhance the glory of China. However, the walls also required much sacrifice on the part of the Chinese people. Which brings us to our task. Examine the documents that follow and answer the question: The Great Wall of Ancient China: Did the benefits outweigh the costs?

Write an engaging hook – Capture your reader’s attention with a vivid description, surprising fact, rhetorical question, or short anecdote related to the building of the Great Wall of China.

• Consider starting with a vivid scene—perhaps a Qin Dynasty laborer struggling under the scorching sun, a Han Dynasty soldier standing guard against invaders, or a Xiongnu warrior glaring at the towering wall blocking his path.

This opening should immerse your reader in history while setting up your argument on whether the benefits of the Great Wall outweighed its costs.

Briefly explain the significance of the Great Wall of China and key background details about why it was built and its impact on China.

🔹 What background information does the reader need to connect your thesis statement to your evidence?

✅ Use the 5W’s to guide your writing:

• Who is involved? (Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Han Dynasty rulers, Chinese workers, Xiongnu warriors)
• What is happening? (The construction and expansion of the Great Wall to protect China from invasions)
• Where is it happening? (Along China’s northern border, stretching across mountains, deserts, and plains)
• When is it happening? (Began in the Qin Dynasty, 3rd century BCE, and expanded during the Han Dynasty, 2nd century BCE)
• Why is it happening? (To defend China from northern invaders, control trade routes, and demonstrate the emperor’s power, but at a high human and financial cost)

🔹 Consider the economic, military, and political factors discussed in our DBQ.

Your historical context should set the stage for your argument on whether the benefits of the Great Wall outweighed its costs.

Write a clear thesis statement – State your argument by identifying whether the benefits of the Great Wall of China outweighed its costs based on the evidence from Documents A-H.

✅ Restate the question and fully answer it by taking a clear stance.
✅ Provide three key reasons that support your argument.

Now put them all together! Copy and paste your hook, historical context, and thesis statement (claim) here.