Page 96 - All About History - Issue 11-14

HISTORY ANSWERS

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Why was the
Great Wall of

China built?
Peter Williams, Bristol
The Great Wall of China was built to keep
out raiding parties of nomadic tribes, such
as the Mongol, Turic and Xiongnu, from
modern-day Mongolia and Manchuria.It
is the longest man-made structure in the
world, at 21,196 kilometres (13,170 miles)
long. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi
Huang, is often considered the father of
CHRISTOPHER the Great Wall, but before he united the
COLUMBUS nation in 221 BCE, individual states built
Italian, 1451-1506 walls to keep out invaders as early as the
7th century. Qin connected, lengthened
and fortified the walls to protect the
An Italian navigator, northern border between 221 BCE and 206
Brief explorer and BCE. Subsequent dynasties, most notably
colonialist, Columbus
Bio famously landed in the Ming, maintained and rebuilt it.
America while on a Always maintained as a military defence
Spanish expedition to find a – at its peak the Ming Wall was guarded
new route to Asia. As well as by more than 1 million men – the Wall
leading four voyages across the
Atlantic, he served as governor evolved other uses. Aside from being a
of the Indies. Following transportation corridor, it was used to
accusations of tyranny in 1500, regulate trade, such as collecting duties on
he returned to Spain, where he goods transported along the Silk Road. It
died at 54 years of age.
Christopher Columbus was not the was also used to restrict both immigration
first person to discover America and emigration.
Who discovered America?

David Phillips, York WHAT
The conventional wisdom is that Columbus was much of Eiriksson’s legend is based on WAS THE
the first person to discover the Americas, but we the Icelandic Sagas, hard evidence also
know this wasn’t true as he met indigenous tribes exists. In 1960, an international team FIRST CAPITAL
when he came ashore in 1451. Ancestors of modern- of archaeologists excavated artefacts of
day Native Americans travelled from East Siberia to Viking origin, dating from around 1000 OF THE USA?
the New World during the Ice Age, around 15,000 CE, and the remains of the Norse village
New York City
years ago. Rather than sail, they were able to walk are now part of a UNESCO World Heritage
across a land bridge at the Bering Strait site. Though Columbus Day is a national
Columbus wasn’t even the first European to holiday in the United States, the explorer never
discover America. The Icelandic explorer Leifur actually set foot in continental North America. He Originally designed for defence, The
Eiriksson landed in what is Newfoundland, Canada landed on various Caribbean islands and explored Great Wall of China was used to impose
trade taxes and control emigration
today, half a millennium before Columbus. While Central and South American coasts.
This day in history 3 April: All About History 11 goes on sale, but what else

1043 1868 1882 1888

O Edward the Confessor O Surf’s up O Assassination of Jesse James O Whitechapel murders
is crowned The largest wave ever ridden Wild West outlaw Jesse James Emma Smith is the first of 11 women
One of the last Anglo- by a surfer is purported to be is killed by fellow bandit Robert brutally killed in unsolved murders
Saxon kings of England, 16m (50ft) high. The wave Ford. Ford is later pardoned for in the Whitechapel district of
whose coronation is hits Minole, Hawaii. A native the murder by the governor of London between 1888 and 1891.
commemorated as the surfer, Holua, rides the wave Missouri, though he only receives Five of the deaths are attributed to
opening scene of the to save himself from being a small portion of the publicised Jack the Ripper, though Smith isn’t
Bayeux Tapestry. crushed by it. $5,000 reward. one of them.

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