The Great Wall does outweigh the cost because it protected the Silk Road, it served as a border, and even though it didn’t work 100% of the time it helped protect China.
The Great wall was worth the cost because it helped protect the Silk Road. "According to poetry and legend, tens of thousands of soldiers died from hunger, sickness, and extreme heat or cold. No exact numbers of deaths are available" (Document E). With that being said, we don 't know the exact number of deaths while building the Great Wall. Many of the stories of suffering are based on rumor and speculation. But what is not based on rumor is that the Great Wall provided a valuable service by protecting the Silk Road. "Wu Di used the Wall to aid in expanding China 's
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The Great Wall did not work 100% of the time, but it still helped protect China. No, the Great Wall did not always keep the Mongols out, nor did it ensure the safety of every person. But what we do know is that if it weren’t for the Great Wall, China would not nearly be as successful as it is today. "Heavy fighting against the Xiongnu during much of the 2nd century BCE" (Document E). As I stated above the Great Wall did not ensure the safety of every person. Therefore, many lives were lost when the Han was at war with the Xiongnu, but if it weren’t for the wall the death rate during this time period would be much higher. The poem in document F states “We sally forth at dawn, but do not return at dusk." "People should be selected to settle along the border areas" (Document B.) These two quotes are saying that the Great Wall cost too many innocent lives by using people as human shields. But the real question is how innocent were these people? And how many of these people chose to fight knowing they would die? With the help of courageous soldiers, the Great Wall helped all of China by keeping the fighting near the wall, and away from the cities. Just imagine how much worse it could have been if the Great Wall weren 't there and the fighting took place in the cities of