It all started in the Ch'in dynasty which existed in the fourth century B.C. Emperor Shih Haung Ti had ruled over an empire now known as China. The Chinese civilization was one of the strongest in the world, and their only enemies lived in the steppe regions of the north. They were known as the Huns and the Mongols. This powerful emperor ordered the wall to be built in order to keep out the enemy attacks. The construction utilized the hard labor, and often lives of many laborers and prisoners. Families were separated when men were sent to work on the wall. Although the wall was expensive to build, workers were paid very little, and high taxes often took their toll on the members of the society.