By Tim Lambert Ancient Greek Science The Ancient Greeks were the first scientists. Greek philosophers tried to explain what the world is made of and how it works. Empedocles (c. 494-434 BC) said that the world is made of four elements, earth, fire, water, and air. Aristotle (384-322 BC) accepted the theory of the four… Continue reading A History of Science
Category: Daily Life in the Past
A Brief History of Coffee
By Tim Lambert The coffee plant is native to Ethiopia. According to legend coffee was discovered by an Ethiopian goatherd called Kaldi. He noticed that goats who ate certain beans became very lively. Coffee was drunk in Yemen by the 15th century. By the 16th century, coffee had spread to Persia (Iran) and Turkey. There… Continue reading A Brief History of Coffee
A Brief History of Easter
By Tim Lambert Some people think the word Easter comes from the Anglo-Saxon name for April, Eostermunath. According to a Saxon scholar called Bede Easter was named after a goddess called Eostre. But he is the only writer who mentions such a goddess so it’s not certain if his claim is true. In the early… Continue reading A Brief History of Easter
A Brief History of Firefighting
By Tim Lambert Early Firefighting Fire was a major hazard in the past when towns were crowded and houses were often made of wood. Worse roofs were often thatched. In the Middle Ages, thatched roofs were banned in London because of the risk of fire. In smaller towns, thatched roofs were not banned till much… Continue reading A Brief History of Firefighting
A Brief History of Mayday
By Tim Lambert The Month of May The month of May is probably named after Maia the Roman goddess who caused plants to grow. In the past Mayday was a day of rejoicing. It meant the return of warm weather and long summer evenings. In the past winters must have been much harder than they… Continue reading A Brief History of Mayday
A Brief History of Rich People
By Tim Lambert Rich People in Ancient Egypt Rich Egyptians lived in large, comfortable houses with many rooms. Walls were painted and floors had colored tiles. Most wealthy houses had enclosed gardens with pools. Inside their homes, rich Egyptians had wooden furniture such as beds, chairs, tables, and chests for storage. However, instead of pillows,… Continue reading A Brief History of Rich People
A Brief History of Shoes
By Tim Lambert Ancient Shoes Long before history began wore shoes. During the Ice Age people called Cro-Magnons wore simple leather boots. They lived during an ice age so protecting your feet from the cold was essential. In Egypt shoes were not necessary because of the hot climate. Most people went barefoot much of the… Continue reading A Brief History of Shoes
A Brief History of St George’s Day
By Tim Lambert St George ‘Cry God for Harry, England, and Saint George!’ Those immortal words are from Shakespeare’s Henry V but who was St George and how did he become the patron saint of England? St George was a Roman soldier who lived in the 3rd century AD. At the end of the century,… Continue reading A Brief History of St George’s Day
A Brief History of the British Police
By Tim Lambert Early Law Enforcement From the Middle Ages, there were local officials in England called constables who were responsible for keeping the peace. Men took it in turns to take the post for one year and it was unpaid. Also if somebody witnessed a crime he was supposed to raise the alarm and… Continue reading A Brief History of the British Police
A History of Banking
By Tim Lambert The Beginning of Banks The idea of banks began as long ago as 1,800 BC in Babylon. In those days moneylenders made loans to people. In Greece and Rome banks made loans and accepted deposits. They also changed money. (In the Bible Jesus famously drove the money changers out of the temple… Continue reading A History of Banking