By Tim Lambert Ancient Ships The earliest boats were dugout canoes. People lit a fire on a big log, then put it out and dug out the burned wood. About 3,100 BC, the Egyptians invented the sailing boat. They were made of bundles of papyrus reeds tied together. They had simple square sails made of… Continue reading A History of Ships
Category: Daily Life in the Past
A 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 History of Shoes
A History of Sport
By Tim Lambert Sport In The Ancient World Egyptian Sport People have always played sports. In Ancient Egypt, people went swimming. They also enjoyed boxing, wrestling, and archery. They also played a game that involved standing on a boat and trying to knock the opposing team into the water with a stick. The Olympic Games… Continue reading A History of Sport
A History of Stockings
By Tim Lambert People have worn stockings since Ancient Times. Roman soldiers wore stockings called udones, especially in cold climates. The oldest existing stockings were made in Egypt in the 4th or 5th centuries AD. Early socks had split toes and were designed to be worn with sandals. In the Middle Ages, both men and… Continue reading A History of Stockings
A History of Submarines
By Tim Lambert Early Submarines For hundreds of years, people dreamed of traveling underwater. However, the first submarine was launched in 1620. It was built by a Dutchman, Cornelius Drebbel. His submarine was made of wood and leather. It was rowed by oars. Drebbel demonstrated his submarine in the River Thames in front of a… Continue reading A History of Submarines
A History of Surgery
By Tim Lambert Ancient Surgery Surgery was invented in the Stone Age. Some adults had holes cut in their skulls. At least sometimes, people survived the ‘operation’ because the bone grew back. We do not know the purpose of the ‘operation’. Perhaps it was performed on people with head injuries to release pressure on the… Continue reading A History of Surgery
A History of Sweets
By Tim Lambert Early Sweets People have always liked eating sweet food. The earliest sweet was, of course, honey, which people have eaten since prehistoric times. In the Middle Ages, rich people ate desserts like preserved fruits, jelly and dried fruit, and wafers made from batter. The Tudors were also fond of sweet foods (if… Continue reading A History of Sweets
A History of Swimming
By Tim Lambert Early Swimming Swimming was a common skill in the Ancient World. People in Egypt and other parts of the Ancient World went swimming. It was popular with the Greeks and Romans. Roman soldiers were trained to swim well. In the Middle Ages, knights were expected to be able to swim well. In… Continue reading A History of Swimming
A History of Telephones
By Tim Lambert The Invention of Telephones Alexander Graham Bell experimented with ways of using electricity to transmit sound, helped by his assistant Thomas Watson and in 1876, he patented the telephone. Over the following decades, telephones had a huge impact on daily life. In 1878, Queen Victoria was given a demonstration of the telephone.… Continue reading A History of Telephones
A History of Television
By Tim Lambert The Invention of Television Today, television is the main form of entertainment for millions of people worldwide. The word is made up of the Greek word ‘tele,’ meaning ‘far off’ and the Latin word for vision ‘sight’. John Logie Baird, the man who invented television, was born in 1888. Baird invented a… Continue reading A History of Television