By Tim Lambert Early Tea According to legend tea was first discovered in 2737 BC by a Chinese emperor called Shen Nung when some leaves blew into hot water. In reality, tea drinking was discovered much later in history (we are not sure exactly when) and we don’t know who discovered it. From China tea… Continue reading A Brief History of Tea
Category: Daily Life in the Past
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 Brief History of Theatre
By Tim Lambert Ancient Greek Theatre The Greeks are famous for drama. Theatre probably began with a group of people called a chorus singing and dancing in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine. Then about 534 BC, a man named Thespis added a single actor to the chorus. A second actor was added and… Continue reading A Brief History of Theatre
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
A History of Biscuits
By Tim Lambert Early Cakes and Biscuits The word biscuit is derived from the Latin words bis cotus, meaning twice baked. The idea of making biscuits goes back to the Romans. However, biscuits, as we know them, were developed in the Middle Ages. People have eaten pancakes since the Middle Ages. (The earliest recipe dates… Continue reading A History of Biscuits
A History of Board Games
By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Lee and Sarah Spragg People have been playing board games since civilization began. A board, dice, and counters were found in Ur in Iraq dating from 3,000 BC. Egyptians also played a board game called Senet. The board was divided into squares with counters. You threw sticks rather than dice.… Continue reading A History of Board Games
A History of Bras
By Tim Lambert Ancient Greek women wore a form of bra called an apodesme. Roman women also wore a band of cloth or leather around their chest called a strophium or mamilare. However for hundreds of years after the fall of Rome, women usually did not wear anything for support. From the 16th century to… Continue reading A History of Bras
A History of Children
By Tim Lambert Life for children in the past was hard and dangerous. In the past, many of the children born died before they could grow up. As many as 25% of children died before their fifth birthday. As many as 40% of the people born died before they were 16. Even if they survived… Continue reading A History of Children
A History of Chocolate
By Tim Lambert Early Chocolate Chocolate is made from the fruit of the cocoa tree, which is native to Central America. It grows large round fruits containing seeds or beans, which are used to make chocolate. However, for centuries people drank chocolate rather than ate it. People in Central America drank chocolate as early as… Continue reading A History of Chocolate
A History of Christianity in England
By Tim Lambert Christianity in Roman Britain The first evidence of Christianity in what is now England is from the late 2nd century AD. (There may have been Christians in Britain before then, we cannot be sure). Roman Britain was a cosmopolitan place. Merchants from all over the empire settled there and soldiers from many… Continue reading A History of Christianity in England