Category: Histories of countries and key towns and cities around the world

By Tim Lambert Early Paraguay Before the Spanish arrived in Paraguay it was inhabited by people called the Guarani. They were farmers. The Spanish arrived in the region in the 16th century and the capital of Paraguay, Asuncion was founded in 1537. Paraguay became independent of Spain in 1811 and Jose Gaspar Rodriguez Francis became… Continue reading A Short History of Paraguay

By Tim Lambert The Chavin in Peru By about 2,500 BC people in what is now, Peru began farming. By about 1,800 BC they were making pottery. The first South American civilization was the Chavin. It arose in what is now Peru in about 900 BC. The Chavin did not invent writing but they were… Continue reading A Short History of Peru

By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Agnieszka Jurkowska Poland in the Middle Ages The written history of Poland began in the 10th century. At that time Poland was ruled by a dynasty called the Piasts. A Piast named Mieszko I reigned from about 960 to 992. In 966 he became a Christian and his people followed.… Continue reading A Short History of Poland

By Tim Lambert Ancient Portugal Human beings have lived in Portugal since about 30,000 BC when the world was in the grip of an ice age. The first Portuguese were hunters and fishermen. They also gathered plants for food. They wore leather clothes and they made stone tools. In about 5,000 BC farming was introduced… Continue reading A Short History of Portugal

By Tim Lambert Ancient Romania The earliest inhabitants of Romania were Stone Age hunters who lived about 8,000 BC. In time the people of Romania learned to farm and then they learned to make bronze tools. Eventually, they learned to use iron. From about 600 BC the ancient Greeks traded with the people they called… Continue reading A Short History of Romania

By Tim Lambert Russia in the Middle Ages In the early 9th century Slavic tribes lived in what is now Russia and Ukraine. However, Vikings captured Novgorod in 862 and Kyiv in 882. They created a new nation was called Rus. In time its Viking rulers adopted the customs and language of the native Slavic… Continue reading A Short History of Russia

By Tim Lambert Early Senegal The first human beings in Senegal were hunters but by about 3,000 BCE they had learned to farm. About 500 BCE knowledge of how to make iron tools reached West Africa. By 500 AD a sophisticated society arose in Senegal capable of building stone circles. Towns and trade flourished. In… Continue reading A Short History of Senegal

By Tim Lambert The Foundation of Singapore According to legend, Singapore was founded centuries ago when a prince from Sumatra landed on the island and saw a lion. He took it as a good omen and founded a city called Singapura, which means lion city. The legend may or may not be true. The name… Continue reading A Short History of Singapore

By Tim Lambert Early Slovakia Slavs settled in what is now Slovakia in the 6th century AD. They were soon conquered by a people called the Avars. However, at the end of the 8th century, the Slavs drove the Avars out. In the 9th century, Slovakia became part of the state of Great Moravia, which… Continue reading A Short History of Slovakia