By Tim Lambert The Minoan civilization existed in Crete. It was the first European civilization. About 2,500 BC a sophisticated society grew up on the island of Crete. By about 1,950 BC the inhabitants had invented a form of writing using hieroglyphs. This writing is called linear A. The Minoans were a bronze-age civilization. (They… Continue reading A History of The Minoans
Category: Articles
The Assyrian Empire
By Tim Lambert The Assyrians were a warlike people from the north of what is now Iraq. From about 880 BC to 612 BC they ruled a great empire in the Middle East. The first great Assyrian king was Tiglath-pileser (c.1115-1077) who warred against people in Asia Minor and who defeated the Babylonians (of southern… Continue reading The Assyrian Empire
The Philistines
By Tim Lambert The Philistines lived in the Southwest of the country we now call Israel. It is believed the Philistines originally came from the Agean or possibly from Crete. They invaded the coast of what is now Israel about 1200 BC. The Philistine realm was called Philistia and it included 5 cities Gaza, Ashkelon,… Continue reading The Philistines
Leisure in the 18th Century
By Tim Lambert Traditional games remained popular in the 18th Century. These included games such as chess, draughts, and backgammon. So was tennis and a rough version of football. Then in 1759, a man named John Jeffries invented an entirely new board game called A Journey Through Europe or The Play of Geography in which… Continue reading Leisure in the 18th Century
A Timeline of the Bible
By Tim Lambert 4004 BC According to Bishop Ussher in the 17th century the world was created on this date. 2349 BC Noah and his family are the only survivors of a worldwide flood. Myths about a universal flood occur in many cultures. 2242 BC People attempt to build a tower to Heaven at Babel.… Continue reading A Timeline of the Bible
A Short History of New Zealand
By Tim Lambert The Maori The Maori arrived in New Zealand in the 10th century AD. They called the new land Aotearoa, which means Land of the Long White Cloud. The Maori brought dogs and rats. They also brought yams and kumara or sweet potatoes and gourds. The Maori also ate fern roots. There was… Continue reading A Short History of New Zealand
A Biography of Alexander Fleming
By Tim Lambert Alexander Fleming was the man who discovered penicillin. He was born in Lochfield, Ayrshire, Scotland on 6 August 1881. He went to Kilmarnock Academy. However, Alexander Fleming moved to London. He worked as a shipping clerk for a time then when a relative left him some money he went to study medicine… Continue reading A Biography of Alexander Fleming
A Biography of Edward Jenner
By Tim Lambert His Early Life Edward Jenner was an English doctor famous for his role in defeating smallpox. (In the 18th century smallpox was a terrible disease that killed many people. Even if the patient survived they were often scarred.) Jenner was born on 17 May 1749 in Berkeley in Gloucestershire, England. He was… Continue reading A Biography of Edward Jenner
A Brief Biography of John Dalton
By Tim Lambert His Early Life John Dalton was a great scientist of the early 19th century. He is famous for his theory of atoms. Dalton was born on 6 September 1766 in Eaglesfield, Cumbria, England. His father, Joseph Dalton was a weaver. His mother was called Deborah and the couple had 4 children. John… Continue reading A Brief Biography of John Dalton
A Brief Biography of James Watt
By Tim Lambert James Watt was a great Scottish engineer of the 18th century. He did not invent the steam engine. Instead, he greatly improved it. A man named Thomas Savery invented the first primitive steam engine in 1698. A man named Newcomen started making steam engines to pump water from mines in 1712. However,… Continue reading A Brief Biography of James Watt