By Tim Lambert The Background to the Witch Trials From the late 15th century to the late 18th century, a wave of persecution washed across parts of Europe. Tens of thousands of people were executed for witchcraft. So what happened? Belief in magic was almost universal in the past. Almost all cultures believed that you… Continue reading A History of the Witch Trials in Europe
Category: Articles
A History of the Tower of London
By Tim Lambert The Tower of London in The Middle Ages The Tower of London is one of the most famous buildings in London (although it is actually several towers and other buildings). It has stood guard over the city since Norman times. The first part of the Tower of London to be built was… Continue reading A History of the Tower of London
A History of Roman Gladiators
By Tim Lambert Origins of the Gladiators In Rome and other major cities in the Roman Empire gladiators were men (or sometimes women) who fought, sometimes to the death, to provide entertainment. The first gladiators fought in 264 BC at a funeral. Six gladiators fought to entertain the guests. The word gladiator means a man… Continue reading A History of Roman Gladiators
Children in the Ancient World
Children in Ancient Egypt Most children in Ancient Egypt did not go to school. Instead, boys learned farming or other trades from their fathers. Girls learned sewing, cooking, and other skills from their mothers. Some girls were also taught to read and write. Boys from wealthy families sometimes learned to be scribes. They learned by… Continue reading Children in the Ancient World
Religion in the Ancient World
By Tim Lambert Religion in Ancient Egypt The Egyptians were polytheists. That is, they worshiped many gods. Gods and goddesses were usually depicted as human beings though sometimes they had animal heads. Among Egyptian gods were Amun-Re, the sun god and the leader of the gods. Nut was the sky goddess. Her brother Geb was… Continue reading Religion in the Ancient World
The Cro-Magnons
By Tim Lambert The Cro-Magnon people About 35,000 years ago modern humans entered Europe. (They are sometimes called Cro-Magnons). At that time Europe was in the grip of an ice age. Scandinavia and most of the British Isles were permanently covered in ice. (In fact of course they were not islands at that time. Great… Continue reading The Cro-Magnons
Catal Huyuk
By Tim Lambert Buildings in Catal Huyuk Catal Huyuk was one of the world’s first towns. It was built in what is now Turkey about 6,500 BC not long after farming began. Catal Huyuk probably had a population of about 6,000. In Catal Huyuk, the houses were made of mud brick. Houses were built touching… Continue reading Catal Huyuk
The Farming Revolution
By Tim Lambert After 9,000 BC a great change came over the world. Previously humans lived by hunting animals and gathering plants. Then about 8,000 BC people began to grow wheat, barley, peas, and lentils instead of gathering them wild. By 7,000 BC they domesticated sheep, pigs, and goats. By 6,000 BC they also domesticated… Continue reading The Farming Revolution
Life in Prehistoric Europe
By Tim Lambert Prehistoric Hunters Modern humans entered Europe about 35,000 BC at a time when the Earth was in the grip of the last ice age (which ended about 8,000 BC). They lived by hunting mammoths, reindeer, bison, and horses. They also hunted smaller animals like hares and arctic foxes. The Ice Age hunters… Continue reading Life in Prehistoric Europe
Prehistoric Jericho
By Tim Lambert Jericho is the oldest walled town in the world. Its walls were first built around 8,000 BC – just after the start of agriculture. (Jericho has had many walls throughout its long history and several different cultures have lived there). Before Jericho was founded people lived by hunting and also gathering wild… Continue reading Prehistoric Jericho