A Brief History of Cats

By Tim Lambert Early Cats Cats were first domesticated about 8,000 BC, when humans in the Middle East started farming. They stored grain, which naturally attracted rodents. Cats began hanging around the grain stores to hunt. Humans appreciated cats hunting rodents and gave them food and shelter. Cats were useful animals. Cats were highly esteemed… Continue reading A Brief History of Cats

A History of The Seaside

By Tim Lambert The Seaside in the 19th Century At the end of the 18th century, wealthy people began to spend time at the seaside. They believed that bathing in seawater was good for your health. Seaside resorts like Brighton, Worthing, Margate, and Eastbourne boomed. A man named Richard Hotham deliberately created a new seaside… Continue reading A History of The Seaside

A History of Glass

By Tim Lambert Glass is sometimes made by lightning. If it strikes sand, it forms glass globules called fulgurites. There is also volcanic glass. If lava cools rapidly, it may form a dark, volcanic glass called obsidian. Early humans used it to make sharp cutting tools. It’s not certain where people first started making glass… Continue reading A History of Glass

A Brief History of Iraq

By Tim Lambert Ancient Iraq Sumer was the world’s first civilization. It arose about 3,500 BC in what is now Iraq, in the land between the Tigris and the Euphrates. Several city-states grew up, each one ruling an area of the surrounding countryside. About 3,300 BC, the Sumerians invented writing on clay tablets. However, the… Continue reading A Brief History of Iraq

A History of Cakes

By Tim Lambert Early Cakes The earliest recipe for pancakes in England dates from the 15th century. People were supposed to fast from certain foods during Lent, the 40 days before Easter. They also confessed their sins before Lent. The old English word for confessing was shrive, so the day when confessions were made was… Continue reading A History of Cakes

A Brief History of Azerbaijan

By Tim Lambert Ancient Azerbaijan Ancient Azerbaijan was ruled by a series of empires. The Persian Empire existed from 550 BC to 331 BC. It included most of what is now Azerbaijan. The Persians introduced Zoroastrianism. Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire, but after his death in 323, his empire broke up. However, in… Continue reading A Brief History of Azerbaijan

A Brief History of Afghanistan

By Tim Lambert Ancient Afghanistan Afghanistan has a very long history. The Oxus civilisation flourished from about 2,200 to about 1,700 in northern Afghanistan. This great civilisation vanished for unknown reasons. However, most of the Ancient history of Afghanistan is that of one empire after another conquering the region. About 700 BC, Afghanistan was conquered… Continue reading A Brief History of Afghanistan

A Brief History of Moldova

By Tim Lambert Early Moldova About 4,800 BC, the Cucuteni-Trypillia culture emerged in what is now Moldova. The people were Stone Age farmers, and they created large settlements. Their craftsmen made pottery. This culture flourished until about 3,000 BC. Later, the people of Moldova learned to use Bronze and then iron. In 168 BC, the… Continue reading A Brief History of Moldova

A Brief History of Nigeria

By Tim Lambert Early Nigeria The Nok culture flourished from about 500 BC to about 200 AD. The Nok were farmers who made iron tools. They are also known for their terracotta sculptures. In the following centuries, many kingdoms existed in Nigeria, using iron tools. The empire of Ife is famous for its bronze sculptures.… Continue reading A Brief History of Nigeria