History of EARLY AMERICA
America was the last continents that humans occupied. The first Americans may have arrived by boat 50,000 years ago. Ancestors of today’s Native Americans probably came to the Americas 20,000-35,000 years ago from Asia. They are thought to have walked across the land that once joined Asia and North America across the Bearing Strait.
By 6000 BC, the first Native Americans had spread south from Alaska and far down into South America. There is evidence that humans were living in Mexico over 20,000 years ago. At El Jobo in Colombia, South America, pendants that date back to 14,920 BC have been found. Ten thousand years ago, groups of ‘Paleo-Indians’ on North America’s Great Plains bunted now-extinct animals such as camels and mammoths. In the dry western mountains, desert peoples planted wild grass-seed.
In Mexico, people began to grow squash, peppers and beans at least 8500 years ago. Corn (maize) was probably first grown in Mexico, about 7000 years ago. Corn, beans and squash provided food for early American civilization such as the Olmecs and Mayans.
By 6000 BC, the first Native Americans had spread south from Alaska and far down into South America. There is evidence that humans were living in Mexico over 20,000 years ago. At El Jobo in Colombia, South America, pendants that date back to 14,920 BC have been found. Ten thousand years ago, groups of ‘Paleo-Indians’ on North America’s Great Plains bunted now-extinct animals such as camels and mammoths. In the dry western mountains, desert peoples planted wild grass-seed.
In Mexico, people began to grow squash, peppers and beans at least 8500 years ago. Corn (maize) was probably first grown in Mexico, about 7000 years ago. Corn, beans and squash provided food for early American civilization such as the Olmecs and Mayans.
GREEK ART
In ancient Greece, thousands of sculptors, architects, painters, dramatists and poets were creating a fantastic wealth of beautiful works of art. The Greeks made graceful statues and created decorated temples and houses. They were carved mostly from marble and limestone and then painted.
The most famous sculptors were Phidias (c.490-420 BC), Praxiteles (c.330 BC), Lysippus (c.380-306 BC) and Myron (c500-440 BC). Phidias’s huge gold and ivory statue of the god Zeus was famed throughout the ancient world.
Greek architect such as Ictinus and Callicrates created beautiful marble and limestone temples fronted by graceful columns and elegant triangular friezes. The most famous is the Parthenon in Athens.
The Greeks had three styles for columns: the simples Doric, the slender Ionic, topped by scrolls, and the ornate Corinthian, topped by sculpted acanthus leaves. The style created by the Greek temples is now called Classical and has influenced architects ever since. The Greeks believed that different arts (such as dancer or poetry) were inspired by one of nine goddesses, who were known as the Muses.
Ancient Greek writers include the poets Homer, Sappho and Pindar. They created styles of writing that included epic poetry – long, dramatic tales of heroic deeds. A tragedy is a grand drama doomed to end unhappily for the hero. Tragedy was created by Greek dramatists such as Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles, who wrote the tragedy King Oedipus.
The most famous sculptors were Phidias (c.490-420 BC), Praxiteles (c.330 BC), Lysippus (c.380-306 BC) and Myron (c500-440 BC). Phidias’s huge gold and ivory statue of the god Zeus was famed throughout the ancient world.
Greek architect such as Ictinus and Callicrates created beautiful marble and limestone temples fronted by graceful columns and elegant triangular friezes. The most famous is the Parthenon in Athens.
The Greeks had three styles for columns: the simples Doric, the slender Ionic, topped by scrolls, and the ornate Corinthian, topped by sculpted acanthus leaves. The style created by the Greek temples is now called Classical and has influenced architects ever since. The Greeks believed that different arts (such as dancer or poetry) were inspired by one of nine goddesses, who were known as the Muses.
Ancient Greek writers include the poets Homer, Sappho and Pindar. They created styles of writing that included epic poetry – long, dramatic tales of heroic deeds. A tragedy is a grand drama doomed to end unhappily for the hero. Tragedy was created by Greek dramatists such as Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles, who wrote the tragedy King Oedipus.
Ancient Food Consumed by Early Humans
People learned how to use fire to cook food 1.5 million years ago. The oldest known cooking fire is at Swartkrans, South Africa. The first ovens were pits for hot coals, first used in the Ukraine about 20,000 years ago. The first real ovens were from Sumer and Egypt, c.2600 BC.
Grains seeds were cooked and mixed with water to make gruel (porridege). Around 20,000 years ago, people learned to gruel on a hot stone to make flat bread, like pitta. The development of pottery meant that liquids could be heated to make stews. The oldest pottery is 13,000-year-old pots from Odai-Yamomoto in Japan. The first pots from the Near East, from Iran, date back 11,000 years.
Around 12,000 years ago, people found how to make food last by letting it ferment, making cheese from milk and wine from grapes. Around 8000 BC, people began to farm animals such as sheep and grow plants. Farmers in Palestine were growing oil-rich olives to squeeze and make olive oil in huge amounts, around 4000 BC. Romans consumed it in vast quantities.
About 2600 BC, the Egyptians found that by leaving gruel to ferment, they could make dough. The baked this in ovens to make the first raised bread. Honey was the main sweetener. Egyptians kept bees for honey and also made sweet syrups from fruits.
The oldest recipe book is an Assyrian stone tablet dating from 1700 BC. It features 25 recipes, including a bird called a tarru cooked in onion, garlic, milk and spices.
Grains seeds were cooked and mixed with water to make gruel (porridege). Around 20,000 years ago, people learned to gruel on a hot stone to make flat bread, like pitta. The development of pottery meant that liquids could be heated to make stews. The oldest pottery is 13,000-year-old pots from Odai-Yamomoto in Japan. The first pots from the Near East, from Iran, date back 11,000 years.
Around 12,000 years ago, people found how to make food last by letting it ferment, making cheese from milk and wine from grapes. Around 8000 BC, people began to farm animals such as sheep and grow plants. Farmers in Palestine were growing oil-rich olives to squeeze and make olive oil in huge amounts, around 4000 BC. Romans consumed it in vast quantities.
About 2600 BC, the Egyptians found that by leaving gruel to ferment, they could make dough. The baked this in ovens to make the first raised bread. Honey was the main sweetener. Egyptians kept bees for honey and also made sweet syrups from fruits.
The oldest recipe book is an Assyrian stone tablet dating from 1700 BC. It features 25 recipes, including a bird called a tarru cooked in onion, garlic, milk and spices.
Alexander The Great
Alexander the Great was a young Macedonian king who was one of the greatest generals in history. He built an empire stretching from Greece to India. Alexander was born in 356 BC in Pella, capital of Macedonia. His father, King Philip II, was a tough fighter who conquered neighboring Greece. His mother was the fiery Olympias, who told him that he was descended from Achilles, the hero of the Iliad.
As a boy, he was tutored by the famous philosopher Aristotle. A story tells how he tamed the unrideable horse Bucephalus, which afterwards carried him as far as India. When Alexander was 20, his father was murdered by a bodyguard and he became king. Alexander quickly stamped out rebellion.
In 334 BC, Alexander crossed the narrow neck of sea separating Europe from Asia with his army. Within a year, he had conquered the Persian Empire. In 331 BC, Alexander led his army into Egypt, where he was made pharaoh and founded the city of Alexandria. He trekked to the desert oasis of Siwah, where legend says an oracle proclaimed him son of the Greek god Zeus.
In 327 BC, he married the lovely Bactrian princess, Roxane. After capturing the city of Babylon and finishing off the Persian King, Darius, Alexander led his conquering army into India. Here his homesick troops finally asked to go home.
In 325 BC, Alexander had hips built and carried his army down the Indus River and returned to Babylon. Within a year, he fell ill and died.
As a boy, he was tutored by the famous philosopher Aristotle. A story tells how he tamed the unrideable horse Bucephalus, which afterwards carried him as far as India. When Alexander was 20, his father was murdered by a bodyguard and he became king. Alexander quickly stamped out rebellion.
In 334 BC, Alexander crossed the narrow neck of sea separating Europe from Asia with his army. Within a year, he had conquered the Persian Empire. In 331 BC, Alexander led his army into Egypt, where he was made pharaoh and founded the city of Alexandria. He trekked to the desert oasis of Siwah, where legend says an oracle proclaimed him son of the Greek god Zeus.
In 327 BC, he married the lovely Bactrian princess, Roxane. After capturing the city of Babylon and finishing off the Persian King, Darius, Alexander led his conquering army into India. Here his homesick troops finally asked to go home.
In 325 BC, Alexander had hips built and carried his army down the Indus River and returned to Babylon. Within a year, he fell ill and died.
Surya Vamsam (Solar Dynasty) & Chandra Vamsam (Lunar Dynasty)
by Ananth H S
Indian mythology speak of two dynasties which ruled India, Surya Vamsa (Solar Dynasty) and Chandra Vamsa (Lunar Dynasty).
Lord Rama belonged to the Surya (Solar Dynasty) while the Kauravas and Pandavas belonged to Lunar Dynasty (Chandra Vamsa).
It is possible that both these dynasties are related.
The Dynasty of Cholas descended from the Surya Vamsa, Solar Dynasty of Rama while Pandyas from the Chandra Vamsa, Lunar Dynasty.
Indian mythology speak of two dynasties which ruled India, Surya Vamsa (Solar Dynasty) and Chandra Vamsa (Lunar Dynasty).
Lord Rama belonged to the Surya (Solar Dynasty) while the Kauravas and Pandavas belonged to Lunar Dynasty (Chandra Vamsa).
It is possible that both these dynasties are related.
The Dynasty of Cholas descended from the Surya Vamsa, Solar Dynasty of Rama while Pandyas from the Chandra Vamsa, Lunar Dynasty.