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Resources by Subject: Ancient Inventions

Resources, links, and subject pages for research topics and teacher's projects

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Spry Database Page

Suggested Databases:

  • Britannica School (multimedia online encyclopedia)
  • Ancient and Medieval History from Infobase
  • World History from Gale OneFile
  • Gale in Context Middle

Hint: Scan through the article and look for the section about the "history" of your time period and/or the ancient cultures we are studying.

 

MyBib.com -create citations for your websites, books, etc.

mybib.com image and link

 

Books & eBooks (Ancient Inventions)

Spry Library Catalog

Spry Library Catalog Image and Link

Abacus

Search:

Abacus: Britannica School (level 2, 3) ; WorldBook Online ; Research in Context Middle (see Reference)

Spry Database Page

Abacus

Archey

Associated words: Archery, Bows, Arrows, longbows. crossbows

Search:

Archery ; WorldBook Online ;  Britannica School (levels 1, 2, 3) ; Gale in Context Middle

Spry Database Page

 

ancient archery

Webpages:

Archery - Kidcyber

Archery - SoftSchools.com

Archery History-From Ancient Archery to Modern Sport - History of Archery

Archery in Archaic Greece - Todd Davis, Columbia Academic Commons

Arches

Associated words: Arch and Arches, bridges, construction

Search: 

Arch: Gale in Context Middle (see Reference) ; Infobase Ancient and Medieval World ; WorldBook Online

Spry Database Page

Arch of Drusus

Webpages:

Arch Facts for Kids - Kiddle

Now dig deeper: The History of Architecture in Eleven Arches - Architectural Review

Calendar

Associated Words: Calendars, Gregorian Calendar, Julian Calendar, Mayan Calendar

Search: 

Calendar: Britannica School (Level 2 or 3) ; InfoBase Ancient and Medieval History ;  WorldBook Online

Spry Database Page

ancient roman calendar

Webpages:

Ancient and Modern Calendars - Easy Science for Kids

Ancient China: Calendar - Ducksters

Roman Calendars - HistoryforKids

Now dig deeper: History of the Calendar - Calendar

Catapult

Associated words: Catapult, siege weapon, trebuchet, ballista, castles, fortified walls 

Search:

Catapult: WorldBook Online ; Britannica School (level 2) ; Gale in Context (see Reference)

Spry Database Page

ancient catapult - reproduction

Webpages:

Catapult Facts for Kids - Kiddle

Catapult - AcademicKids

History of Catapults -  Physics of Catapults

History of the Catapult - StormTheCastle

Chariot

Search:

Chariot: InfoBase Ancient and Medieval History ; WorldBook Online ; Britannica Academic 

Spry Database Page

Greek urn depicting chariot

Webpages:

Chariot - AcademicKids

Chariot Facts for Kids - Kiddle

Now dig deeper: Chariot Racing—Ancient Rome’s Most Dangerous Sport:- Great Courses Daily 

The City / Cities

Associated words: City, cities, metropolitan, urban, community

Search

Cities: InfoBase Ancient and Medieval History 

City:  Britannica School (levels 2 & 3 are different articles) ; WorldBook Online

Spry Database Page

Ancient city

Webpages:

City Facts for Kids - Kiddle

Ancient Egypt: Cities - Ducksters

The City of Rome - HistoryForKids

Compass

Associated words: Compass, Direction, Focus, Lodestar, Magnetism, Navigation, Polestar

Search: 

Compass: Infobase Ancient and Medieval History ; Gale in Context Middle (see Reference) ; Britannica School (level 3) ; WorldBook Online 

Spry Database Page

ancient chinese compass

Webpages:

Early Chinese Compass: 400 B.C. - Magnetic Academy

History of the Compass - FourGreatInventions

Invention of the Compass -  History of the Compass

Concrete

Associated Words: Cement, Concrete, Portland Cement, Hydraulic Cement, Building materials, pozzolana

Concrete: Britannica School (level 2)

Cement: Britannical School (level 2, 3), Gale in Context Middle (Reference)

Spry Database Page

ancient roman bath shows concrete mortar

 

Webpages:

Concrete facts for Kids (Kiddle)

History of Concrete and Cement from ThoughtCo. (adult)

Timeline of Concrete and Cement - Concrete Network

Dig Deeper with caution using the Gale Power Search:  An example of the results include Roman Cement: The History of Exotic Cement is so Relevant... from the Journal Walls & Ceilings

 

Cuneiform

Associated words: Cuneiform, Writing system, wedge, tablet symbols

Search:

Cuneiform or Cuneiform writing: Britannica School (2, 3) ; Research in Context: Middle (Reference: Gale Middle School Online Collection

Babylonia and Assyria, (The Sumerian Writing System, Sumerian Schools) : Britannica School- Level 2) 

Spry Database Page

Image of cuneiform tablet

Webpages:

Cuneiform (Mr. Donn's Ancient Mesopotamia for Kids)

Cuneiform Facts for Kids- Kiddle

Democracy

Associated words: Democracy, Democratic, Government, Citizen, Demos, Legislature, Senate, Election

Search:

Democracy: Britannica School (3, 2)

Spry Database Page

ancient democracy votes - pot shards

Webpages:

Democracy - Scholastic

Democracy Facts for Kids - Kiddle

Domestic Animals

(Domestication of Animals)

 

Associated words: domesticated animals, domestication, farms, livestock, (cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, horses, dogs, cats)

Search

Domesticated Animal: Britannica School (Level 2)

Domestication of Animals: InfoBase Ancient and Medieval History

Spry Database Page

ancient domestic animals

Webpages:

10 Facts About Domestic Animals - Fact File

Ancient Roman Animals: The history of animals in Italy - Explore Italian Culture

Domestication - National Geographic

Now dig deeper: Animals of Ancient Egypt - Nikki Brabaw, Anthropology from MSU

Fire

Associated words: Fire, flames, cooking, smelting, combustion, ignition, burn

Search:

Fire: Britannica School (Level 3) ; WorldBook Online

Early Fire; SIRS DIscoverer

https://www.worldbookonline.com/student-new/#/article/home/ar197340/fire 

https://online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/7?articleId=215237&q=fire%20control

Spry Database Page

ancient fire invention Roman Oven image

Webpages:

Control of Fire by Early Humans - from Kiddle

How Fire Was Discovered - Wonderopolis

When Did Humans Discover Fire? The Answer Depends on What You Mean by "Discover" - Time.com

Geometry

Associated words: Geometry, Mathematics, Math in (Egypt, Greece)

Search: 

Geometry: WorldBook Online (see History) ;  Britannica School (level 3) ; Gale in Context Middle (see Reference section)

Spry Database Page

geometry of egyptian design image

Gunpowder

Associated terms: Gunpowder, Weapon, Firearms, Black Powder, Explosive(s), Fireworks and Signals

Search:

Gunpowder: Britannica School (2) ; Gale in Context Middle (Reference, or other)

Spry Database Page

gunpowder firearms of ancient china

Kite

Associated words: Kite or kites

Search: 

Kite: WorldBook Online ;  Britannica School (level 3)

Spry Database Page

ancient illustration of a kite

Locks

Associated words: Lock, locks ; Lock and key, lock (security)

Search: 

Lock: WorldBook Online, Britannica Academic

Lock and Key: Britannica School (level 3, level 2 -see History)

Spry Database Page

 Ancient Door Locks

Webpages:

Now dig deeper:.

 An Introduction to the History of Locks  - Accurate Security Pros 

5 Important Locks Throughout History - Chris Strauss 

Dictionary of Lock Related Words - Historical Locks

Mathematics

Associated words: Math, Mathematics, Algebra, Geometry, zero, Arithmetic 

Search:

Mathematics: Britannica School (level 2 and 3) ; WorldBook Online ; InfoBase: Ancient & Medieval History (very detailed)

Spry Database Page

See the source image

Webpages:

 Math Facts for Kids - Interesting Trivia & Information : The History of Mathematics - KidsMathGamesOnline

History of Mathematics Facts for Kids - Kiddle (Contains mostly images with captions explaining)

Curious Kids: how was maths discovered? Who made up the numbers and rules? - The Conversation

History of Mathematics -  Academic Kids

Newspapers

Associated words: newspaper

Newspaper: Britannica School (level 2) 

Spry Database Page

 

Early newspaper facsimile

Olympics

Associated words: Olympics, competitions, Olympic games

Olympics: Britannica School (Level 2) & for extensive article Britannica School (Level 3)

Spry Database Page

 

Olympians depicted on Greek urn

Paper

Associated words: paper, pulp, woodpulp, (Other: papyrus, bambo, vellum, silk, tablets, cotton)

Search

Paper: Brittanica School ; WorldBook Online

Spry Database Page

history of paper making in ancient china

Webpages:

Paper- KidCyber

Paper Facts for Kids - Kiddle

Now dig deeper: The Invention of Paper - from Thought Company

Plow (Plough)

Associated words: Plow, Plough, furrow, agriculture or farming, planting, irrigation, oxen, share (mainshare), soil or dirt, hoe(s), pick or spade.

Search:

Plow - Britannica School (Level 2) ; WorldBook Online Gale in Context Middle (Reference)

 Spry Database Page

Image result for ancient plough

Plumbing

Associated words: Plumbing, sanitation, water

Search:

Plumbing: WorldBook Online : Britannica School (Level 2)

Spry Database Page

ancient roman sewer

Porcelain

Associated words: Porcelain, pottery, kiln, clay, stoneware, earthenware, potter

Search: 

Pottery and Porcelain: Britannica School (level 2 or 3) ; WorldBook Online

Pottery or porcelain: Gale in Context (Select Document Type: Articles, Transcripts, documents, etc.)

Spry Database Page

 

deep cobal blue apothecary jar from China

Webpages:

Porcelain Facts for Kids - Kiddle

Chinese Potter - DKFindout

Egyptian Pottery - History for Kids

Now dig deeper with Deen Pottery's History

Printing Press

Associated words: Printing, Printing Press, Block Printing, Johann Gutenberg

Search:

Printing: WorldBook Online (see History) ;  Britannica School (level 3 and 2) ; InfoBase Ancient and Medieval History

Printing Press (Printing, in China) ; InfoBase Ancient and Medieval History 

Printing Press (Gutenberg, Johannes): InfoBase Ancient and Medieval History

Spry Database Page

Image result for Printing Press History

Roman Roads

Associated words: Roman Roads, Apian Way, Aqueducts

Search: 

Roman Roads:

Ancient Rome: Britannica School (level 2), see - Two Centuries of Peace and Prosperity

Roman Road Systems: Britannica Academic

Rome: Britannica School (level 2) 

Appian Way: Britannica School (level 2, 3)

Spry Database Page

Via Apia image

Silk

Associated Words: Silk Road (history of the silk trade)

Search:

SilkBritannica School (level 3), (Level 2- see- history) ;  WorldBook Online

Spry Database Page

silk making image

Webpages:

Ancient China: Legend of Silk - Ducksters

Silk Facts for Kids - Kiddle

Tea

Associated words: Tea, brew, Chinese Camellia, Tisane

Search: 

Tea : Gale in Context Middle ; Britannica School)

Spry Database Page

Image result for ancient tea

Webpages:

Tea: Ancient China for Kids (Mr Donn) 

Dig Deeper "with caution" by reading this page intended for adults: The History of Tea from Coffeeteawarehouse

Wheel

Associated words: Wheel(s), axel, roads, chariots

Search:

Wheel: Britannica School (Level 2) ; Gale in Context Middle (Reference) ; Infobase Ancient & Medieval History

Spry Database Page

Image result for Egyptian Wheel