History is a huge subject, and it’s easy to get the Vikings mixed up with the Victorians, or the Aztecs confused with the Ancient Egyptians! Here at PlanBee we have written a set of fascinating facts about some of the most interesting civilisations or periods of history that you are likely to learn about at school. Here are our top ten history blogs - we have organised them in chronological order too - so you know who came first!
Here’s a little taster of some of the fascinating facts each blog includes!
During the Neolithic period of the Stone Age, the mysterious monument of Stonehenge was built. No one is quite sure why or how it was built, and it remains one of the greatest mysteries in human history. Read the full Stone Age fact blog to learn more about this fascinating time in history.
When people think of ancient Egypt, they often think of mummies. Mummification was a process of embalming that preserved bodies after death. This process, which took 70 days to complete, involved removing all the moisture from a body so that it wouldn’t decay easily. Take a look at our Ancient Egyptians fact blog to find out more!
The Maya believed that they had to offer blood sacrifices to their gods. They thought that if they didn’t, the Sun wouldn’t rise and the world would end. Blood sacrifices could be given in many ways. Rulers, for example, would pull spiky ropes through their tongues to draw blood, or fingernails would be pulled from slaves or captives. If you want to learn more about this civilisation, read our The Maya fact blog.
Sport was a very important pastime. Every four years, the Olympic Games were held in Olympia. After the first Olympic Games in 776 BC, more and more events were added to the usual running race. In later years, wrestling, chariot racing and boxing were popular events. No wars were allowed to take place in the month before the Olympic Games so that spectators could travel to the games unharmed. Our Ancient Greece fact blog has much more interesting information!
The Romans had a very well-organised army which allowed them to conquer other countries. The Roman army was one of the most successful armies in history and far more advanced than any other army at the time. Soldiers had to be very tough and highly trained. They had to walk long distances to battles carrying heavy equipment, such as weapons, tents and food. Read the full Romans fact blog to find out more.
Laws were harsh in Anglo-Saxon times. Liars had their tongues cut out and thieves had their hands chopped off. Sometimes, a criminal was given a trial by ordeal, such as holding a red-hot iron. If the wound healed, they were declared innocent. ‘Weregild’ was paid as compensation if you injured someone or did wrong to someone. The amount of ‘weregild’ paid depended on how important the victim was. Take a look at our Anglo-Saxons fact blog to find out more!
Scandinavia, the Viking homeland, has long coastlines, so the Vikings used boats as the easiest way to get around. Longboats were the perfect shape for invading coastal towns because they could sail all the way up to the sandy coast without the need for an anchor. This allowed them to sneak up on the towns, ready to attack before the townspeople had a chance to defend themselves. If you want to learn more, read our Vikings fact blog.
The Aztecs built a floating city called Tenochtitlan (say Tay-nok-teet-lan) on a swampy island in the middle of a lake! It became one of the biggest cities in the world at the time. The city was designed on a grid structure. There was a central square with royal palaces and temples. Water causeways ran through the city with bridges that could be removed if an enemy attacked. Our Aztecs fact blog has much more interesting information!
Sugar became a very popular commodity amongst wealthy people in Tudor times but it was so expensive that only the rich could afford it. Elizabeth I had a very sweet tooth and ate so much sugar that her teeth rotted and turned black. This started a fashion for black teeth among rich people – they wanted to show that they could afford lots of sugar too! Want to find out more about this period of time in history? Read our Tudor fact blog.
There was an explosion of industry in Britain in the Victorian period. The Industrial Revolution meant that there were more factories so mass-production of clothes, furniture and other goods was possible for the first time. This meant that these items were cheaper and more widely available than ever before. Find out more by reading our Victorians fact blog.
If you enjoyed these history-based blogs, check out even more of Planbee’s Fascinating Facts blogs - from famous people such as Malala Yousafzai and Roald Dahl, to exciting events such as the Moon Landing or Bonfire Night, we have lots more for you to find out about!
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