-
The Great Pyramid was built by the pharaoh Khufu and rises to a height of 455 feet, the tallest man-made object for the next 3 thousand years. "The Great Pyramid of Giza is a defining symbol of Egypt and the last of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World." (2) The Great Pyramid of Giza shows historical significance because its colossal size and craftsmanship tell historians just how advanced the Egyptians were for their time. 3
-
In approximately 1771, BCE, Hammurabi, king of the Babylonian Empire, decreed a set of laws to every city-state to better govern his bourgeoning empire. Known today as the Code of Hammurabi, the 282 laws are one of the earliest and more complete written legal codes from ancient times. The codes show continuity and change as they have served as a model for establishing justice in other cultures and are believed to have influenced laws established by Hebrew scribes. 1
-
King Tut was a young Pharoah accomplished little during his reign but he is most famous for his intact tomb being found in 1922. "His tomb contained oils, toys from his childhood, precious jewelry, and statues of gold and ebony."(4) King Tutankhamen's mummification helps us understand continuity and change as his undisturbed tomb helps us understand how mummifications have changed throughout time and civilizations. Such comparisons can be made between King Tut and earlier Egyptian burials.
-
Nebuchadnezzar II was a King of Babylon, he is known for being a great warrior-king. He has left being writings such as the one about his decoration of Babylon, "I placed wild bulls and ferocious dragons in the gateways and thus adorned them with luxurious splendor that people might gaze on them in wonder." (2) This shows a historical perspective as it allows us to understand his thought process and gain knowledge of what it would have been like to live in ancient Babylon.
-
Alexander the Great was King of Macedonia (336–323 BCE), who overthrew the Persian empire and laid the foundations for the Hellenistic world of territorial kingdoms. According to Brittanica, "His career led to the moving of the great centres of civilization eastward and initiated the new age of the Greek territorial monarchies; it spread Hellenism in a vast colonizing wave" (5) The consequences of this include his empire being too big to be stable, causing it to break into independent states.
-
The first Roman coins were probably the small bronze ones of low value produced at Neapolis. According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, "all classes could work to own coins which could be spent on all manner of goods and service." (7) This is important because it tells us that all classes no longer had to rely on bartering to obtain goods or services, they could be boughten by currency, streamlining the economy to make it easier for money to be exchanged.
-
The Second Punic War was fought between Carthage and Rome between 218 - 201 BCE. Carthage was lead by Hannibal, Rome's greatest ever foe. Hannibal had initial successes but eventually fell to Rome's superior resources. The Second Punic War is an example of cause and consequence, as shown when Hannibal invaded one of Rome's ally, Saguntum, starting the war. The consequence of this action is shown when Carthage lost the war and is forced to pay 10,000 talents over the next half-century. (7)
-
The Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens was built over several centuries starting in 174 BCE and only finally completed in 131 CE. "Its unusually tall columns and layout made the temple one of the largest ever built in the ancient world." (6) The temple of Zeus shows historical significance because it represents how strong Greek belief in their gods was as they were willing to build such massive temples as worship centers and it also shows us the architectural skill and abilities of the Greeks.
-
The invention of paper in ancient china is extremely important even as it has impacted the world in ways of literature, education, information, and knowledge-sharing among many more. According to the travel china guide "Before its invention, bones, tortoise shells, and bamboo slips were all used as writing surfaces." (9) The continuity of the use of paper, as well as the change and improvements it has made throughout its life, shows how important its use has been to our civilizations.
-
Gunpowder is one of the most historically important inventions as it has changed the ways wars have been fought ever since. According to livescience.com, "Gunpowder made warfare all over the world very different, affecting the way battles were fought and borders were drawn throughout the Middle Ages."(10) The historical significance of gunpowder is shown by looking at how it has affected the world, it changed the way wars played out, and is still to this day used as the basis for modern weapons.
