Pre-History the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Questions: Pre-History - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Pre-History The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Have you heard of the seven wonders of the ancient world? These are seven impressive1 objects built between the years 3000 B.C.E. and 500 C.E. The ancient Greeks were the first to make a list of these wonders. They were known for making lists of things they thought were impressive. From the Greeks, this list has been passed down through the centuries.

Starting with the oldest, here are the seven wonders of the ancient world and some facts about each one.

1. The Great Pyramid of Giza Where is it? Giza, Egypt When was it built? Around 2600 B.C.E.

Facts: The Great Pyramid stands at 450 feet high. The base covers 13 acres. This is the only one of the ancient wonders that is still standing. You could visit it today!

2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon Where were they? Babylon, the city that is now Baghdad in Iraq. When were they built? about 600 B.C.E.

Facts: The Hanging Gardens are the only ancient wonder that may not have been real. The hanging gardens were built by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. They were built to honor one of his many wives. The gardens hung above the city. Some were 75 feet high. Unfortunately, the gardens no longer exist.

3. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

1 Impressive- having the power to affect someone strongly

Questions: Pre-History - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Where was it? Ephesus, now a part of Turkey When was it built? 550 B.C.E.

Facts: This temple, dedicated2 to the Greek goddess Artemis, was one of the biggest temples of the ancient world. It was made out of marble. It had 106 columns. It was 40 feet wide and 377 feet long. The temple was destroyed in 262 C.E.

4. The Statue of Zeus Where was it? Olympia, Greece When was it built? About 457 B.C.E.

Facts: Zeus was the Greek ruler of the gods. This statue of him was one of the most famous statues in the ancient world. Made out of ivory and gold, it was an impressive 40 feet high. A fire destroyed the statue in 426 B.C.E.

5. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus Where was it? Turkey When was it built? About 353 B.C.

Facts: The word mausoleum comes from this huge white marble tomb. The tomb held the remains of Mausolus, a ruler of the Persian Empire. It stood 140 feet high. Its base had 36 columns. Today, some ruins from the mausoleum are in the British Museum.

6. The Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria

2 Dedicated- set apart for a special purpose

Questions: Pre-History - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Where was it? Alexandria, Egypt When was it built? About 280 B.C.E.

Facts: This lighthouse stood over 400 feet tall in Alexandria’s harbor. The light that guided ships was actually a huge fire burning at the very top. An earthquake destroyed the lighthouse over 500 years ago. Then, in 1994, divers found what they believe are the remains of the lighthouse in Alexandria’s harbor.

7. The Colossus of Rhodes Where was it? Rhodes, an island in Greece. When was it built? Around the early 200s B.C.E.

Facts: The colossus was a statue of the Greek sun god Helios. It straddled3 the entrance to the harbor at Rhodes. The statue was made of bronze and took 12 years to build. It stood 120 feet tall, about as big as the Statue of Liberty. An earthquake destroyed the colossus in 224 B.C.E.

3 straddled: stood with legs on either side of

Questions: Pre-History - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Name: ______Date: ______

1. Which one of the seven wonders is still standing? a. The Great Pyramid b. The Hanging Hardens c. the Temple of Artemis d. None of them

2. In what order are the wonder presented? a. By size b. By civilization c. By importance d. By age

3. What do all of the wonders have in common? a. They were all built in the era B.C.E. b. They are all large. c. They were all built by humans. d. All of the above.

4. How is information about the wonders presented? a. in a paragraph b. as a graph c. as a list d. in an illustration

5. The passage “The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World” is mostly about a. seven things in nature that ancient people could not explain. b. the seven questions that all scientists ask about the ancient world. c. impressive objects built by ancient people. d. the most impressive buildings in Egypt.

Questions: Pre-History - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

6. Which of the seven wonders seems the most impressive to you? Why? List two facts to support your opinion.

______

7. What was the light that guided ships from the Lighthouse of Alexandria?

______

8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

First the Great Pyramids were built, then the Temple of Artemis, and ______the Colossus of Rhodes.

a. before b. also c. including d. finally

9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus holds the body of Mausolus, who ruled the Persian Empire.

What? the Mausoleum of Halicarnassua

(does) What? ______

(who did) What? ______

10. Vocabulary Word: dedicated: set apart for a specific purpose.

Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ______

______

Answers: Pre-History - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Teacher Guide and Answers

Passage Reading Level: Lexile 830

Featured Text Structure: Enumerative – the writer includes a list, giving examples of something. This text structure is often combined with cause/effect or problem/solution.

Passage Summary: There were seven wonders of the ancient world, as recorded by the Greeks, who loved making lists. This passage contains the location, date built, and some facts about each of them.

1. Which one of the seven wonders is still standing? a. The Great Pyramid b. The Hanging Hardens c. the Temple of Artemis d. None of them

2. In what order are the wonder presented? a. By size b. By civilization c. By importance d. By age

3. What do all of the wonders have in common? a. They were all built in the era B.C.E. b. They are all large. c. They were all built by humans. d. All of the above.

4. How is information about the wonders presented? a. in a paragraph b. as a graph c. as a list d. in an illustration

Answers: Pre-History - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

6. Which of the seven wonders seems the most impressive to you? Why? List two facts to support your opinion.

Suggested answer: Answers will vary. Here is a sample answer: I think the great pyramid is the most impressive because it is the oldest wonder and is also the only one that is still standing.

7. What was the light that guided ships from the Lighthouse of Alexandria?

Suggested answer: The light that guided ships from the Lighthouse of Alexandria was a huge fire that was burning at the very top.

8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

First the Great Pyramids were built, then the Temple of Artemis, and ______the Colossus of Rhodes.

a. before b. also c. including d. finally

9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus holds the body of Mausolus, who ruled the Persian Empire.

What? the Mausoleum of Halicarnassua

(does) What? holds the body of Mausolus

(who did) What? ruled the Persian Empire

10. Vocabulary Word: dedicated: set apart for a specific purpose.

Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary.