Social Studies/History - Ancient History

Akhet Internet: The Horizon to the Past
http://www.akhet.co.uk/

America's Stone Age
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/stoneage/
How fascinating to look back to the Americans of the Stone Age. Who were these people? Where did they come from, and when did they arrive? Here's an easy-to-understand, interactive look at these first Americans.

Ancient China (British Museum)
http://www.ancientchina.co.uk/menu.html  
The site is divided into five 'chapters' which address themes or topics relevant to ancient China. Within each 'chapter' there are three sections: Story (narratives), Explore (pupil controls the order in which they access the information) and Challenge (historical, analytical, mathematical, or observational activities). Main topics include Crafts and Artisans; Geography; Time (how time was kept in ancient China; Tombs and Ancestors; and Writing (nature and uses of writing in ancient China).

Ancient History (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/  
On this site you'll find in-depth articles, multimedia (games, virtual tours and animations) as well as bite-size material like timelines and short biographies of historic figures. Ancient History covers Anglo Saxons, Egyptians, Greeks, Prehistory, Romans, and Vikings. Done by the BBC, so some things like Programmes are not applicable to most students; however there are chats and forums with experts from BBC History programmes, recommended printable articles, and quizzes and activities on selected historical themes.

Ancient India
http://www.ancientindia.co.uk/  
This site has 3 main goals: 1) provide an educationally sound online resource that can be used independently by pupils; 2) provide teachers with an online resource that is user-friendly and combines suggested classroom activities and online activities with background support and information; and 3) present information about ancient India through the use of objects from the British Museum's collection. It is divided into these sections: Geography, Story of the Buddha, growth of civilization around the Indus Valley, ancient scripts, how time was kept in ancient India, and the evolution of the gods and goddesses and the development of the modern Hindu religion.

Ancient Mexico
http://www.ancientmexico.com/
Welcome to Ancient Mexico where you can learn about the history, art, and culture of Ancient Mesoamerica. There are sections called Map, The Gods, The Conquest, Timeline, and Documents. On the front page if you scroll down you can also find interesting articles on things in the news about Ancient Mexico. So, travel back in time and discover the rich history of Mexico.

AncientScripts.com
http://www.ancientscripts.com/  
According to the site creator, Lawrence K. Lo, "The aim of Ancient Scripts is not to replace texts books or instructional web sites. Instead, it is designed to give an introduction to writing systems, which hopefully will tantalize the reader into searching for more information on the web or in books and publications." Major divisions within the site are: 1) Writing Systems; 2) Phonetics; 3) Historical Linguistics; 4) Extra (ramblings, games, etc); 5) Bibliography; and 6) Web links. Quite extensive and written in a style that is accessible to young learners.

Camelot Village
http://www.camelotintl.com/village/street.html
This site provides a colorful interactive introduction to daily life in Britain during the Middle Ages. Visitors will have an entertaining look at some of Britain's historical places of the period, as well as Arthurian legends and daily life.

Cleopatra: A Multimedia Guide to the Ancient World
http://www.artic.edu/cleo/index.html  
Cleopatra: is an interactive guide to the Ancient Art Collection of The Art Institute of Chicago. Cleopatra, queen of Egypt from 51 to 30 B.C., embodied the three great cultures of the ancient Mediterranean region: she was Greek by birth, ruled Egypt as its queen, and lost her kingdom to Rome. See the "Close-up" views of the Ancient Art objects, hear their "Stories" and listen to the Glossary pronunciations. Includes printable lesson plans for grades 4 thru 12.

Egyptian Hieroglyphs
http://www.greatscott.com/hiero/index.html
Learn the basics of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing and numbering with these online lessons. Lessons include Writing, Numbers & Fractions, and Eye of Horus. There are also links to other Egyptian sites.

Egyptian Mad Libs
http://neferchichi.com/madlibs.html
Students enjoy making funny stories. Here they can enter nouns verbs and adjectives to make funny stories about the Egyptians.

Egyptomania
http://www.clevelandart.org/kids/egypt/index.html
Students are just naturally curious about mummies, pyramids, and other mysteries of ancient Egypt. The Cleveland Museum of Art has provided an excellent page of interesting, easy-to-understand facts about Egyptian life that can augment the typical textbook entries. The Museum has included a page highlighting the animals that lived in ancient times, depicted by the Egyptians in their paintings and sculpture. A clickable quiz, an Egyptomania Coloring Book, and an activity consisting of building a Pharaoh makes this an excellent website for the students to explore.

Eternal Egypt
http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet
Enjoy the sheer beauty of this site. Eternal Egypt will intrigue students by the interactivity offered on subjects such as artifacts, places, culture, and people of ancient Egypt. This site seems like a well-done textbook come to life. Everything moves, everything connects and blends into an intriguing virtual trip across deserts and through pyramids.

Greek Medicine (National Institute of Health)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/greek/index.html  
An online exhibit prepared by Michael North of the History of Medicine Division of the National Library of Medicine, this site covers loss and recovery of Greek medicine, timeline, vocabulary, Olympian healers, Hippocrates, Aristotle, Galen, and other Greek physicians.

History for Kids!
http://www.historyforkids.org/
After you realize that you have to click on the tiny graphics below the title, this site has some good information suitable for students in grades 3-8. Concise essays, written in easy-to-understand language, introduce students to the early civilizations of Egyt, Greece, Rome, Central Asia, Ancient Islam, and the Middle Ages.

Hyperhistory Online
http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html
HyperHistory has over 2,000 files covering 3,000 years of world history with a combination of colorful graphics, lifelines, timelines, and maps. Categories are People, History, Events, and Maps color coded according to Science, Technology, Economy, Discovery, Culture, Philosophy, Art, Music, Poetry, Religion, Theology, Politics and War. A massive site that is well worth a visit!

In Search of Ancient Ireland
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ancientireland/index.html
On St. Patrick's Day we turn our attention to that Ireland of ancient myth and romantic mysticism. But what is fact and what is fiction? This beautiful site explores the history, the religion, the culture and commerce, and even the Bronze Age in Ireland. Teachers will appreciate the cross curricular lesson plans aligned with benchmarks and standards.

Journey to the Afterlife
http://egyptianantiquities.com.au/Journey/FLASH/VIDEO/512K.cfm
With stunning details from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, this video, produced by the National Gallery of Australia, explains the very complex belief system of the ancient Egyptians regarding life after death . There are explanations about the roles various Egyptian gods and goddesses played in helping souls pass from life through death and into the afterlife. This is an especially helpful resource for learners whose reading comprehension levels may be below their listening comprehension levels.

Little Horus
http://www.horus.ics.org.eg/en/default.aspx
This site offers students a look into Egyptian history as well as Egypt today. It includes "tours" of museums, snapshots of Egypt, and games.

Mark Millmore's Ancient Egypt
http://www.discoveringegypt.com/
Learn about the ancient pyramids, find out how to write your name using hieroglyphs, discover the secrets behind Egyptian mathematics, and more at this informative site.

Middle Ages
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/

Middle Ages
http://www.themiddleages.net/index.html

Mississipian Moundbuilders and Their Artifacts
http://www.mississippian-artifacts.com/  
By Anthony Stein: For more than half a millenium, the Mississippian people cultivated vast agricultural settlements based on corn, squash and beans. However, the Mississippians were much more than prosperous farmers. They also developed a complex and highly organized culture based on a ritualistic relationship between the people and the land. This site contains information, photographs of artifacts, and sketches of daily life. Artifacts include: pottery, pipes, flint points, ear ornaments, beads, and more.

Mysteries of the Nile (NOVA/PBS Online)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/egypt/  
Want to see the Sphinx close up? Clamber inside the Great Pyramid? Visit the magnificent tombs and temples of Luxor? Simply click on the images and enjoy a self-guided QuickTime tour through the Land of the Pharaohs. There's so much here, it's easy to get lost. Use the Site Guide to see the list of everything available. The classroom resources section helps you customize your own lesson plans, check out their lesson plans, or get started with ideas to energize your students.

Ottomans
http://www.theottomans.org/english/index.asp  
This site aims to become the leading information portal regarding the history, military, culture and arts of the Ottoman Empire that has once dominated a large territory from Egypt to Russia, from India to Austria. The site contains a chronology, maps, glossary, history, military history, biographical info, art and cultures. Theottomans.org is written and edited by Mr. Korkut Ozgen, born in Istanbul and a graduate of History Faculty at Bogazici University, Istanbul.

Paris, A Roman City
http://www.paris.culture.fr/en/
A site that explores the history of Paris (or Lutetia, as the Romans called it) by following the traces of its early inhabitants and various archaeological remnants. The site focuses principally on the Roman phase of the city's history (which began in 52 B.C.) but also includes information on the earliest settlements in the area. The site provides a wonderful explanation of the role geography played in the city's founding and expansion.

Petra, Lost City of Stone
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/petra/
Click on "View Panorama" at the bottom of the screen for a trip all around this incredible ancient city. This beautiful site explores the people of Petra, their daily life, and religious beliefs. Educators can find activities tied into science and social studies' state standards.

Secrets of Egypt (National Geographic)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/
Explore the pyramids of ancient Egypt through diagrams, photos, and facts; plus get related links, kids content, news stories, and more. Read the journal of a writer who spent 4 days exploring ancient sites. Interactive features include Treasures of Egypt, At the Tomb of Tutankhamun, Mysteries of Egypt Movie Preview, How to Make a Mummy. There are also games and standards-based lessons for grades K-12.

Smith College Museum of Ancient Inventions
http://www.smith.edu/hsc/museum/ancient_inventions/

Tomb of Tutankhamen
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/egypt/

Traditions of the Sun (Chaco Culture National Historical Park)
http://www.traditionsofthesun.org  
Traditions of the Sun: Chaco Culture National Historical Park allows visitors to explore the park, learning about NASA research on the Sun and Native American solar practices within a larger historical and cultural context. Chaco Canyon was a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture from around 850 to 1250 A.D. Users can pan and zoom satellite images of the canyon as well aerial photos of the great houses, which are the enormous ancient structures found in the park. Clicking on points of interest brings up ground-based and aerial photos, historic images, QuickTime VR and time-lapse video. There are over 300 images and videos in the site.

Vikings, The North Atlantic Saga
http://www.mnh.si.edu/vikings/start.html
Students love the exciting sagas of the Vikings. This beautifully done web site is the companion to the Viking Exhibit and television documentary. Students can sail their Viking longship along the routes to the settlements in Greenland, Markland, Helluland, and Vinland. Once there, a click starts a narrative about the archeology, sagas, history, and environment. What cultures would they have met at that time? Teachers will enjoy the Learning Center that offers guides to the study of the Vikings.

Winged Sandals
http://www.wingedsandals.com/ 
Take the tour with Hermes the messenger god, through a magical place filled with awesome gods, daring heroes and fabulous monsters. This site was designed to take advantage of the latest technologies and "inspire a thirst for the classics in a new generation." Of particular interest is the Who's Who in Classical Mythology which was created to complement this site. There are interactive activities, games, and goodies such as Ecards and screensavers. Produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with The University of Melbourne's Centre for Classics and Archaeology.

You Wouldn't Want to be an Egyptian Mummy!
http://www.salariya.com/web_books/mummy/index.html
Q: Why can't a mummy play music? A: Because they've removed its organs. This hilarious site provides students with "Disgusting things you'd rather not know" about mummies. Although this is a cartoon book, students can find great information on the "ins and outs" of what makes a mummy a true mummy — including organ removal. And what did they say after finishing the mummy? "That's a wrap!"