Category Archives: Structures, History and Countries

Grand Canyon

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Grand Canyon

Big, large and rocky!

  • The Grand Canyon is located in the state of Arizona, in the United States of America and has some of the cleanest air in the US.
  • The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world and has been most notably carved by the flow of the Colorado River.
  • The Grand Canyon is 466 km (277 miles) in length, up to 1,800 meters (6,000 feet) deep, and in places up to 29 km (18 miles) in width.
  • The Grand Canyon was first discovered by Europeans in September, 1540.
  • The former United States president, Theodore Roosevelt, started the Grand Canyon National Park, which protects the wonder.

Grand Canyon, Top Side view, rocks, Free Digital Photos, Ten Random Facts

Grand Canyon
Image courtesy of Paul Martin Eldridge/Free Digital Photos
  • In the periods of 2003-2011, mining in the Grand Canyon was requested due to the large amount of uranium underground.
  • Temperatures at the Grand Canyon can reach up to 38°C (100°F) and can go as low as -18°C (0°F).
  • 1,737 species of plants and 34 mammals have been spotted or seen at the Grand Canyon.
  • On average, 5 million visitors visit the Grand Canyon every year.
  • Since the 1870s, 600 deaths have occurred at the Grand Canyon.  242 of those deaths were results of plane and helicopter crashes.
Bibliography:
Grand Canyon 8 December 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon>

Buckingham Palace

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Buckingham Palace

What a palace…

  • Buckingham Palace has been London’s house of Britain’s rulers since 1837.
  • Visitors are allowed inside Buckingham Palace yearly.
  • Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms – 19 of these rooms are State rooms, 52 are bedrooms, 188 are staff rooms, 92 are offices and 78 are bathrooms.
  • Buckingham Palace is decorated and furnished with many priceless furniture designs and art pieces.
  • More than 50,000 guests are invited to Buckingham Palace for ceremonies and functions yearly.

Buckingham Palace, Front View, Gates, Ten Random Facts, Free Digital Photos

Buckingham Palace
Image courtesy of James Barker/Free Digital Photos
  • Buckingham Palace’s throne room has been used to take formal wedding photos.
  • The ballroom was added to the palace in the 1850’s.
  • The ballroom is the largest multi-purpose room in the Buckingham Palace.
  • The full Buckingham Palace building is 108 meters (354 feet, 3 inches) in length, 120 meters (397 feet, 7 inches) in depth and 24 meters (78 feet, 8 inches) in height.
  • The gardens of Buckingham Palace cover an area of 40 acres.
Bibliography:
Buckingham Palace n.d., The British Monarchy, <http://www.royal.gov.uk/theroyalresidences/buckinghampalace/buckinghampalace.aspx>

Terracotta Army

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Terracotta Army

A pottery army – who would have heard of such a thing? Well it is true!

  • The Terracotta Army is made from terracotta clay and was built around 210 BC.
  • The Terracotta Army is in China and was discovered by Chinese farmers in 1974.
  • There are 6000 figures in the Terracotta Army which are all ready for war and including horses, foot soldiers, officers and chariots.
  • All of the Terracotta Army were equipped with real life items like weapons.
  • All of the men in the Terracotta Army were 1 foot taller then average real life men.

Terracota Army, Warriors, China, clay, Shi Huangdi, Ten Random Facts, Public Domain Pictures

Terraccota Army
Image courtesy of Peter Griffin/Public Domain Pictures
  • The Terracotta Army was owned by the first emperor, Shi Huangdi, who is now dead and is in his tomb.
  • Every single person of the Terracotta Army was modelled after a real person meaning every model is different.
  • The Terracotta Army was built because the first emperor believed in afterlife and wanted people to protect him.
  • Anyone who helped build or knew about the Terracotta Army was buried alive.
  • The Terracotta Army has usefully taught people about the Ancient China battle formations.
Bibliography:
Saldais, M & Easton, M 2002, Sose Alive 1, John Wiley & Sons, Australia

Stonehenge

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Stonehenge

Stonehenge, large Stonehenge.

  • Stonehenge is a large, circular rock structure in Wiltshire, United Kingdom. 
  • It is believed that the construction of Stonehenge started around 3000 BC – 2000 BC and was built for religious purposes.
  • Stonehenge was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986.
  • Stonehenge is owned by ‘The Crown’, the Royal Family.
  • Stonehenge is believed to to have taken 1500 years to build.

Stonehenge monument, structure, burial place, rocks, bluestone, Ten Random Facts, Free Digital Photos

The Stonehenge
Image courtesy of Matt Banks / Free Digital Photos
  • Stonehenge is a burial place with approximately several hundred burials in the vicinity.
  • William Glowland started a big restoration project on Stonehenge in 1901, which has lasted many years.
  • In British mythology,  it is believed that Stonehenge’s stones were carried by giants.
  • Stonehenge stones, bluestone and sarsen, were from the Preseli mountains, south-west Wales and Marlborough Downs, north Wiltshire.
  • Stonehenge was made from approximately 60 stones that made up the bluestone circle but many have been removed or are broken.
Bibliography:
History15 November, Stonehenge.co.uk, <http://www.stonehenge.co.uk/history.php>
Stonehenge 12 November 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge>

Uluru

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Uluru

One hot rock formation, more fascinating than these facts!

  • Uluru is a famous, mostly sandstone rock in Northern Territory, Central Australia.
  • The traditional owners of Uluru are the Pitjantjatjara and the Anangu Anangu.
  • Uluru is also known as Ayers Rock, named after Sir Henry Ayers.
  • There has been approximately 150 bird, 46 mammal, 73 reptile and 400 plant and flora species sited at or near Uluru.
  • It is possible to climb Uluru but it is requested that you refrain from doing so by the indigenous Australians due to spiritual and safety reasons.

Uluru Sunset, Sedimentry Rock, World Heritage, Orange, Igneous Australians, Ayers Rock, Aboriginals, Northern Territory Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • Uluru is a world heritage site and as a result, attracts more than 400,000 visitors a year.
  • Uluru is 348 meters high (1142 feet) and is 863 meters (2831 feet) above sea level.
  • The average rainfall at Uluru is 284.6 ml (11.2 inches) yearly.
  • The average temperature at Uluru is 37.8°C (100°F).
  •  35 deaths have occurred from climbing Uluru, and many injuries sustained due to harsh landscape and climates.
Bibliography:
Uluru 31 October 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uluru>

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American Indian Traditional Dress

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American Indian Traditional Dress

Many countries and tribes have their own dress. Also many countries and tribes have their own facts.  Put two and two together and you get facts about traditional dress, in this case, American Indian traditional dress.

  • Many western and southern tribes didn’t wear much.
  • Many warriors shaved their heads to make them look scary and threatening. and tribes used feathers to express their fighting skills.
  • Tribes in the south east and in California pricked themselves using cacti quills or slivers of bones to prick designs on their skin like tattoos.
  • Many tribes wore hats if the materials were available.
  • Many tribes also wore body paint to show off their bravery or if they were in a special group, as well as to protect them from the sun, wind, cold and stinging or biting insects.

Native North American Indian, Chief Grey Owl, Traditional Dress, Ten Random Facts, Free Digital Photos

Chief 
Image courtesy of Elwood W. McKay III/ Free Digital Photos
  • Many men from many tribes wore buckskin between the legs and a tied belt in summer and in winter they added thigh leggings and a knee length tunic.
  • Women of most tribes often wore dresses.
  • Children normally wore nothing in summer and in winter wore clothes like the adults.
  • Jewellery was very popular among tribes and was made using shells, copper, porcupine quills and feathers when available.
  • Glass and ceramic beads were made and used for decorating clothes, recording or sending messages, ingredients for medicine or for trade.
Bibliography:
North American Indians 1999, Two-Can Publishing, London

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