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Great Pyramid

posted Aug 24, 2014, 3:28 PM by Quoc-Anh Vuong
Huan Vuong
Great Pyramid
7/17/14
The Great Pyramid of Giza
Greek travellers of classical antiquity created a guide for people visiting lands around the Mediterranean Sea. Classical antiquity was from the 8th century BC through 5th century AD, The guide created was referred to as the Seven Wonders of the World.  The number 7 was chosen because Greeks believed this number represented perfection.  Additionally, 7 represented the five known planets, plus the sun and the moon. Various lists of wonders of the world” have succeeded classical antiquity. However, original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are particularly special because one of the seven survive to this day; The Great Pyramid of Giza! A pyramid is a geometric form with a rectangular base and four identical rectangular sides.
What are we going to talk about today? GREAT PYRAMID
What time period does classical antiquity cover? 7BC - 5AD
What was the guide called that Greek travellers made for visitors to lands around the Mediterranean Sea? SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Give one reason the Greeks found the number 7 significant. PERFECT NUMBER
Describe the geometric form of a pyramid. SQUARE BASE TRIANGLE SIDES
Greek historian Herodotus and scholar Callimachus set the first list of the classical seven wonders in stone.  These include: Great Pyramid of Giza; Hanging Gardens of Babylon; Statue of Zeus at Olympia; Temple of Artemis at Ephesus; Mausoleum at Halicarnassus; Colossus of Rhodes; and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.  The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only original ancient world wonder that exists to this day!
Name either the historian or scholar who penned the first list of classical seven wonders. HERODOTUS
What city would you have found Hanging Gardens? BABYLON
What wonder did Alexandria feature? LIGHTHOUSE
Commissioned by Pharaoh Khufu, as his final resting place, construction on The Great Pyramid began in 2554 BC in Giza, Egypt.  Giza is located near Cairo, which is the capital of Egypt. To this day, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the biggest individual building to ever be constructed! At 481 feet tall, it was also the highest building in the world for a very long time.  The pyramid is missing its tip now and stands 455 feet tall. The Great Pyramid featured many supplementary buildings.  Supplementary means in addition to.  The entire burial site included a worship temple, smaller pyramids for the pharaohs queens and even a parking place for two boats.  The boats were placed alongside the pyramid to carry the soul of the pharaoh into the afterlife!
Who commissioned The Great Pyramid? KHUFU
What purpose did the pyramid serve? BURIAL CHAMBER
What capital city is The Great Pyramid of Giza located near? CAIRO
How tall is the pyramid at this time? 455 FEET
We are still not quite sure how the Egyptians constructed the pyramid. Most scientists believe that it took about 20,000 laborers nearly 20 years to construct the pyramid! There are three main theories that describe how the pyramid may have been built.  First, laborers may have constructed and used ramps that wound their way around the
pyramid.  Imagine the shape of a snail shell… now build a ramp around the shell until you reach the top! The second theory involves one ramp leading straight up to the pyramid.  The stones used to build the ramp would have then been incorporated into the building itself.  The third theory?  Aliens! Yes. some folks actually believe the pyramid could only have been constructed by visitors from outer space.  No matter the theory, it seems the pyramid was constructed using granite slabs weighing 2.5 tons, with stone ceiling beams weighing about 80 tons. Laborers would have to partner with oxen, sleds and ramps to maneuver such materials!
How many laborers did it take to build the pyramid? 20,000
About how many years did it take to build the pyramid? 20
How heavy were the smallest granite slabs used? 2.5 TONS
What would a laborer need to move a granite slab or stone celling beam?SHELL TYPE RAMPS
CREATIVE WRITING: Write your own guide to the 7 Wonders of the Universe.  


THE WONDERS I WOULD WRITE ABOUT WOULD BE THE WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE. I WOULD WRITE ABOUT THE WONDERS OF OF SPACE. THE NEXT THING I WOULD THINK ABOUT IS HOW THE WORLD WAS CREATED. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THE WORLD WAS CREATED.  I LIKE TO BELIEVE THE WORLD WAS CREATED BY GOD.  PERHAPS THE UNIVERSE IS INHABITED BY OTHER FORMS OF LIFE.  I WOULD LIKE TO TRAVEL TO OTHER PLANETS.  I SUPPOSE LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS WOULD BE MUCH DIFFERENT.  
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