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Today, we have high-tech cranes and other machines to help us create massive skyscrapers and other modern works of architecture. Still, some of the most breathtaking architecture in the world, such as the ancient pyramids of Egypt, were created before those high-tech machines even existed. So how did those ancient civilizations create them?
Believe it or not, though they are one of the most studied and admired relics in history, there is no evidence to tell historians exactly how the Ancient Egyptians built the pyramids. Thus, they have been left to create their own theories as to how Egyptians created such amazing and awe-inspiring works of art.
According to one theory, the Egyptians placed logs under the large stone blocks in order to roll or transport them to the pyramid building location. Large groups of men would work to push or pull them into place (although historians also disagree on whether these men were slaves or skilled artisans). Still more, once the men moved the blocks to the pyramid location, they needed to lift them to ever-increasing heights to reach the top levels of the pyramid as it grew. Without modern cranes, many scientists have been baffled as to how they were able to do it. Some believe they used a ramp system that would allow them to roll the blocks upward around or through the pyramids; others believe they must have used a combination of pulleys and lifts. Still, most agree that once they did, they used a mixture of gravel and limestone to help fill any crevices and hold the mound together.
With such a primitive yet impressive building process, it’s obvious that the pyramids must have taken a great deal of time to build. With an estimated 2 million blocks weighing an average of 2.5 million tons each, the Great Pyramid of Giza, for instance, is estimated to have taken some 20 years to build. At 481-feet tall, it held the record of tallest building for 3,800 years – not bad for a building created almost entirely by hand.
Even though scientists don’t know exactly how the Egyptians did it, they do know that the method the Egyptians used to build pyramids changed over time. In the early days, the pyramids were made completely of stone, with limestone used to create the main body and higher quality limestone being used for the smooth outer casing. Later on, the pyramids were made mostly of mud brick with a limestone casing. Though they were likely much easier to build, they didn’t stand up nearly as well over time, leaving archaeologists with even fewer clues about their creation.

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If you are researching information to include in an essay on an event that happened last Tuesday, which resource would give you the most up to date information?

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Exactly what games do they play at the Highland Games?

Exactly what games do they play at the Highland Games?
Each Highland Games competition is a little different, but at almost all of them, you’ll see a few sports that you’ve probably never even heard of before. These events take skill, focus and above all strength.
Caber Toss If you ever happen to see an ad for a Highland Games event it’ll likely include a picture of men competing in the caber toss. This is the most famous sport in the Highland Games. The goal of the caber toss is…you guessed it…to toss the caber. But what is a caber? A caber is a long, solid pole made of wood that looks a lot like a telephone pole. Each man taking part in the caber toss is required to lift and balance the heavy caber in his hands. Once he has done this, he must toss the caber in a very particular way. He has to turn the pole end-over-end in a straight line. This is much more difficult than it sounds. Cabers can be up to 20 feet long and can weigh as much as 130 pounds. That’s a lot of wood to flip over!
Stone Put Ever heard of the American sport of shot put? Well, then you pretty much know what stone put is. Stone put is a game where each person must throw a stone ball as far as possible. The player who throws the stone the furthest wins. There are two ways to play Stone put: Open Stone and Braemer Stone. In Open Stone, the stone ball is lighter, and the player can run up to a line on the ground to help him, or her get enough force to throw the ball. Braemer Stone is more challenging. In this style of stone put, the player must stand still and throw a 26-pound ball as far as he can.
Scottish Hammer Throw While you might be thinking throwing a hammer sounds like a fairly easy sport, Scottish Hammer Throw is actually quite tricky. The hammer that the competitors must throw is not your average hammer. It’s a 22-pound head on a 4-foot long wooden handle. Plus, each player must stand still when he throws the Scottish hammer. He can only swing it to help him get enough momentum to send the hammer a distance. The player who throws the hammer the furthest wins this event.
Weight Throw The object of the weight throw competition is to send a heavy metal ball attached to a chain flying through the air further than the other players in the match. There are two levels of difficulty in weight throw. The easier level requires competitors to throw a 28 pound-weight while the more challenging level asks them to throw a 56-pound weight.
Weight Over Bar In the weight over bar event, players attempt to throw a 56-pound stone ball over a bar hanging between two wooden posts. Once all of the competitors have gotten the stone over the bar, it is raised higher. If a player is unable to send the ball over the bar, he is eliminated. The last player left wins the match.
Sheaf Toss The sheaf toss game reminds those attending the Highland Games that the people who began this sport were definitely farmers. In this event, each player must toss a 20-pound bag of straw known as a sheaf as far as possible using only a pitchfork. The person who throws the sheaf the longest distance wins.
Dance Competitions While men and women are competing to show who is the strongest in the heavy events you’ve just read about, there is another group of people who have come to the Highland Games to show off their dance skills. At the Games, there are two types of dance competitions. The first requires dancers to perform Scottish country dances. These are partner dances that look much like American ballroom dancing. The other dance competition, the Highland Dances, is one of the main reasons that people come to the Highland Games. Highland Dancers perform fast moving dances that often require them to only move their legs and feet. In order to be a successful Highland Dancer, one must study and practice for many years. Highland Dances involve a great deal of skill. One of the most exciting Highland Dances has dancers jumping and swinging swords while performing difficult dance moves.

Which essay assignment would this article be the most useful as a resource for?

Writing Standards (W.7.8)

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