About this Book

Great Building Feats reveals how and why the world's greatest structures were created and how engineering, geographical, technical, and human challenges were overcome during construction. Each building required the best minds of its time. They remain innovative and fascinating in both their creation and appearance. Supports the national curriculum standards Culture; Time, Continuity, and Change; People, Places, and Environments; Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Power, Authority, and Governance; Science, Technology, and Society; and Global Connections as outlined by the National Council for the Social Sciences. The Colosseum was constructed in A.D. 75 by Emperor Vespasian as a gift for the people of Rome and has withstood over two thousand years of earthquakes, fires, wars, and neglect. This beautiful structure showcases the architectural, engineering, and inventive talents of ancient Romans--and the Roman's terrible appetite for death and violence.