Thursday, October 11, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Top 10 Things That Haven’t Changed In 100 Years
No doubt about it, we live in a world of rapid change. Whereas a
century ago, our grandparents and great grandparents were still getting
around in a horse and buggy, and reading newspapers as their only source
of information and entertainment, today we fly in supersonic transports
and get our news and entertainment from the Internet-things that would have been inconceivable 100 years ago.
But not everything has changed so radically; actually, there are a number of devices we still use today that hasn’t changed all that much in 100 years in basic function and operation. What are these devices? Below are my top ten choices for those things we still use today that wouldn’t have been all that unfamiliar to our fore-bearers in 1912.
We often fail to appreciate just how timeless an invention the locomotive was, nor are many people aware of how much it still operates as it did in olden days. Of course, steam has been replaced by safer, cleaner, and more economical diesel engines, but the fact remains that trains are still doing the same thing they’ve been doing since the mid-nineteenth century, and doing it in much the same way. Even the steel rails they ride on today are indistinguishable from those of a century ago. The one big change has been in payload; a century ago, trains mainly transported people; today, 90 percent of their load is ore or produce. Yet they keep on chuggin’ along.
Obviously the advent of the cell phone is radically changing the way people contact each other, but the old landline is still alive and well, and hard to match in terms of clarity and reliability (when’s the last time you lost a signal on your land-line or accidentally dropped it into the pool?) The interesting thing is that it still functions precisely the way it did a century ago; the only significant change being the ability to dial the number directly rather than having to go through a switchboard operator. Also, telephone and electrical lines are still attached to wooden poles, just as they have been since the advent of the telegraph during the Civil War, demonstrating that sometimes the old ways of doing things are still the best.
Once the shell cartridge and barrel rifling was perfected in the late nineteenth century, the modern rifle was essentially complete, with few changes, other than increasing the rate of fire, being necessary. As such, the modern, bolt-action rifle and chamber-firing revolver are essentially unchanged from their predecessors, and operate exactly the same way they did for great granddad. In fact, other than the advent of the semi and fully-automatic mechanisms, and vast improvements in sighting (i.e. scopes), a hunter from 1912 would have no trouble using a modern rifle (beyond bemoaning their lower quality construction.)
Let’s face it—there simply isn’t a way to make ironing wrinkly clothes any easier. Yes, you’ve got electric plug-in irons today rather than stove heated ones, and you have that neat little button on top that shoots out sprits of steam but, beyond that, ironing is still the same tedious art form it has always been. In some ways, it’s even more of a challenge today, with that always-too-short cord getting in the way or failing to reach far enough. Even the professional dry cleaners haven’t changed their methodology all that much; the chemicals they use nowadays may be different but the process—and the results—are still the same.
Many have predicted the demise of books since the advent of the computer, and Kindle and other downloadable reading devices are in the process of changing the publishing industry, but the fact is that nothing beats the good old paperback in terms of portability. Also, you can’t get your favorite author to sign an e-book, nor can you underline important points or scribble stuff in the margins with a Kindle.
And what happens if the power grid goes out or someone steals your reader? You lose your entire library! That’s why the printed book will never entirely die—it’s just too necessary! And the beauty of it is that books haven’t changed much in terms of how they are produced since Gutenberg printed a few dozen bibles way back when.
This is a controversial selection since few can argue that the modern automobile is a far cry from the Model T of 1912, but how different is it really? Certainly the basic function of the combustion engine has not changed, nor has the way one operates an automobile. Ford’s rickety cars had transmissions, clutches, brakes, headlights, left-handed steering, and everything else we still see today. Obviously the technology has improved dramatically, and great grandpa never had the luxury of having a radio, a heater, or cup holders, but the basic modus operandi of the automobile itself remains largely indistinguishable from 1912 and probably won’t become truly different until they learn to fly—or at least hover.
Yes, canvas has been replaced with stronger and lighter nylon, and wooden hulls and masts have been supplanted by fiberglass or aluminum, but the basic idea remains the same: harness the wind to move large vessels across the water with minimal effort and cost. Even their sleek lines haven’t changed all that much, nor has their means of operation. Really, there is just no way to improve on a good idea, making the sailboat one of the most timeless inventions in human history.
Despite the introduction of different materials and electronics to music (i.e. the keyboard and the electric guitar) musical instruments have changed little over the last century, which is why the piano, guitar, mandolin,violin, drums, trumpet, saxophone—you name it—are still made and performed much the way they did in 1912 (or 1812, for that matter). While music itself has changed dramatically (though not always for the better), the raw noise that comes out of these instruments, and the way they are played, remains timeless. Even the way the best hand-made instruments are manufactured is a throwback to an earlier era, when there was no substitute for skill and patience, and people took pride in crafting a quality musical instrument.
Ever since Edison produced his first practical light bulb way back in 1880, not much has changed with the overall construction. It looks the same, functions the same and, allowing for inflation, costs much the same as it did in 1912. Less energy-efficient than the newer fluorescent and LED lights, however, the incandescent may not be around much longer, and is, in fact, slated to be phased out of production in the United States in 2014. Which is too bad because, since the older bulbs often used heavier filaments, they were more robust and therefore long-lasting, making them superior in some ways than their modern counterparts.
Perfected in the late-nineteenth century, this hallmark of civilization has remained largely unchanged since its inception (or, one might surmise, its perfection) in roughly 1880. The basic mechanism inside the tank may be made out of plastic instead of rust-prone metal, but one of the great innovators of the modern toilet, Thomas Crapper, would still recognize the thing and appreciate it for the remarkable piece of engineering it remains to this day. One of the few truly indispensable devices they got right the first time, the immortal porcelain throne has stood the test of time very well, thank you.
Jeff Danelek is a Denver, Colorado author who writes on many subjects having to do with history, politics, the paranormal, spirituality and religion. To see more of his stuff, visit his website at www.ourcuriousworld.com.
But not everything has changed so radically; actually, there are a number of devices we still use today that hasn’t changed all that much in 100 years in basic function and operation. What are these devices? Below are my top ten choices for those things we still use today that wouldn’t have been all that unfamiliar to our fore-bearers in 1912.
10. The Train
We often fail to appreciate just how timeless an invention the locomotive was, nor are many people aware of how much it still operates as it did in olden days. Of course, steam has been replaced by safer, cleaner, and more economical diesel engines, but the fact remains that trains are still doing the same thing they’ve been doing since the mid-nineteenth century, and doing it in much the same way. Even the steel rails they ride on today are indistinguishable from those of a century ago. The one big change has been in payload; a century ago, trains mainly transported people; today, 90 percent of their load is ore or produce. Yet they keep on chuggin’ along.
9. Landline Telephones
Obviously the advent of the cell phone is radically changing the way people contact each other, but the old landline is still alive and well, and hard to match in terms of clarity and reliability (when’s the last time you lost a signal on your land-line or accidentally dropped it into the pool?) The interesting thing is that it still functions precisely the way it did a century ago; the only significant change being the ability to dial the number directly rather than having to go through a switchboard operator. Also, telephone and electrical lines are still attached to wooden poles, just as they have been since the advent of the telegraph during the Civil War, demonstrating that sometimes the old ways of doing things are still the best.
8. The Rifle
Once the shell cartridge and barrel rifling was perfected in the late nineteenth century, the modern rifle was essentially complete, with few changes, other than increasing the rate of fire, being necessary. As such, the modern, bolt-action rifle and chamber-firing revolver are essentially unchanged from their predecessors, and operate exactly the same way they did for great granddad. In fact, other than the advent of the semi and fully-automatic mechanisms, and vast improvements in sighting (i.e. scopes), a hunter from 1912 would have no trouble using a modern rifle (beyond bemoaning their lower quality construction.)
7. The Iron
Let’s face it—there simply isn’t a way to make ironing wrinkly clothes any easier. Yes, you’ve got electric plug-in irons today rather than stove heated ones, and you have that neat little button on top that shoots out sprits of steam but, beyond that, ironing is still the same tedious art form it has always been. In some ways, it’s even more of a challenge today, with that always-too-short cord getting in the way or failing to reach far enough. Even the professional dry cleaners haven’t changed their methodology all that much; the chemicals they use nowadays may be different but the process—and the results—are still the same.
6. Books
Many have predicted the demise of books since the advent of the computer, and Kindle and other downloadable reading devices are in the process of changing the publishing industry, but the fact is that nothing beats the good old paperback in terms of portability. Also, you can’t get your favorite author to sign an e-book, nor can you underline important points or scribble stuff in the margins with a Kindle.
And what happens if the power grid goes out or someone steals your reader? You lose your entire library! That’s why the printed book will never entirely die—it’s just too necessary! And the beauty of it is that books haven’t changed much in terms of how they are produced since Gutenberg printed a few dozen bibles way back when.
5. The Automobile
This is a controversial selection since few can argue that the modern automobile is a far cry from the Model T of 1912, but how different is it really? Certainly the basic function of the combustion engine has not changed, nor has the way one operates an automobile. Ford’s rickety cars had transmissions, clutches, brakes, headlights, left-handed steering, and everything else we still see today. Obviously the technology has improved dramatically, and great grandpa never had the luxury of having a radio, a heater, or cup holders, but the basic modus operandi of the automobile itself remains largely indistinguishable from 1912 and probably won’t become truly different until they learn to fly—or at least hover.
4. The Sailboat
Yes, canvas has been replaced with stronger and lighter nylon, and wooden hulls and masts have been supplanted by fiberglass or aluminum, but the basic idea remains the same: harness the wind to move large vessels across the water with minimal effort and cost. Even their sleek lines haven’t changed all that much, nor has their means of operation. Really, there is just no way to improve on a good idea, making the sailboat one of the most timeless inventions in human history.
3. Musical Instruments
Despite the introduction of different materials and electronics to music (i.e. the keyboard and the electric guitar) musical instruments have changed little over the last century, which is why the piano, guitar, mandolin,violin, drums, trumpet, saxophone—you name it—are still made and performed much the way they did in 1912 (or 1812, for that matter). While music itself has changed dramatically (though not always for the better), the raw noise that comes out of these instruments, and the way they are played, remains timeless. Even the way the best hand-made instruments are manufactured is a throwback to an earlier era, when there was no substitute for skill and patience, and people took pride in crafting a quality musical instrument.
2. The Incandescent Light Bulb
Ever since Edison produced his first practical light bulb way back in 1880, not much has changed with the overall construction. It looks the same, functions the same and, allowing for inflation, costs much the same as it did in 1912. Less energy-efficient than the newer fluorescent and LED lights, however, the incandescent may not be around much longer, and is, in fact, slated to be phased out of production in the United States in 2014. Which is too bad because, since the older bulbs often used heavier filaments, they were more robust and therefore long-lasting, making them superior in some ways than their modern counterparts.
1. The Flush Toilet
Perfected in the late-nineteenth century, this hallmark of civilization has remained largely unchanged since its inception (or, one might surmise, its perfection) in roughly 1880. The basic mechanism inside the tank may be made out of plastic instead of rust-prone metal, but one of the great innovators of the modern toilet, Thomas Crapper, would still recognize the thing and appreciate it for the remarkable piece of engineering it remains to this day. One of the few truly indispensable devices they got right the first time, the immortal porcelain throne has stood the test of time very well, thank you.
Jeff Danelek is a Denver, Colorado author who writes on many subjects having to do with history, politics, the paranormal, spirituality and religion. To see more of his stuff, visit his website at www.ourcuriousworld.com.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Top 10 Tallest Buildings in the World 2012
Top 10 worlds tallest buildings in 2012. Skyscrapers are becoming a toy game in the ever growing world. With the advancement in technology and equipment, the man kind in trying to reach the sky with the help of mere bricks.
In this post, you will see the list of top 10 world's tallest skyscrapers as of now.
Hope you enjoyed the list of world's currently tallest buildings. Thanks for viewing.
Source: Wiki
In this post, you will see the list of top 10 world's tallest skyscrapers as of now.
10. GUANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CENTER
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Mixed use |
| Location | Guangzhou, China |
| Construction started | December 2005 |
| Completed | 2010 |
| Opening | 2010 |
| Cost | GBP £ 280 million (project total) |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 438.6 m (1,439 ft) |
| Roof | 437.5 m (1,435 ft) |
| Top floor | 415.1 m (1,362 ft) |
| Observatory | 415.1 m (1,362 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 103 (4 basement floors) |
| Floor area | 250,095 m2 (2,692,000 sq ft) |
| Elevators | 71 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Wilkinson Eyre |
| References | |
9. KINGKEY 100
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Hotel / Office |
| Location | Shenzhen China |
| Construction started | 2007 |
| Completed | September 2011 |
| Opening | 2011 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 441.8 metres (1,449 ft) |
| Top floor | 427.1 metres (1,401 ft) |
| Observatory | 427.1 metres (1,401 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 100 |
| Floor area | 220,000 square metres (2,368,060 sq ft) |
| Elevators | 66 |
| Design and construction | |
| Owner | Kingkey Group |
| Architect | Terry Farrell and Partners |
| Structural engineer | Arup |
8. WILLIS TOWER (SEARS TOWER )
| Former names | Sears Tower |
|---|---|
| Record height | |
| Tallest in the world from 1973 to 1998 | |
| Preceded by | One World Trade Center(1971) |
| Surpassed by | Petronas Twin Towers |
| General information | |
| Type | Office, observation, communication |
| Location | 233 S. Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois 60606 United States |
| Construction started | 1970 |
| Completed | 1973 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 442.1 m (1,450 ft) |
| Tip | 527 m (1,729 ft) |
| Top floor | 412.7 m (1,354 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 108 (+3 basement floors) |
| Floor area | 416,000 m2 (4,477,800 sq ft) |
| Elevators | 104, with 16 double-decker elevators, made by Westinghouse, modernized by Schindler Group |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (Fazlur Khan & Bruce Graham) |
7. ZIFENG TOWER
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Mixed use |
| Location | Nanjing, China |
| Construction started | 2005 |
| Completed | 2009 |
| Opening | 18 December 2010 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 450 m (1,480 ft) |
| Roof | 381 m (1,250 ft) |
| Top floor | 316.6 m (1,039 ft) |
| Observatory | 271.8 m (892 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 66 (+5 basement floors) |
| Elevators | 54 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Adrian Smith at SOM |
| Structural engineer | Skidmore, Owings and |
6. PETRONAS TOWER
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Location | Jalan Ampang Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Groundbreaking | 1 January 1992 |
| Construction started | 1 March 1993 |
| Completed | 1 April 1994 |
| Inaugurated | 1 August 1999 |
| Renovated | 1 January 1997 |
| Cost | US$1.6 billion |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 451.9 m (1,483 ft) |
| Roof | 378.6 m (1,242 ft) |
| Top floor | 375 m (1,230 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 88 (+5 basement floors) |
| Floor area | 395,000 m2 (4,252,000 sq ft) |
| Elevators | 78 |
| Design and construction | |
| Owner | KLCC Holdings Sdn Bhd |
| Architect | César Pelli |
| Developer | KLCC Holdings Sdn Bhd |
| Structural engineer | Thornton Tomasetti |
| Main contractor | Tower1: Hazama Corporation Tower2: Samsung Engineering & Constructionand Kukdong Engineering & Construction City Center: B.L. Harbert International |
5. INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE CENTER
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Hotel, observation, office, parking garage, retail |
| Location |  West Kowloon, Hong Kong |
| Construction started | 2002 |
| Completed | 2010 |
| Opening | 2010 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 484.0 m (1,587.9 ft) |
| Top floor | 118 |
| Observatory | 387.8 m (1,272.3 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 108 |
| Floor area | 274,064 m2 (2,950,000 sq ft) |
| Elevators |
|
| Design and construction | |
| Management | Kai Shing Management Services Limited |
| Architect |
|
| Developer | Sun Hung Kai Properties |
| Structural engineer |  Arup |
| Main contractor | Sanfield Building Contractors Limited |
4. SHANGHAI WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Office, hotel, museum, observation, parking garage, retail |
| Location | 100 Century Avenue, Pudong,Shanghai, China |
| Construction started | 1997 |
| Completed | 2008 |
| Opening | August 28, 2008 |
| Cost | RMB ¥ 8.17 billion (USD $ 1.20 billion) |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 492.0 m (1,614.2 ft) |
| Tip | 494.3 m (1,621.7 ft) |
| Roof | 487.4 m (1,599.1 ft) |
| Top floor | 474.0 m (1,555.1 ft) |
| Observatory | 474 m (1,555.1 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 101 |
| Floor area | 381,600 m2 (4,107,500 sq ft) |
| Elevators | 91 |
| Design and construction | |
| Owner | Shanghai World Financial Center Co., Ltd. |
| Architect | Kohn Pedersen Fox |
| Developer | Mori Building Co. |
| Structural engineer | Leslie E. Robertson Associates RLLP |
| Main contractor | China State Construction Engineering Corp and Shanghai Construction (Group) General Co. |
3. TAIPEI 101
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Mixed use: communication, conference, fitness center, library, observation, office, restaurant, retail |
| Location | Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan |
| Construction started | 1999 |
| Completed | 2004 |
| Opening | December 31, 2004 |
| Cost | NT$ 58 billion (US$ 1.80 billion) |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 509 m (1,669.9 ft) |
| Roof | 449.2 m (1,473.8 ft) |
| Top floor | 439 m (1,440.3 ft) |
| Observatory | 391.8 m (1,285.4 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 101 (+5 basement floors) |
| Floor area | 193,400 m2 (2,081,700 sq ft) |
| Elevators | 61 Toshiba/KONE elevators, including double-deck shuttles and 2 high speed observatory elevators) |
| Design and construction | |
| Owner | Taipei Financial Center Corporation |
| Management | Urban Retail Properties Co. |
| Architect | C.Y. Lee & partners |
| Structural engineer | Thornton Tomasetti |
| Main contractor | Samsung C&T |
2. ABRAJ AL BAIT TOWERS
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Status | Topped-out |
| Type | Mixed use: hotel, residential |
| Location | Mecca, Saudi Arabia |
| Construction started | 2004 |
| Opening | 2012 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 601 m (1,972 ft) |
| Top floor | 558.7 m (1,833 ft) |
| Observatory | 558.7 m (1,833 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 120 |
| Floor area | Tower: 310,638 m2 (3,343,680 sq ft) Development: 1,575,815 m2(16,961,930 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Dar Al-Handasah Architects |
| Main contractor | Saudi Binladin Group |
1. BURJ KHALIFA
| Former names | Burj Dubai |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Mixed-use |
| Location | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Construction started | January 2004 |
| Completed | 2010 |
| Opening | 4 January 2010 |
| Cost | USD $ 1.5 billion |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 828 m (2,717 ft) |
| Tip | 829.84 m (2,723 ft) |
| Roof | 828 m (2,717 ft) |
| Top floor | 584.5 m (1,918 ft) |
| Observatory | 452.1 m (1,483 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 163 floors plus 46 maintenance levels in the spire and 2 parking levels in the basement |
| Floor area | 309,473 m2 (3,331,100 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Adrian Smith at SOM |
| Developer | Emaar Properties |
| Structural engineer | Bill Baker at SOM |
| Main contractor | Samsung C&T, Besix and Arabtec Supervision Consultant Engineer & Architect of Record Hyder Consulting Construction Project ManagerTurner Construction Grocon Planning Bauer AG and Middle East Foundations Lift contractor Otis VT consultant Lerch Bates |
Source: Wiki
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Top 10 Most Important Empires In History
Being an imperial power doesn’t impress people the way it used to. A century ago, countries strived to be a dominating world power and were willing to fight wars to either acquire an Empire, or hold on to the one they already had. Nowadays, of course, in this “kinder, gentler” world, imperialism is considered politically incorrect. As a result—and because maintaining an empire is prohibitively expensive—they are basically no more, though a few remnants hang on (such as the Falkland Islands for the British and the Comoro Islands for France). At one time, however, they were all the rage, with some of them extending around the globe and a few of them lasting for hundreds and, in a few cases, even thousands of years.
So which were the largest or most important ones, and which lasted the longest? I realize that how one defines “important” can be subjective; I define it to mean its impact upon history or, more precisely, the ways in which it shaped the geopolitical map we see today. With that in mind, then, below is my top ten list of the ten largest, most powerful and important Empires in history.
10. The Mayan Empire (ca. 2000 BCE-1540 CE)
How does the Mayan Empire make it onto the list alongside such well-known empires like the Roman, British, and Mongol Empires? Easy. It holds the record for the longest running empire—almost 3500 years! That’s more than twice as long as the Roman Empire, and 1500 years longer than the various Chinese dynasties combined! While very little is known about its first 3,000 years, its demise and brief interaction with the Spanish in the 16th century is the stuff of legends (see the Mel Gibson-directed film Apocalypto to get a good idea of what the Mayan Empire looked like at its height). Today, all we have left of the Mayans is their impressive pyramid-like structures scattered across the Yucatan peninsula, and a doomsday calendar that seems to have everybody up in arms nowadays.
9. The French Empire (1534-1962)
Eventually becoming the second-largest empire in history (second only to the British Empire), at its zenith the French Colonial Empire extended over 4.9 million square miles, and covered almost 1/10 of the Earth’s total land area. Its influence made French one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world for a time, and brought French architecture, culture, and cuisine to the four corners of the globe. Alas, like all the great European empires, its collapse came about incrementally over a long period of time, as it lost territories to other emerging nations—especially to the British—and it suffered through two World Wars, which drained it financially. Though it continued to hold onto to some of its territories well into the 20th century (and still does to this day), by 1962, with the granting of independence to rebellious Algeria, the French Empire was basically no more, bringing a close to a long and cultured era in human history.
8. The Spanish Empire (1492-1976)
One of the first global empires, at its height it possessed territories and colonies in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania, making it one of the most important political and economic powers in the world for several hundred years. Its establishment in the 15th century also ushered in the modern global era, and five centuries of European dominance of global affairs before competition from other European powers—particularly the French and British—weakened Spain to the point that, by the end of the 19th century, it was but a shadow of its former greatness. The end didn’t finally come until the 1970s, however, when it granted its last colonies in Africa and South America their independence, spelling finito to 600 years of Spanish colonialism. Its chief contribution came in its discovery of the New World in 1492 and the spread of Christianity to the western world, both of which was to dramatically change the geo-political dynamics of the planet and lay the foundation for the modern western world.
7. The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912)
This was the last ruling dynasty of China before the country became a Republic, bringing an end to many hundreds of years of imperial rule. Preceded by the better-known Ming Dynasty, the Qing dynasty was founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro in what is today Manchuria in 1644. It grew quickly until, by the 18th century, it covered all of what is today’s modern China, Mongolia, and even parts of Siberia—an area of over 5.7 million square miles (and making it the 5th largest empire in history, according to land mass.) The Qing Dynasty was finally overthrown following the Xinhai Revolution, however, when the Empress Dowager Longyu abdicated on behalf of the last emperor, Puyi, in February of 1912, bringing an end to a long line of Emperors stretching back over 1500 years. Not a bad run by any standards!
6. The Umayyad Caliphate (661-750)
I bet you’ve never heard of this one, but it proved to be one of the fastest growing—though shortest-lived—Empires in history. Organized in the aftermath of the death of the venerated prophet Muhammad, it was the mechanism by which Islam was spread across the Middle East and into North Africa, sweeping aside everything in its path. Actually, the Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four Islamic caliphates established after the death of Muhammad but, at its height, it would cover more than five million square miles, making it the largest empire the world had yet seen (modern Arab nationalism regards the period of the Umayyads as part of the Arab Golden Age of Islam). Though it was eventually superseded by various other caliphates and empires (including the Ottoman Empire), it laid the foundation for what was to be a nearly unbroken string of Muslim control in the region, that continues to this day.
5. The Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550-330 BCE)
More commonly referred to as the Medo-Persian Empire, this Asian Empire was the largest one in ancient history which, at its height, extended from the Indus valley of modern day Pakistan to Libya, and into the Balkans. Forged by Cyrus the Great, it is best remembered as the chief foe of the Greek city states during the Greco-Persian Wars, for emancipating its slaves and releasing the Jews from their Babylonian captivity, and for instituting the usage of official languages throughout its territories. It wasn’t very long, however, before it fell victim to Alexander the Great in the 4th century BCE, and was quickly defeated and absorbed into Alexander’s own vast, but short-lived, Empire.
Upon his death, it splintered into two smaller Empires, the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Seleucid Empire, as well as into other minor territories, many of which gained independence after its collapse. Perhaps its greatest contribution was in its creation of a centralized administration that kept it running efficiently and profitably for centuries, and served as a model for future and modern governments. So these are the folks that invented bureaucracy, is it?
4. The Ottoman Empire (1299-1922)
The Ottoman Empire was one of the largest and longest lasting empires in history. During its height (under Suleiman the Magnificent) in the 16th century, it stretched from the southern borders of the Holy Roman Empire to the Persian Gulf, and from the Caspian Sea to modern day Algeria, giving it de facto control of much of southeast Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. At the beginning of the 17th century the empire contained no fewer than 32 provinces, along with numerous vassal states, making it one of the truly great empires whose influence continues to be felt to this day.
As is the case with most large empires, however, ethnic and religious tensions, and increasing competition from other emerging powers, whittled away at the Ottoman’s power until it finally began dissolving in the 19th century. In many ways, the circumstances surrounding the Ottoman Empire’s fall closely paralleled those surrounding the decline of the Roman Empire, particularly in regards to the ongoing tensions between the Empire’s different ethnic groups, and the various governments’ inability to deal with these tensions. Attempts to improve cultural rights and civil liberties came too late to reverse its demise, though it did lay the foundation for secularist governments in the Muslim world, as exemplified by modern-day Turkey.
3. The Mongol Empire (1206-1368)
Though short-lived as Empires go—it lasted a mere 162 years—while it was around, few were as frightening, or grew as quickly, as this one. Under the leadership of Ghengis Khan (1163-1227), it started small—basically just present-day Mongolia—but within seventy years it had grown into the largest contiguous land Empire in human history, eventually stretching from Eastern Europe to the Sea of Japan. At its height, it covered an area of 9 million square miles, and held sway over a population of 100 million.
It would probably have been even larger—and possibly have lasted longer—had it managed to invade Japan, but its fleet lost bouts with first-class tsunamis in 1274 and 1281, ending Kublai Khan’s plans to expand eastward. By the middle of fourteenth century, the empire began slowly falling apart through infighting and political instability until it finally folded, with its far-flung territories breaking away or being absorbed by other emerging powers. While it existed, however, few Empires had as big an impact on trade, religion, and culture in Asia as did the Mongols.
2. The British Empire (1603 to 1997)
Though it lasted a mere 400 years, no empire was larger than the one the comparatively-small island nation of Great Britain was able to maintain until fairly recently. How big was it? At its zenith in 1922, the British Empire held sway over nearly half a billion people (a fifth of the world’s population at the time) and covered more than 13 million square miles (almost a quarter of the Earth’s total land area)! Not bad for a country slightly smaller than the state of Oregon. In fact, at one point the sun never set on the British Empire, not because God couldn’t trust an Englishman in the dark, but because of its global reach (with colonies and possessions on every continent—including, believe it or not, Antarctica).
Alas, all good things must come to an end, and that end came in the twentieth century, when two World Wars drained England financially, making it cheaper to dissolve her empire than keep it. Of course, once they lost India in 1947 it was all over; except for a couple of small possessions (the aforementioned Falkland Islands and a few islands scattered around the globe), the sun really has set on the British Empire. Its most important possession remains Gibraltar, the gateway to the Mediterranean, and one that is supposed to remain in British hands as long as its population of Barbary Macaques—a type of obnoxious monkey—remains on the peninsula.
1. The Roman Empire (27 BCE to 1453)
This is a no-brainer, as absolutely no Empire is as well known and has been as thoroughly studied as is the one that owned the Mediterranean and much of Europe for almost 1,500 years. Founded in 27 BCE, when the Roman senate granted Octavian the title of Augustus—thereby ending the old Roman Republic (which itself had already stood a good 500 years)—it ended nearly 1500 years later when the Ottoman Turks, under Mehmed II, sacked the last vestiges of the old Empire’s capitol, Constantinople, in 1453. Of course, by that time it was a mere shadow of its former glory (and was no longer even ruled from Rome) but, at its zenith in 117 CE, it was the most powerful nation on the planet, bar none. While it wasn’t the largest, or even the longest-lasting Empire in history, its influence on western culture—especially in regards to architecture, language, literature, art, and science—cannot be underestimated. In fact, it’s difficult to imagine how the world would look today if there hadn’t been a Roman Empire those many centuries ago.
Others empires worthy of note: The Assyrian Empire (mentioned prominently in the Bible), the Byzantine Empire (the long-lived successor to the Roman Empire), The Holy Roman Empire (which owned Europe for nearly 900 years), the Egyptian Empire (regional but nearly as famous as the Roman Empire), and the Greek—or, more precisely—the Macedonian Empire (one of the shortest-lived but most powerful empires in the world, under Alexander the Great).
Jeff Danelek is a Denver, Colorado author who writes on many subjects having to do with history, politics, the paranormal, spirituality and religion. To see more of his stuff, visit his website at www.ourcuriousworld.com.
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