Vanished Civilizations

Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher, told a story about Atlantis, a wealthy and powerful city that disappeared suddenly into the ocean. Almost overnight, it was gone. Was the city real? If it was, can we find it? And why did it sink?

An underground city in the modern country of Turkey was undiscovered for 1,000 years until someone stumbled upon it. It was once large enough to hold 20,000 people. Why an underground city? And why was it abandoned? You’ll have to find out!

Kush was an important ancient kingdom in Africa that specialized in making iron. It was also known for having female rulers. But just as iron helped make Kush special, it played a role in its fall. How do you think that happened?

Over 400 years ago, England tried to start its first colony in North America. But everyone promptly disappeared, never to be seen again. The mystery has never been solved. The best clue? A single word carved into a tree. Can you make sense of it?

Angkor was a thriving city in modern-day Cambodia that created some of the most marvelous temples ever built. But as this video from National Geographic describes, too much consumption of precious materials may have led to its downfall - a warning for us today.

Use this cool Google Earth tool to zoom in on nine lost civilizations from space! After you start, click the arrows in the bottom right corner to move from one to the next.

As a history detective, you will need to search for clues with a magnifying glass. Today, with help from Green Kid Crafts, you’ll make one of your own… from a plastic bottle. Don’t believe it’s possible? You will. After it’s done, use it to read the comics, inspect your own fingerprint, or take a look at the leaves on a plant in more detail.

From Mommy Poppins, this game involves filling some plastic bottles partway with water and rolling a ball to knock them over. Older kids may enjoy the challenge of using a tennis ball.