How STEM Built Empires

Over its 2,700-year history, the Maya became one of the most complex and dominant indigenous civilizations in pre-Columbian America. They became masters in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM, as evident through the archaeological remains that still excite and intrigue people today. The Maya built massive civilizations with temples, palaces, extensive highway networks, and some of the largest pyramids in the world. This splendid book explores all these innovations and more, explaining how, why, and when the Mayan empire's greatest minds came up with unique STEM solutions to everyday problems.

Mostly known today for its complex pantheon and religious rituals, the Aztec empire was also highly advanced in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math or STEM. With the capital city of the empire built in the middle of a lake, the geographical, political, and economic needs of the Aztecs drove innovation for centuries. Massive construction projects, including ziggurats, causeways, and aqueducts demonstrated that the Aztecs had ambitious goals as well as the STEM knowledge to achieve them. Though much of its history was destroyed, the accomplishments of the Aztecs are an impressive reminder of history's ingenuity.

In size and sophistication, the most impressive empire in the Americas was the Incas. Established in Peru in the twelfth century, the Incan empire united millions of people and dozens of distinct cultures under a single governing system. The Incas lacked what many assume are essential to empire-building: writing, the wheel, a favorable climate. Still, the Incas overcame these challenges with incredible science, technology, engineering, and math or STEM innovations. These included terrace agriculture, elaborate road systems, earthquake-proof buildings, a planned economy without money, and an elaborate mathematics communicated with textiles. Incan accomplishments show that technological developments take many unexpected forms and will inspire your readers to think outside of the box.

At the dawn of Europe's Scientific Revolution, China was a major world power. With million-person cities, vast navies, and a robust trade in luxury goods, China was a country of marvels. The "Central Kingdom" was also a country of invention. This fascinating resource explores the science and technology behind China's rise to power: the incredible scope, the unique traditions that supported it, and the reasons for the eventual decline of the dynastic era. Readers will learn of agricultural innovations, massive building projects, elaborate machines, and countless inventions that changed the way the world ate, drank, read, waged war, and traveled.

Majestic pyramids, frightful mummies, intricate hieroglyphics, and vivid tomb paintings carry the echoes of ancient Egypt through thousands of years into the present. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematical or STEM achievements lay at the heart of the Egyptians' grandeur. Their brilliant use of basic tools and machines in massive construction projects, the preservation of human remains, and agricultural inventions that remain useful in modern times are just some of the subjects investigated in this volume. Rich in historical context, readers are given a solid understanding of how STEM shaped one of the world's most fascinating empires.

From the founding of its republic in 509 B.C.E. to the demise of its empire in 476 C.E., Rome dominated the countries of the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East, and Europe as far north as Britain. Roman scientists, engineers, mathematicians, architects, and others left a rich legacy of roads, aqueducts, bridges, mills, treatises, and more over its thousand-year history and for the centuries to come. This intriguing volume explains the dramatic story of Rome's conquests and triumphs, and how they went hand in hand with advancements in science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM.

The ancient Greeks lived thousands of years ago. However, their discoveries about science, technology, engineering, and math or STEM have held up throughout time. Some of the ideas and inventions they dreamed up so long ago are tremendously useful to the modern world. In every field, including geometry, astronomy, zoology, and medicine, the ancient Greeks were constantly looking at their world and making important discoveries; the building blocks for science and technology in the modern age. This insightful book helps readers understand and better appreciate the vital STEM discoveries the ancient Greeks have handed down through the centuries.