Arches and Concrete

Name Arches and Concrete in Ancient Rome By Colleen Messina The Romans were great builders. Many things you see today have been inspired by ancient Rome. Even though they copied some things from the Greeks, the Romans had many original ideas. The Romans used arches extensively. An arch is a curved structure that can hold a lot of weight. Arches helped Roman architects a great deal. With arches, they could build over windows and doors. With arches, they could build huge structures called aqueducts. Aqueducts brought water to the city of Rome from the hills. The Romans invented concrete. Concrete comes from lime and water. A Roman builder would make a mushy paste. Then, he would add volcanic sand and pebbles. You would have to stir this mixture hard. You would have to be strong. It would turn into a big, messy blob of gray stuff with little lumps in it. Then, you would mold it into whatever shape you wanted. The concrete would dry. It would get hard. It would never get soft again, even in the rain. The Romans built an enormous structure called the Coliseum with concrete. They used the Coliseum for chariot races and other events. Roman builders also made bricks out of baked clay. Bricks were used in many Roman structures. Each brick maker put his own special mark on his bricks. That would tell others who made the brick and where it came from. The Romans also built many roads over thousands of miles. These roads helped the army keep track of the vast Roman Empire. The roads were straight. Chariot wheels moved much more easily over paved roads than on muddy ruts. The Romans liked straight roads. They even went through cliffs so their roads could be straight. The Romans were great builders. Even fast food restaurants use ideas from the Romans! From arches to concrete, our modern world has been influenced by the architects of ancient Rome. Arches and Concrete in Ancient Rome Questions 1. Which civilization inspired the Romans in some ways? A. European B. Indian C. Chinese D. Greek 2. Arches hold a lot of weight. A. False B. True 3. What is a synonym for the word "original" in paragraph 1? A. rusty B. old C. new D. fun 4. What kind of event was held in the Coliseum? A. swimming races B. debates C. chariot races D. puppy training classes 5. What happens to concrete when it rains? A. It gets covered with patterns from the rain drops. B. It stays hard. C. It changes color. D. It gets soft again.Name 6. What kind of roads did the Romans build? A. bumpy B. straight C. curved D. zig zag 7. What did a brick maker put on his bricks? A. nothing B. a tattoo C. acrylic paint D. a special mark 8. What made lumps in a mix of concrete? A. pebbles B. Legos C. chocolate chips D. nuts Do you think arches were important to Roman builders? Why, or why not?Name Do you think concrete was an important invention? Why, or why not?