β All ancient topics
How did cities get water?
Rivers that walked on bridges
Have you ever wondered how people got fresh water long before electric pumps and plastic pipes were invented?
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- Long ago
Thirsty Cities
Big cities needed lots of fresh water for drinking and bathing. But local rivers were dirty, and nearby wells kept running dry.
The big idea
Ancient builders used gravity to carry rivers of fresh mountain water across giant stone bridges straight into cities!
Fun facts
- β¨ Some ancient Roman water bridges were as tall as a 15-story building!
- β¨ Most of an aqueduct was actually hidden underground in tunnels to keep the water clean and cool.
- β¨ Ancient Rome had 11 aqueducts that brought in millions of gallons of water every single day.
Science words
- Aqueduct β A pipe or stone bridge built to carry water across long distances.
- Gravity β The invisible pull that draws everything down toward the Earth.
- Gradient β A gentle slope or tilt that helps water glide downhill.