Austria is only slightly larger than the state of South Carolina, but it was once the center of the largest and richest empire in all of continental Europe.
The Celtic people were among its earliest known inhabitants, and they established an outpost on the Danube River around 400 B.C. The Danube, Europe’s second longest river, became an important highway for trade and travel. In 15 B.C., the Roman Empire claimed the land and controlled it until their empire collapsed around A.D. 400. Over the course of the next 800 years, many different ethnic groups ruled modern-day Austria. In 1273, Rudolf von Hapsburg took control of Austria’s territories. Hapsburg was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, a German monarchy that ruled much of central Europe. For the next 650 years, Austria was ruled by the Hapsburgs. Austria was prized because of its desirable central European river location. Because the main routes between Italy and northern Europe as well as between western and eastern Europe converged in Austria, the country was considered the crossroads of Europe.
The Hapsburgs expanded their power by arranging for their sons and daughters to marry members of other royal families throughout Europe. This allowed them to build alliances and expand their influence throughout the region. By the 1400s, their empire was the most powerful in all of central Europe. The royal family built ornate palaces in Austria’s capital city of Vienna where art and culture thrived. Austria’s wealthiest families and the world’s finest artists, architects, musicians, and composers flocked to the city.
Denne historien er fra November/December 2016-utgaven av Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
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Denne historien er fra November/December 2016-utgaven av Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Animal Central
From golden frogs to big cats to colorful birds, the national animals of Central America represent the geography and cultures of the region. For a quick sampling of creatures plain and beautiful, common and rare, read on.
31 Countries Biosphere
The Trifinio Fraternidad Biosphere Reserve is located at a spot where El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras converge. A biosphere is the layer of planet Earth where life exists.
THE LEGEND OF THE QUETZAL BIRD
A Mayan Tale retold by Pat Betteley illustrated by Amanda Shepherd
Semana Santa GUATEMALA'S HOLY WEEK
What if Easter preparations meant dyeing sand, collecting pine needles, and staying up all night to work on an art project that you knew would be ruined the very next day? Well, welcome to Guatemala’s Semana Santa, or Holy Week.
ME OH-MAYA!
The Maya are groups of people who live in parts of Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Their ancestors created a great society. At its peak, from 600-900 C.E., the Maya civilization was more advanced than its neighbors in the Americas.
Playing Games Honduras-style
Would you play the same games in Honduras that you do in the United States? You might. Children in Honduras enjoy many of the same games North Americans do. They go fishing and shoot baskets. They play sandlot baseball—called bate (BAH tay). They fly kites and ride bikes. Their parents may go horseback riding or play golf or tennis.
LIVING A LONG LIFE IN THE Blue Zone
Most people would like to live as long a life as possible. No one really knows why some people live longer than others, but did you know that where you live can play a big part in how many years you’ll be alive? If you live in a Blue Zone, chances are that you will live much longer than people in other parts of the world.
ATTENTION WORLD: Belize Saves Their Coral Reef
Sea turtles float in clear waters, colorful corals hug the ocean floor, and aquatic animals glide among the mangrove roots. Welcome to the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, the second-largest coral reef in the world (Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is number one). Several years ago, this reef was in crisis, heading toward destruction. But the people of Belize fought back to save their reef’s health.
The Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a 51-mile long canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
This is Central America!
It’s time to visit Central America. But first, it helps to know exactly where Central America is. Despite its name, it is the southernmost part of North America, which can seem a little confusing. It makes up most of the isthmus dividing the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that connects two larger landmasses and has water on both sides.