Antarctic Peninsula

We just learned about the West Antarctica.

Another part of Antarctica is the Antarctic Peninsula.

This is the most northern part of Antarctica that sticks out toward South America.

Many countries have made scientific bases to study the continent on this peninsula, because it has the mildest climate in all of Antarctica.


(from: wikipedia - antarctic peninsula)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Pena Palace

West Antarctica

We just learned about the East Antarctica.

The other part of Antarctica is called West Antarctica.

It is much smaller than East Antarctica, and is sometimes called "Lesser Antarctica".

West Antarctica has the warmest part of the continent, and actually even have parts that have no ice on them during the summer, which is in January for Antarctica.

This part of Antarctica has a long peninsula that goes north toward South America, and is the closest to any other continent to Antarctica.


(from: wikipedia - west antarctica)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Potala Palace

East Antarctica

We just started learning about Antarctica.

Antarctica is split up into two parts, Wast and East Antarctica.

The East part is the bigger part, and is sometimes just called Greater Antarctica.
It is closer to Africa and Australia, and the Indian Ocean.
The East and West parts of Antarctica are separated by a 2,000 mile long mountain range.


(from: wikipedia - west antarctica)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Forbidden City

Antarctica

We just learned about the Half Tower, and a whole lot of other types of castle Fortifications.

Let's learn about something else. The continent of Antarctica!

Even though we think of it as just a big chunk of frozen ice at the bottom of the earth, people have studied it and given names to all the parts of it from the east to the west.

There are even seas inside Antarctica, and hundreds of islands!

Some people even live down in Antarctica to study the ice and the climate.
There are some crazy animals down there too living on the land or even deep down in the cold sea.

We are trying to study it and learn more about it every year!


(from: wikipedia - geography of antarctica)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Westminster

Half Tower

We just learned about the Caltrop spikes in the ground.

Another type of fortification is a Half Tower.

This is a tower in a castle that is open in the back or on the sides.
It is usually open to the inside of the castle so that people can get in and out easily, but still be protected from the outside.


(from: wikipedia - half tower)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mortizburg Castle

Caltrop

We just learned about the Czech Hedgehog.

Another type of castle fortification is a Caltrop.

These are kind of like the Czech Hedgehogs as they are spikey things on the ground, but they are a lot smaller.
Caltrops would be put out over where enemies would be marching, so that they had to walk slowly and carefully to try and not step on one of the spikes.


(from: wikipedia - caltrop)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Catherine Palace

Czech Hedgehog

We just learned about the Dragon's Teeth used to stop tanks.

Another type of fortification is a Czech Hedgehog.

These were iron bars that were welded together in criss cross patterns and then put out on the ground to stop tanks.
The tanks couldn't drive over them, and they were too heavy to push around.
They also could not be knocked over, because even if they were tipped over they would still make the same kind of X star shape that tanks couldn't drive over.

They were called Czech Hedgehogs because they are spikey like a hedgehog, and they were first used in Czechoslovakia to protect them from German tanks during World War II.


(from: wikipedia - czech hedgehog)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Predjama Castle

Dragon's Teeth

We just learned about the Witch Tower.

Another type of fortification is Dragon's Teeth.

Much later than the old times of swords and arrows, one of the most powerful weapons in war was the tank.

Tanks were pretty much just armored cannons on wheels, and could not be destroyed by soldiers or simple guns.
So people made other ways to stop them, like putting giant spikes into the ground that tanks could not drive over.


(from: wikipedia - dragon's teeth (fortification))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bellver Castle

Witch Tower

We just learned about the Trou de Loup trap.

Another part of a castle is a Witch Tower.

This was a tower in a castle that was used as a prison.
In the old times if the people thought someone might be a witch they would keep them locked up in the tower, which is where it got its name.


(from: wikipedia - witch tower)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Palace of Versailles

Trou de Loup

We just learned about the Abatis tree fortification.

Another type of fortification is the Trou de Loup, which is French for Wolf Hole.

This is a hole used as a trap that people would dig in front of the castle, and then cover up with something like straw or sticks so people didn't see it until they walked right on top of it.


(from: wikipedia - trou de loup)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Château de Chantilly

Abatis

We just learned about the Fujian Tulou.

Another type of fortification is an Abatis.

During a battle, sometimes people will chop trees down and lay them on the ground with the branches facing toward the enemy.
They tie them together with ropes or wires so they can't be moved out of the way.

This makes it very hard for the enemy to climb through, and helps keep away the attackers.


(from: wikipedia - abatis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Peleș Castle

Fujian Tulou

We just learned about the Meurtrière.

Another type of castle fortification is the Fujian Tulou.

This is a circle shaped building that is made out of dirt that is packed in tight, and mixed in with stone, bamboo and wood.
On the inside of the building are rooms for people to live in.
The top part of the buildings has gun holes to help fight against people that are attacking.


(from: wikipedia - fujian tulou)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Citadel of Qaitbay

Meurtrière

We just learned about the Battery Tower in a castle.

Another type of fortification is the Meurtrière, also called a murder hole.

These were holes in the ceiling where people from above could throw rocks, shoot arrows or pour hot water on attackers to keep them out of the castle.


(from: wikipedia - murder hole)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Windsor Castle

Battery Tower

We just learned about the Hoarding wooden shed attached to the castle wall.

Another fortification is a Battery Tower.

This is a type of tall tower on the edge of a castle, with holes in it for cannons and guns that people can use to defend the castle.


(from: wikipedia - battery tower)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Hohensalzburg Fortress

Hoarding

We just learned about the big gated door called the Yett.

Another kind of castle fortification is a Hoarding.

This is a wooden shed that is built on the outside of a stone castle, to help protect archers and defenders of the castle during a battle.

These hoardings are usually not built on the castle until there is a battle.
When they are put up, there are holes in the side of a castle called putlogs or putlocks that they would put logs into, and then build the hoarding on top of that.


(from: wikipedia - hoarding (castle))

(from: wikipedia - putlog hole)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Spiš Castle

Yett

We just learned about the Portcullis door that slides down.

Another type of castle door is the Yett.

This is a door made out of wrought iron bars, but it is on hinges and swings open and closed sideways like a normal door.



(from: wikipedia - yett)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Buda Castle

Portcullis

We just learned about the Drawbridge.

Another castle fortification is the Portcullis.

This is a big heavy door to a castle that opens and closes by sliding up and down.

It was set into grooves on both walls, and then using ropes, pulleys and cranks it could be raised and lowered.

Because it was set into the walls and was very heavy, it couldn't be shoved open as easy as a normal door.

Some castles would even make two portcullis doors, so they could trap the attackers in between them.



(from: wikipedia - portcullis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Himeji Castle

Drawbridge

We just learned about the Castle Keep.

Another part of a castle is a Drawbridge.

This is a type of bridge that goes across a moat, that can be pulled up to keep people from getting into the castle.

Drawbridges are still used today for bridges that go across rivers or lakes.

There are a few different types of drawbridges, like a bascule bridge that has two ends that lift up in the middle, a vertical lift bridge that has one piece that goes up and down together, or a swing bridge that spins in the middle.






(from: wikipedia - drawbridge)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Citadel of Aleppo

Castle Keep

We just learned about the Bastion that sticks out from the curtain wall.

Another castle fortification is a Keep.

This is a tall tower that is part of a castle where someone would hide out if the rest of the castle was being attacked.

Sometimes a keep was surrounded by another big curtain wall, and the kings or owners of the castle would stay in the keep to be protected in case someone broke through the other fortifications.


(from: wikipedia - keep)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Prague Castle

Bastion

We just learned about the Butter Churn Tower.

Another part of a castle is a Bastion, also sometimes called a bulwark.

This is a part of the curtain wall that goes around a castle, and it sticks out beyond the wall.

The bastion was made for cannons and other weapons to be further out from the curtain wall, to fight off the people coming to attack the castle.


(from: wikipedia - bastion)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Kronborg Castle