How People Told Time Before Clocks (1550, USA)

An illustrated history story from Wonder History — free to read, with narration.

How People Told Time Before Clocks (1550, USA) — an illustrated history story, featuring Zola, Bram, Obinna, set in USA. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder History.

How People Told Time Before Clocks (1550, USA) — book cover — Wonder History
How People Told Time Before Clocks (1550, USA) — an illustrated history story, featuring Zola, Bram, Obinna, set in USA. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder History.

Page 1

"We are in Istanbul, 1550," Marco said, pointing to an old map. The worn parchment depicted the city's bustling harbors and towering minarets.
"We are in Istanbul, 1550," Marco said, pointing to an old map. The worn parchment depicted the city's bustling harbors and towering minarets. Zara leaned closer, tracing a finger along the Bosphorus Strait. "Imagine what it was like back then, before clocks told everyone exactly when to do everything," Zara mused, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"We are in Istanbul, 1550," Marco said, pointing to an old map. The worn parchment depicted the city's bustling harbors and towering minarets. Zara leaned closer, tracing a finger along the Bosphorus Strait. "Imagine what it was like back then, before clocks told everyone exactly when to do everything," Zara mused, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Page 2

Dmitri, a thoughtful 10-year-old with tawny brown skin, stood outside a bustling bakery. \"Come on!\" Alina called, beckoning from the open doorway, \"My…
Dmitri, a thoughtful 10-year-old with tawny brown skin, stood outside a bustling bakery. \"Come on!\" Alina called, beckoning from the open doorway, \"My auntie's saffron bread is ready!\" Jun, small and wiry with fair skin, tugged on Dmitri's sleeve.

Dmitri, a thoughtful 10-year-old with tawny brown skin, stood outside a bustling bakery. \"Come on!\" Alina called, beckoning from the open doorway, \"My auntie's saffron bread is ready!\" Jun, small and wiry with fair skin, tugged on Dmitri's sleeve.

Page 3

Inside, Auntie Elif, her face dusted with flour, beamed at them. "Welcome, children! Today, we bake by the sun!" She pointed to a mark on the wall near the…
Inside, Auntie Elif, her face dusted with flour, beamed at them. "Welcome, children! Today, we bake by the sun!" She pointed to a mark on the wall near the window. "When the sunbeam touches this line, the bread goes in!"

Inside, Auntie Elif, her face dusted with flour, beamed at them. "Welcome, children! Today, we bake by the sun!" She pointed to a mark on the wall near the window. "When the sunbeam touches this line, the bread goes in!"

Page 4

"But what if it's cloudy?" Jun asked, tilting his head. Auntie Elif chuckled, pulling out a water-filled bowl with markings.
"But what if it's cloudy?" Jun asked, tilting his head. Auntie Elif chuckled, pulling out a water-filled bowl with markings. "Then we use the clepsydra, a water clock! As the water drips, the levels show the time," she demonstrated, filling the bowl with a jug. "People have used these for thousands of years!"

"But what if it's cloudy?" Jun asked, tilting his head. Auntie Elif chuckled, pulling out a water-filled bowl with markings. "Then we use the clepsydra, a water clock! As the water drips, the levels show the time," she demonstrated, filling the bowl with a jug. "People have used these for thousands of years!"

Page 5

"My grandfather, Ahmet, used to sail," Dmitri declared. "He told me sailors used astrolabes to tell time by the stars!" Auntie Elif smiled, nodding. "Indeed!
"My grandfather, Ahmet, used to sail," Dmitri declared. "He told me sailors used astrolabes to tell time by the stars!" Auntie Elif smiled, nodding. "Indeed! They measure the angle of the sun and stars to determine the time. It helped them navigate across the seas."

"My grandfather, Ahmet, used to sail," Dmitri declared. "He told me sailors used astrolabes to tell time by the stars!" Auntie Elif smiled, nodding. "Indeed! They measure the angle of the sun and stars to determine the time. It helped them navigate across the seas."

Page 6

"An astrolabe could help us now!" Alina exclaimed. "I read about a secret room hidden in here—we need to use a recipe to find it, but some of the ingredients…
"An astrolabe could help us now!" Alina exclaimed. "I read about a secret room hidden in here—we need to use a recipe to find it, but some of the ingredients are missing and we can't read the sun dial correctly to know which recipe is active. We need to know the time to read the sun dial"

"An astrolabe could help us now!" Alina exclaimed. "I read about a secret room hidden in here—we need to use a recipe to find it, but some of the ingredients are missing and we can't read the sun dial correctly to know which recipe is active. We need to know the time to read the sun dial"

Page 7

"Let's use the sun dial outside!" Jun suggested, darting towards the door. Dmitri shook his head. "It's too cloudy. But wait!" He remembered something he heard…
"Let's use the sun dial outside!" Jun suggested, darting towards the door. Dmitri shook his head. "It's too cloudy. But wait!" He remembered something he heard his grandfather say. "'The measure of intelligence is the ability to change,' as Albert Einstein said. We can use the astrolabe to approximate!

"Let's use the sun dial outside!" Jun suggested, darting towards the door. Dmitri shook his head. "It's too cloudy. But wait!" He remembered something he heard his grandfather say. "'The measure of intelligence is the ability to change,' as Albert Einstein said. We can use the astrolabe to approximate!

Page 8

Carefully, Dmitri adjusted the astrolabe, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I think it's about midday!" he announced.
Carefully, Dmitri adjusted the astrolabe, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I think it's about midday!" he announced. Alina raced to the dusty cookbook, flipping through the recipes. "Aha! The 'Midday Delight' recipe! It calls for saffron, rosewater, and..." she paused, "...ground cloves, which are missing!"

Carefully, Dmitri adjusted the astrolabe, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I think it's about midday!" he announced. Alina raced to the dusty cookbook, flipping through the recipes. "Aha! The 'Midday Delight' recipe! It calls for saffron, rosewater, and..." she paused, "...ground cloves, which are missing!"

Page 9

"Ground cloves! That's it!" Auntie Elif exclaimed, reaching into a hidden compartment behind the oven. "My mother always said these were the key!
"Ground cloves! That's it!" Auntie Elif exclaimed, reaching into a hidden compartment behind the oven. "My mother always said these were the key! The secret recipe room unlocks with the right spice combination!" She sprinkled the cloves into the mixture.

"Ground cloves! That's it!" Auntie Elif exclaimed, reaching into a hidden compartment behind the oven. "My mother always said these were the key! The secret recipe room unlocks with the right spice combination!" She sprinkled the cloves into the mixture.

Page 10

With the completed recipe, a section of the wall shimmered and slid aside, revealing a hidden room filled with ancient artifacts.
With the completed recipe, a section of the wall shimmered and slid aside, revealing a hidden room filled with ancient artifacts. "Wow," Zara murmured, looking at a display of sundials and water clocks in the Istanbul museum years later, "People were so clever at telling time, even without modern clocks!".

With the completed recipe, a section of the wall shimmered and slid aside, revealing a hidden room filled with ancient artifacts. "Wow," Zara murmured, looking at a display of sundials and water clocks in the Istanbul museum years later, "People were so clever at telling time, even without modern clocks!".

About this story

  • Historical figures: Zola, Bram, Obinna
  • Location: USA
  • Period: Early Modern
  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

Questions and answers

Questions and answers about How People Told Time Before Clocks (1550, USA)

Read Wonder History on your phone

Wonder History is available on Android. Get Wonder History on Google Play.

More Wonder History stories

All Wonder History stories · Open the library