VP Popup 08/26/20 This Week in History

This Week in History: Eruption of Mount Vesuvius

Find out about important events that occurred this week in history.

Wednesday, August 26

This activity is for ages 9 and up, but anyone can join.

August 24, 79 AD

Monut Vesusvius is a volcano located in Southern Italy. This volcano is famous for a devastating eruption that occurred in 79 AD, which killed thousands of people in the surrounding cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

On August 24, Mount Vesuvius violently exploded, sending ash and pumice several miles into the air. Toxic gases and ash from the volcano enclosed the nearby towns and their citizens, causing many to suffocate. Volcanic debris, like ash and pumice, as well as mud buried the towns, and kept the ruins hidden for hundreds of years. Some people were able to flee the destruction, but it is estimated that 2000 men, women, and children were killed in Pompeii because of the Mount Vesuvius's eruption.

Remains that have been discovered in Pompeii are so well preserved because of the way that the towns were buried in ash. As a result, archaeologists have learned a great deal of information about the life of the people that lived in Pompeii and Herculaneum during this time.

Photo Credit: Mount Vesuvius in Eruption by Jacob More, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jacob_More_(1740-1793)_-_Mount_Vesuvius_in_Eruption_-_NG_290_-_National_Galleries_of_Scotland.jpg

Check out these videos to learn more about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii:

Explore Volcanoes With Nat Geo Kids!: https://youtu.be/Xtkys3-T-Y8
Pompeii Volcano Eruption (Twig Education): https://youtu.be/YIZ4aSKT3mo
A Day in Pompeii - Full-length animation (Melbourne Museum): https://youtu.be/dY_3ggKg0Bc

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