Imagine you are on a giant wooden boat with your family. You have big jugs of water to drink. But after a few weeks, the water tastes yucky and turns green! This happens because tiny bugs grow in the warm sun. Ancient sailors had a hard time keeping their water fresh. They used special containers made of wood or clay. These containers kept the water cool, but the air inside could still spoil it. Sometimes, they would add lemon juice to stop the bad stuff from growing. Without good drinks, sailors got sick and tired. This meant that ships could not travel very far or stay at sea for a long time. It was like when your fruit goes soft in the lunchbox! The quality of the water decided if a ship could make it home safely.
Examples
- The ship's cook drinks rainwater collected in nets because the stored barrels have gone sour.
Ask a question
See also
- How Did the Aztec Empire Maintain Its Power for Centuries?
- Why Did Bronze Collapse So Suddenly?
- How Did the Great Depression Affect Everyday People?
- How Did the Inca Empire Fall?
- How Did the Great Wall of China Affect Trade Routes?