General
How Calendars Evolved Over Time
Did you know that the calendar you use today is the product of thousands of years of evolution and innovation?
Ancient Egyptians were among the first to create a calendar based on the solar year, dividing it into 12 months of 30 days each, with five extra days added for festivals.
Later, the Romans introduced the Julian calendar in 46 B.C., which was a significant improvement, yet it still miscalculated the solar year by 11 minutes.
This seemingly minor error accumulated over centuries, prompting Pope Gregory XIII to introduce the Gregorian calendar in 1582.
The Gregorian calendar reformed the leap year system to better align with the Earth’s orbit, leading to the system we recognize today, where a year is 365 days with an extra day added every four years.
Interestingly, this reform was adopted at different times worldwide, creating a mosaic of calendar systems throughout history as countries gradually transitioned to the new model.
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