Changes

The Flat Earth idea is a primitive concept of the earth as a [[plane (geometry)|plane]] or a large circle. <ref> "Among various rude tribes we find survivals of a primitive idea that the earth is a flat table or disk, ceiled, domed, or canopied by the sky, and that the sky rests upon the mountains as pillars." </ref>

The '''Flat Earth''' idea is a primitive concept of the earth as a [[plane (geometry)|plane]] or a large circle. <ref> "Among various rude tribes we find survivals of a primitive idea that the earth is a flat table or disk, ceiled, domed, or canopied by the sky, and that the sky rests upon the mountains as pillars." </ref>

The ancient Greeks knew that the Earth was spherical. Aristotle gave some convincing arguments for the spherical Earth, including ships sailing over the horizon and lunar eclipses showing the Earth's shadow. Eratosthenes used geometry and a hired pace man to estimate its circumference to within a few percent. <ref> "Eratosthenes concluded the Earth to be 40,000 kilometers in circumference, or approximately 25,000 miles. Within a few percentage points, this is correct.." [http://www.sterlinghousepublisher.com/remote%20pages/excerpts/Pages%20from%20Sum%20of%20Existence.pdf The Sum of Existence], by A.R. Barnes, Jr. </ref>

The ancient Greeks knew that the Earth was spherical. Aristotle gave some convincing arguments for the spherical Earth, including ships sailing over the horizon and lunar eclipses showing the Earth's shadow. Eratosthenes used geometry and a hired pace man to estimate its circumference to within a few percent. <ref> "Eratosthenes concluded the Earth to be 40,000 kilometers in circumference, or approximately 25,000 miles. Within a few percentage points, this is correct.." [http://www.sterlinghousepublisher.com/remote%20pages/excerpts/Pages%20from%20Sum%20of%20Existence.pdf The Sum of Existence], by A.R. Barnes, Jr. </ref>