Introduction to Concrete | Analysis of CaCO3 | Concrete Affects History | Industrial Development | Calcium Carbonate Accomplishments | Damage | History Affects CaCO3: Future of Concrete
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Calcium Carbonate makes up approximately 4% of Earth’s crust, so it has been a part of history since the beginning of the beginning, contributing to the rise and fall of many ancient civilizations.
- The earliest records of primitive concrete being made date back to 5600 BC in modern day Serbia, with a hut made of a red lime, sand, and gravel mixture. (This was before even the Sumerian Civilization began in Mesopotamia.)
- The Ancient Egyptians established their architecture using a lime and gypsum cement. The stone covering of the Great Pyramids at Giza that tourists see today is the remaining limestone shell, which is of course, CALCIUM CARBONATE!!
(CaCO3 remains as a reminder of the great power of Ancient Egypt during 3000 BC.)
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The Romans have Calcium Carbonate to thank for their Empire (approx 700 BC-100 BC), because their great cites were supplied with fresh water from concrete aquaducts, made from a quicklime, pozzolanic ash, and pumice mixture, along with some additives like Horse hair and blood.
(A Roman aquaduct remains in France.) 
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From the 1850’s on, after Joeseph Aspdin patented his Portland Cement, the perfected mixture found its way to making roads, bridges, tunnels and dams in all areas of the world. These structures revolutionized many countries as they could now navigate to new areas and trade with areas that before were unreachable.
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This made the transportation of people and goods more efficient, splendidly intensifying the economies of both Britain and the United States.
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Paved roads, whether it comes from concrete or asphalt were extremely important for the distribution of the population throughout the United States, and the development of the Western States.
(Even if the road is not made of cement, chances are that the structures suspending it are. Yay CaCO3!!)