Student Activity

The Alphabet is Historic: The Evolving Alphabet

How the Greek Alphabet Evolved From the Phoenician Alphabet

The top alphabet is Phoenician, and the lower one is Greek. Can you see how the Greek letters developed from the Phoenician letters? (Click the browser REFRESH button to play again)

How the Roman Alphabet Evolved From the Greek Alphabet

This illustration shows how our modern alphabet developed from the previous alphabets. Red letters are examples of letters that have moved around over time. The Green color shows the letters that were added to the Old Roman alphabet as it evolved into the alphabet we use. (Click the browser REFRESH button to play again)

* Phoenician type font (Eshmoon) courtesy of A Bequest Unearthed, Phoenicia through the EDSITEment-reviewed The Perseus Project.