Question

The calendar as we know it today had to go through several revisions. Discuss two faults of the earliest versions of the calendar and the methods used to correct those problems.

Answer 1

The earliest versions of the calendar had faults related to measuring the length of a year and neglecting the problem of the month. The Gregorian calendar corrected these problems by implementing a leap year system and aligning the system of months with the solar year.

Step-by-step explanation:

Two Early Faults of the Calendar

One of the faults of the earliest versions of the calendar was the lack of accuracy in measuring the length of a year. The Roman calendar, for example, had an average year that differed from the true year by about 11 minutes, resulting in an appreciable error over time. Another fault was the disregard for the problem of the month, which often resulted in misalignment with the lunar cycles.

Methods Used to Correct the Problems

The Gregorian calendar, established in 1582, addressed these faults by implementing two methods. First, to correct the inaccurate measurement of the year, the Gregorian calendar introduced a leap year system that accounts for the fraction of a day by adding an extra day every four years. Second, to reconcile the discrepancy with the lunar cycles, the Gregorian calendar maintained the system of months from the Roman calendar while aligning it with the solar year.