What do civil engineers know today about the origins of structural mechanics? When and in what form did static calculations begin in the design process? We suspect that the development of calculation methods and procedures is closely linked to the discovery of new building materials and the emergence and evolution of structural forms. This book traces the emergence of statics and strength theory as a development from the geometric thinking of the Renaissance through classical mechanics to modern structural mechanics. An introduction provides brief insights into twelve common calculation methods, offering access to over 500 years of the history of structural mechanics from the calculation practices of the present. Starting with the strength considerations of Leonardo and Galileo, the formation of individual structural calculation methods and their consolidation into structural mechanics is explored.