Why did they make the front wheel of an old bike so big?

The large front wheel of old bicycles, known as penny-farthings, was designed to make the bike faster and more efficient. A larger wheel covers more ground with each rotation, allowing for greater speed with less pedaling effort. Additionally, the design helped to navigate uneven terrain better than smaller wheels. However, the high center of gravity also made them less stable and more challenging to ride compared to modern bicycles.