ELI5; why are we taught that atoms are the building blocks of matter when atoms are made up of smaller things?

Question

ELI5; why are we taught that atoms are the building blocks of matter when atoms are made up of smaller things?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Because we the idea of matter was conceived of, atoms were the smallest things known. And most matter anyone will have every-day contact with will be matter composed only of atoms.

And this is generally how we teach things. We teach the simple and general first, then refine with special cases.