American Industrial Revolution Webquest

 

 

Task:  Throughout this Webquest, you will be visiting several websites focusing on specific inventions.  Each website will have a task for you to complete.  Write your responses on your webquest foldable in complete sentences.   Whenever you read site, click on it to review the website. To move on to the next stage, click on the link for the next invention.

 

Inventions:

 

 Lowell Mills

 

 Farm Equipment (Steel Plow)

 

 Morse Code

 

 Cotton Gin

 

Tom Thumb Locomotive 

 

 

 

American Industrial Revolution WebQuest

 

The Lowell Mills (Panel # 2)

 

Task:  During the 1800s, America witnessed a change in America: factories were hiring women.  One of such factories was the Lowell Mills in Massachusetts! Your task is to click on this site.  This website includes interpreted journal entries of women who worked at the Lowell Mills.  Read the journal entries and complete the task:

 

1.    Tell about how the Lowell Mills treated those injured or sick on the job.

2.    Do you think how the Mills treated the injured was right or wrong, Why? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Industrial Revolution WebQuest

 

Farm Equipment (Panel # 3)

 

Task:  As many of you already know, John Deere is a popular brand of farm equipment today.  Check out this site to help further your understanding of John Deere by answering the questions. 

 

  1. Explain why John Deere developed the steel plow.  How do you know that his invention was successful?

 

Task:  Another famous inventor was Cyrus McCormick with the mechanical reaper.  Go to this site and complete the following question below:

 

  1. Why did Cyrus’s reaper sell so slowly during the first few years after he invented it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Industrial Revolution WebQuest

 

Morse Code (Panel # 4)

 

Task:  In 1837, Samuel F.B. Morse created a style of communication that cities and naval ships use to transmit messages.  The machine sent long and short pulses of electricity along a wire; the messages were in dots and dashes!  In fact, you have probably seen this in movies such as Titanic to transmit messages of distress (sinking in the middle of the ocean). 

 

Go to the following site and do the following below.

 

  1. Type in your name and select Translate to see what your name looks line in Morse Code. Then select play to hear your name in Morse Code. 
  2. Give an example of how being able to communicate over long distances would help Americans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Industrial Revolution WebQuest

 

Cotton Gin and Slavery (Panel # 5)

 

Task:  This task could be interesting, yet challenging for you.  First, click on this site and scroll until your see the animation of the cotton gin. Now complete the following tasks below.

 

1.  Examine the animation and explain  how Eli Whitney got the idea for the Cotton Gin from an observation he made:  

 "...by watching a cat reach through a fence, try (to reach) for a chicken, and come away with nothing but feathers..." (Whitney)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Industrial Revolution WebQuest

 

Tom Thumb Locomotive (Panel # 6)

 

Task:  Railroads and transportation would be a huge factor in changing America during the 1st and 2nd Industrial Revolution.  The railroad boom started with the first steam powered locomotive, the Tom Thumb.  Click on this site to learn a little more about ol’ Tom Thumb.

 

1.  Why do you think using steam powered locomotives would be better for the railroad than using horses?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Industrial Revolution Webquest

 

Conclusion (Panels # 7 & 8)

 

Task: 

1.  Summarize what you learned by completing this webquest in

3 – 4 sentences.  (panel 7)

 

2.  Which of the inventions covered in this webquest do you think was most important to helping the USA become an industrial power?  Why?  Draw a colored illustration of your choice. (Panel 8)

 

 

Congratulations on completing your adventure for uncovering important inventions developed during the 1st Industrial Revolution.  Remember that your responses should be organized (by panels) in complete sentences on your webquest foldable.