AT&T

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/att

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the founding year?1885
2. What is the predecessor?American Bell Telephone Company
3. What is AT&T and how did it start?AT&T began in 1885 as the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, a part of the Bell Telephone Company founded by Alexander Graham Bell. It was created to build and run long‑distance telephone lines across the country.
4. Why was AT&T called "Ma Bell"?AT&T was nicknamed "Ma Bell" because it was the big parent company that ran most of the telephone services in the U.S., like a big, caring family.

Regulated Monopoly: A single company allowed to provide a service, but with government oversight on prices and practices.
Divestiture: The act of selling off a part of a company or business.
Fiber Optic Cable: Thin strands of glass or plastic that transmit data using light signals, enabling high-speed internet.
5G Technology: The fifth generation of wireless technology, offering faster speeds and lower latency for mobile devices and networks.