Clipper

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

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/clipper

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 vessel type classification?Fast-sailing merchant ship, characterized by speed and specialized design
2. What is the primary construction nations?United Kingdom and United States, with contributions from other nations
3. What was a clipper ship and why were they so fast?Clipper ships were special sailing ships built in the 1840s to carry valuable goods quickly. Their long, narrow hulls and huge sails let them cut through waves and catch wind power, making them faster than other ships.
4. Why did clipper ships become popular in the 1840s?They were made to bring tea from China to Britain faster, and later to carry people and supplies to California and Australia after gold was found. Speed was needed to beat competitors.

Naval Architecture: The design, construction, and maintenance of ships and other marine vessels.
Hydrodynamic Efficiency: The design of a vessel's shape to move through water with minimal resistance.
Sail Plan: The arrangement and type of sails on a sailing vessel.
Tonnage: A measure of a ship's internal volume, often used to indicate size.