De re metallica

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

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/de-re-metallica

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. Who wrote De re metallica?Georgius Agricola (Georg Bauer)
2. What is the publication year?1556
3. What is the subject matter?Comprehensive treatise on mining, metallurgy, and related technologies
4. Why did Georgius Agricola write De re metallica?He wanted to share the secret knowledge of mining and metalwork with more people, because before then only a few craftsmen knew the tricks. He used the printing press to spread the information.
5. How did the pictures in De re metallica help people?The book has 292 woodcut drawings that show machines such as water wheels and furnaces. These pictures let readers see exactly how the machines worked and helped them build the same tools.

Metallurgy: The science and technology of metals, including their extraction, purification, and use.
Posthumously: Published or produced after the author's death.
Dissemination: The act of spreading information or knowledge widely.
Empirical Data: Information gathered through observation and experimentation rather than theory.