Great Chicago Fire

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/great-chicago-fire

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. Where is Great Chicago Fire?Chicago, Illinois, United States
2. How big is Great Chicago Fire?Approximately 3.3 square miles (9 km2)
3. What is the dates of fire?October 8–10, 1871
4. What is the structures destroyed?Over 17,000 buildings
5. What caused the Great Chicago Fire to spread so quickly?The city was built mostly of wood, and a long drought made the air very dry. Strong winds in early October pushed the flames from one building to the next, turning a small fire into a huge blaze.
6. How long did the fire last and how much of Chicago was destroyed?The fire raged for almost three days, from October 8 to October 10, 1871. It burned about 3.3 square miles—roughly 2,100 football fields—and took down more than 17,000 buildings.

Conflagration: A large, destructive fire that spreads rapidly and uncontrollably.
Wooden Construction: Building methods that rely heavily on timber, making structures highly susceptible to fire.
Building Codes: Official regulations that specify the minimum standards for construction and safety in buildings.
Urban Planning: The process of designing and managing the development of cities and towns.