Henry Bessemer

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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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/henry-bessemer

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. When was Henry Bessemer born?January 19, 1813
2. When did Henry Bessemer die?March 15, 1898
3. What is Henry Bessemer known for?The Bessemer process, a revolutionary method for mass-producing steel
4. What is the career?Inventor, engineer, and industrialist
5. Who was Henry Bessemer and why is he famous?He was an inventor who created a new way to make steel quickly and cheaply, which helped build tall buildings and trains.
6. How did the Bessemer process make steel?He blew air through molten iron, which removed extra carbon and other impurities, turning it into strong steel in just minutes.

Pig Iron: An intermediate product of the iron industry, with a very high carbon content, used to make steel.
Oxidized: A chemical reaction where a substance combines with oxygen.
Ductility: The ability of a material to be drawn or stretched into a thin wire without breaking.