Joseph Merrick

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

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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/joseph-merrick

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 Joseph Merrick born?August 5, 1862
2. Where was Joseph Merrick born?Leicester, England
3. What is the resided?London Hospital, Whitechapel, from 1886 until his death
4. What is the suspected medical condition?Proteus syndrome (conjectured in 1986)
5. Who was Joseph Merrick?Joseph Merrick was a kind man born in 1862 who lived with severe physical deformities. He is best known as the Elephant Man.
6. Why was he called "The Elephant Man"?Showmen used his unusual appearance to attract crowds, giving him the name "The Elephant Man" to draw attention.

Proteus Syndrome: A rare congenital disorder characterized by excessive growth of skin, bones, and other tissues.
Victorian Era: The period of Queen Victoria's reign in the United Kingdom (1837-1901), known for significant social and industrial change.
Asphyxia: A condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation.
Pathological Society of London: A historical medical society where physicians presented and discussed unusual medical cases.