Old Patent Office Building

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

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/old-patent-office-building

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 construction period?1836–1867
2. What is the architectural style?Greek Revival
3. Why was it built in Greek Revival style?The Greek Revival style makes the building look strong and important. The tall columns and big doors show that it was a place for big ideas and government work.
4. What did inventors do there?Inventors brought their new ideas to the building to get a patent. A patent protects an invention so the inventor can keep the rights to it.

Patent Office: A government agency responsible for granting exclusive rights for inventions to their creators.
Smithsonian Institution: A complex of museums and research centers administered by the United States government, dedicated to public education and the increase and diffusion of knowledge.
Greek Revival Architecture: An architectural style that emerged in the late 18th century, inspired by the architecture of ancient Greece, characterized by symmetry, proportion, and the use of classical orders.