Orphan Train

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/orphan-train

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 operational period?1854 to 1929
2. What is the estimated number of children relocated?Approximately 200,000
3. What were the Orphan Trains and when did they run?The Orphan Trains were special trains that carried children from crowded cities to families in the Midwest. They ran from 1854 until 1929, moving about 200,000 kids.
4. Why did cities send children to the Midwest on trains?Cities had many homeless and poor children, while farms in the Midwest needed workers. The trains helped solve both problems by moving kids to new homes and jobs.

Destitute: Lacking the necessities of life; extremely poor.
Philanthropic Institutions: Organizations established to provide aid and support to those in need, often funded by donations.
Child Welfare: The system of practices, policies, and services designed to promote the well-being of children and protect them from harm.