Tower mill

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

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/tower-mill

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 Tower mill known for?Estimated 25% of wind power utilized before steam engines
2. What is the construction?Fixed masonry tower (brick or stone) with a rotatable wooden cap
3. What is the technological advancement?Improved upon post mills with greater height, stability, and sail size
4. What is a tower mill and how is it different from a post mill?A tower mill has a fixed stone tower with a rotating cap that holds the sails, while a post mill turns the whole body on a single post.
5. Why were tower mills important in Europe?They produced a lot of power for milling grain, sawing wood, pressing oil, and pumping water, helping many local economies.

Masonry Tower: A fixed, load-bearing structure built from stone, brick, or concrete.
Rotatable Cap: The movable roof housing the sails and main shaft, allowing orientation into the wind.
Pre-Industrial Power: Mechanical energy sources used before widespread adoption of steam and electricity.
Agrarian Economies: Societies primarily based on farming and agriculture.