BEFORE YOU WATCH: Coal, Steam, and the Industrial Revolution

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.

By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:

How does John Green define the Industrial Revolution?
What Euro-centric explanations does John Green give for why the Industrial Revolution started in Europe?
How does John Green refute those Euro-centric explanations?
What does John Green list as Britain’s advantages over China?
How does John Green argue that Indian textiles spurred the Industrial Revolution?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.

At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:

Do you agree with John Green that the Industrial Revolution was more revolutionary than the political revolutions of the Atlantic world? How does this argument challenge or support the communities frame?
You’ve now read or watched several explanations for why the Industrial Revolution started in Britain. What do you think the single most important factor was?

Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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DevinE
Posted a year ago. Direct link to DevinE's post “no questions”
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