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BEFORE YOU WATCH: The Railroad Journey and the Industrial Revolution - Crash Course World History

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.
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:
  1. How did railroads lead people to experience the Industrial Revolution? How was this different across different classes?
  2. How did railroads change the physical environment? How did they change how people experienced time and space?
  3. In what ways was travel by horse seen as superior to railroad travel, by some people?
  4. What are some ways in which railroad travel impacted human interaction?
  5. How did people’s attitudes toward railroads change over time?
  6. In what ways is the Internet similar to the railroad?

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:
  1. John Green argues that railroads were a technological revolution that changed everything from production to distribution to communities to networks. Could something similar be said about other elements of the Industrial Revolution, like factories or industrial cities? Make an argument for one of these, or another element.
  2. How can evidence from this video help you evaluate the networks frame narrative?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

Want to join the conversation?

  • blobby green style avatar for user alan.he
    In 1776 ______________ launched a steam engine, which revolutionized how much work humans could do and also led to ________________, steamships and automobiles.
    (5 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user