From october 810, 1871, the great chicago fire burned out of control, quickly spreading far and wide across the city. Patrick blanco slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Practically overnight the great city of chicago was destroyed. The great chicago fire of 1871, when the windy city almost.
By some accounts, as many as 300 people died in the great chicago fire. The rebuilding of the city spurred economic growth and brought in new developers. The fire destroyed over 17,000 buildings and left over 100,000 people. The following questions are based on the accompanying documents ae. The great chicago fire was a large fire that started on sunday october 8, 1871 in chicago, illinois. Here are five things you probably didnt know about the great chicago fire that. The great chicago fire wasnt started by a cow today i found out. This 1868 pocket map of chicago shows the city in fullblown expansion, a mere 3 years before the infamous blaze. A sunday night blaze in a barn quickly spread, and for approximately 30 hours the flames roared through chicago, consuming hastily constructed neighborhoods of immigrant housing as well as the citys business district. This book separates facts from fiction about the great chicago fire. Chicago had a weakness for big things, and liked to think that it was outbuilding new york. The great fire by jim murphy the great fire by jim murphy is a nonfiction account of one of the most devastating disasters in american history. Even though great chicago fire was very bad, the economy and infrastructure in the city is quickly rebuilt. Describe two things julia lemos did to get her family ready to.
The great chicago fire kimberly leverette mulberry middle directions. Discover the story of the great chicago fire of 1871, an inferno that forever changed the citys skyline, in this epic graphic novel. The journalists of some newspapers were quick to implicate mrs. With extensive back matter, including a bibliography, extended reading list, glossary, and further internet sources, young readers will gobble up this actionpacked comic book about. Pauly university of wisconsin, milwaukee for chicagos historians, writers, and citizens, the great chicago fire of october 810, 1871, has always had a clear meaning. The great chicago fire of 1871 living history of illinois. On october 8, 1871, a huge fire started near chicagos downtown area and burned four. It all began one sunday evening when a small fire broke out inside the olearys barn. According to richards illustrated and statistical map, the fire covered 2,320 of the 22,400 acres that were part of the city of chicago, with the exact area destroyed marked in red on the map. On october 8, 1871, four decades after its founding, chicagos destiny was rewritten with a pen of fire. Three months after the 1871 fire, chicago tribune owner joseph medill was elected mayor, vowing to outlaw the construction of wood buildings throughout the city. Fiction and nonfiction about the great chicago fire of 1871 score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it.
Then, see the most devastating natural disasters of the 21st century. But as deadly as it was, the great chicago fire was small compared to its big brother. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. The exact death toll attributable to the fire is not known. She painted memories of the chicago fire in 1871 and also. The great fire by jim murphy deer creek middle school.
The great fire was a newbery medal honor book in 1996. Did the great chicago fire really start after a cow kicked over a lantern in a barn. I was reading a bedtime story to my grandson and the book i was reading. All the questions on this quiz are based on information that can be found on the page at great chicago fire. Oleary and her cow of any blame for the great chicago fire. The great chicago fire destroyed a major american city, making it one of the most destructive disasters of the 19th century. The chicago fire of 1871, also called the great chicago fire, burned from october 8 to october 10, 1871, and destroyed thousands of buildings, killed an. Chicago as it was before the great fire the great chicago fire october 9, 1871 if you woke up and your house was on fire, what would you take with you before getting out. Catherine o leary kicked over an oil lamp, igniting the barn, which started the threeday fire that raced across chicago, destroying everything in its path. Great chicago fire is considered as one of the largest and deadly disasters in the history of united states. The speeding massive fire wall created tornadostyle winds and the tremendous heat turned the beach sands into glass. The great chicago fire of 1871 chicagos population had exploded from about 4,000 people when it gained its first city charter in 1837, to 30,000 in 1850, then to an astounding 330,000 by 1871.
The fire finally abated as the winds from the frontal system diminished and a light drizzle began falling late that monday night. It burned until tuesday october 10, 1871 when rain started to fall. Buy products related to great chicago fire products and see what customers say about great. I made at the cows and loosened them as quick as i could. At first there was a fire at a farm then when to chicago it was way worst. The great chicago fire kimberly leverette mulberry middle. Of course theres a bit more to the great chicago fire than a clumsy cow, and mrs. Chicagoans have long seen the fire as a watershed, the end of the citys pioneer adolescence and the beginning.
Before the fire there was a large drought causing everything to be dry and flammable, then a fire broke out in the olearys barn and spread. Lets discover some interesting facts about this time in american history. Their barn went up in flames, but their house wasn. I did not know much about this but i didnt know it happened. With the chicago fire anniversary just around the corner, here are some of the lesser known facts and history about the fire that. The fire was initially blamed on an errant cow owned by catherine oleary which kicked over a lantern, yet this was never proven. Definitive treatment of 1871 fire one of the greatest disasters in american history includes eyewitness accounts and beforeandafter illustrations.
Overnight, the flourishing city of chicago was transformed into a smoldering wasteland. Media event examines how the fire was reported in the contemporary press, popular images, and instant histories. This is the eleventh book in the i survived series of novels for young readers focusing on catastrophic events in history. But such a centennial is an occasion to be observed with awe at the sudden destruction of so many lives and so much property, and with respect for the indomitable spirit of the chicagoans of that day.
In october 1871, a fire that began in a barn in chicago spread throughout much of the city. The central business district in the city was heavily destroyed. This was a good, short book on the great chicago fire of 1871. Ten things about the great chicago fire interesting chicago. T he great chicago fire of 1871 also affected the choice of materials used in the citys buildings. Fiction and nonfiction about the great chicago fire of 1871 score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Over 60,000 buildings 90% made of wood were squeezed into the city limits, along with hundreds of miles of wooden streets and sidewalks. In this imaginative and penetrating study, ross miller considers the mythic proportions of the great chicago fire as the city reshaped its own tragedy into an archetype of the modern struggle against adversity. If you want to learn about the fore ypuy should read this book. Now editor of the chicago suntimes showcase magazine, he has written many books including the recently published with robert cromie the great fire. The great chicago fire was a conflagration that burned in the american city of chicago during.
All of the primary sources you will be analyzing were taken from the great chicago fire and the web of memory website created by the chicago historical society and the trustees of northwestern university. It did not end until about 10 am the following tuesday morning. Good historical information, quick read with pictures throughout. And when the cow kicked it over she winked her eye and said, therell be a hot time in the old town tonight. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly 3. The great chicago fire, as the horror happened in 1871. Though no one really knows if the cow was responsible, the great chicago fire claimed 18,000 buildings and nearly 26,000 acres of the thriving city.
For webquest or practice, print a copy of this quiz at the great chicago fire webquest print page. On october 8, 1871, chicago just about burned to the ground during a two day conflagration. After the blaze, fire safety was even a platform that politicians ran on. Top 10 fascinating fire facts to fuel the mind listverse. October 810, 1871 in october 1871, chicago was the fourth largest city in the united states with over 334,000 residents. The great chicago fire was a conflagration that burned in the american city of chicago during october 810, 1871.
The damage was so profound that few people believed the city could ever rise again. A quick easy and interesting read about the chicago fire. Louis as the fourthlargest city in america and sat poised to become a major player on the international scene. The 140th anniversary of the great chicago fire duration. Jim murphy, the great fire grade 6 originally published in new york. The burntout face first the terrors of the fire and then an uncertain future. The great chicago fire was one of the worst fires ever. Some 100,000 of the citys 300,000 people were left homeless.
The great chicago fire was one of the most devastating fires in the history of the united states of america. For those interested in chicagos history the weather channels short videos on this fire are linked together here for the first time. Was the great chicago fire really started by a cow. There is a major league soccer team called the chicago fire. Chicagoans of 1871 were quick to note that their fire had been a.
Karen abbott is a contributing writer for history for and the author of the books sin in the. The great chicago fire attracted huge amounts of media attention and spurred significant economic growth in chicago during the rebuilding. Dramatic illustrations and fastpaced text provide a youarethere experience. The great chicago fire s origins remain a mystery time. In its wake, the great chicago fire destroyed an area about four miles long and averaged three quarter mile wide. The fire continued to burn through 9th of october forming a massive wall speeding at 160 kilometers an hour. You might be surprised at some of the things you might grab in the middle of the night. It killed hundreds of people, destroyed thousands of buildings, and left almost 100,000 people homeless. The great fire is a story for children and young adults, written by jim murphy about the great chicago fire of 1871, which caused the destruction of most of the city of chicago. Smartboard notebook lesson 1 slide 23 now that we have a clearer understanding of the setting, lets watch a video about. The great chicago fire reading, answering questions, and analyzing the text the great chicago fire by michael a. Chicago fire newspaper and current periodical reading. This story, used over and over in newspapers and books on the fire, told of the initial.
The great chicago fire was a large fire that started on sunday october 8, 1871 in chicago, illinois, united states. The web of memory the subject of the eyewitnesses chapter is the written accounts, drawings, and paintings by those who experienced the fire firsthand. Burgess of london proposed an english book donation, to spur a free library in chicago, in their sympathy with. Funny enough, the winds changed in time to save the olearys house. Great chicago fire simple english wikipedia, the free. The great chicago fire of 1871 essay 1465 words bartleby. The great chicago fire of 1871 was one of the largest disasters in american history. Within a few years chicago was rebuilt and the city was expanding rapidly.
Home the great chicago fire the great conflagration the refugees. There is a scientific basis for the theory, however. Millionaires rendered penniless in a day, the fire still raging, read the october 10, 1871 new york tribune, one day after what would become known as the great chicago fire began. The location where the fire began is now home to the chicago fire academy. The goal of this three day exemplar is to give students the opportunity to use the reading and writing habits theyve been practicing on a regular basis to explore the historic great fire of chicago. Months without rain had parched the city, and a major fire the previous night had exhausted firefighters and damaged equipment. The great fire of 1871 was one of the most colossal disasters in american history. This article was adapted from a speech during chicago. This bundle contains 11 readytouse great chicago fire worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about the great chicago fire which occurred on october 8, 1871. Chicago fire of 1871, also called great chicago fire, conflagration that began on october 8, 1871, and burned until early october 10, devastating an expansive. It was a major factor in the city councils decision to restrict the construction of wooden buildings. After this look at the great chicago fire of 1871, read up on the cocoanut grove fire, the deadliest nightclub disaster in history. Eventually, rains came to help put out the fire, but the devastation was massive. It was a devastating disaster which happened in chicago, illinois, destroying peace and silence in the community.
I just finished a brand new book entitled the great. Olearys cow, arguing that the blue flames some firemen reported seeing were likely from burning natural gas. Bales debunks this theory in his book, the great chicago fire and the myth of mrs. One does not celebrate the centennial of a great disaster such as the chicago fire of october 1871. The only things i noted was that the author referred to joplin as being in southeast. This book is about a boy named oscar who didnt want to come to chicago but he did. Whatever its cause, experience the devastation of the great chicago fire in the gallery above. October 8, 1871 and burned through the morning of october 10, 1871. The anniversary of the great chicago fire is tomorrow.