Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883. Work on the suspension bridge began on January 2, 1870, and it cost sixteen million dollars. The Brooklyn Bridge is 1595 feet long. Children could learn more about the bridge and John A Roebling, its designer, at: Brooklyn Bridge.
Krakatoa erupted in 1883, creating one of the biggest volcanic eruptions known. Located near Indonesia, the volcano had been dormant for over 200 years. Five cubic miles of the mountain were blown into the atmosphere, changing weather for years. Over 36,000 people died from the volcano or from the ensuing tidal waves. Most of the island was destroyed. Children could learn more about Krakatoa and volcanoes in general at: Krakatoa.
New York Metropolitan Opera House in 1883 celebrated its opening with a production of Faust.
United States and Canada established uniform time zones in 1883. Prior to 1883 towns and particularly railroads established their own time standards. Therefore, travel between communities could be very confusing. Today the continental United States has four time zones. Alaska and Hawaii each add another time zone. Children could check out: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ and create some good math problems with the data.
Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth died in 1883 in Battle Creek, Michigan. She was born a slave in Alster County, New York, possibly in the year 1797. She became a free woman after the New York Emancipation Act of 1827. She became an itinerant preacher, speaking for the cause of abolition. She became famous for her speaking, and she met Abraham Lincoln in the White House in 1864. After the Civil War, she campaigned for women’s rights. Idea: Children could read portions of the book Sojourner Truth: Ain’t I a Woman? by Patricia McKissack. They could also read a transcript of her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech at: Sojourner Truth.