Continue with Microsoft TeamsCovered Bridges
Vocabulary
Read the vocabulary terms to understand the reading better.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure that gives you a way to travel over something, such as a river.
Buggy
A buggy is a carriage where people sit that is pulled by a horse.
Concrete
Concrete is an artificial, human-made stone.
Covered Bridge
A covered bridge is a structure that has walls and a roof that gives you a way to travel over something.
Steel
Steel is a tough, hard metal used to make many different products.
Why do people build bridges? A bridge is a way to travel over something, such as a river. Concrete and steel are used to build bridges that are strong and last a long time. Some of these bridges are very long.
In the 1800s, before people had cars, they travelled by horse and buggy. The buggy was where people sat. A horse pulled the buggy. Back then, most bridges were made of wood or stone. Some of the wooden bridges were covered bridges. A covered bridge has walls and a roof, and it is wide enough for only one horse and buggy to go through at a time.
Building Bridges with Wood
Wood is a strong building material, but it is not as strong as concrete or steel. Over time, rain, snow, ice, and sun make wood get weaker. After 10 to 20 years, a wooden bridge might not be safe and would need to be replaced.
Protecting Wooden Bridges
In the 1800s, people wanted to make wooden bridges that lasted longer, so they built covered bridges. The wooden roof and walls above a covered bridge keep out all the things that make the wooden bridge underneath become weak over time. In some places, you can still see covered bridges that are over 150 years old.
Modern Covered Bridges
Today, people still build covered bridges, but they are made of concrete, steel, and glass instead of wood. These bridges are for people to walk across. Some train stations and subway stations have covered bridges to let people safely get from one side of train tracks to the other side.
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