BA person who made and repaired metal tools, horseshoes, and other items by heating and hammering metal
CA person who delivered mail
DA person who drove a taxi
A blacksmith was a skilled worker who heated metal in a forge and hammered it into useful shapes — horseshoes, nails, tools, pots, and more. Before factories, blacksmiths were essential in every community.
Question 2 True / False
Long ago, it was common for children to work at jobs instead of going to school.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: True
In the past, many children worked on farms, in factories, or in mines. Child labor was common because families needed the income and there were no laws requiring children to go to school. Over time, child labor laws were passed to protect children and make sure they could attend school.
Question 3 Short Answer
Name a job that exists today but did not exist 100 years ago, and explain why.
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: A computer programmer did not exist 100 years ago because computers had not been invented yet. As technology changed, this new type of job was created.
A good answer names a job that depends on modern technology (programmer, app developer, social media manager, astronaut, airline pilot) and explains that the technology enabling that job did not exist in the past.
Question 4 Multiple Choice
What happened to many old jobs like lamplighter and ice cutter?
AThey became the most popular jobs in the world
BThey disappeared because new technology replaced the need for them
CThey are still the most common jobs today
DThe government banned them for no reason
A lamplighter lit gas street lamps each evening — electric street lights made that job unnecessary. An ice cutter carved blocks of ice from frozen lakes for keeping food cold — refrigerators replaced that need. When technology solves a problem in a new way, the old job often disappears.
Question 5 True / False
When old jobs disappear because of new technology, no new jobs are ever created.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
Throughout history, when technology has eliminated old jobs, it has also created new ones. Cars replaced horse-drawn carriages, but created jobs for auto mechanics, gas station workers, and driving instructors. The type of work changes, but people find new kinds of work to do.