The Copybook: Readings in history and literature

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The Hollow Blade Sword Company by Clay Lane

Seventeenth-century German craftsmen came seeking a land of opportunity, and found it in County Durham.

1

A Mechanical Miracle by Charles Babbage

The father of computing believed his machine held the key to some of life’s greatest mysteries.

2

The First Traffic Lights from The Express

The busy crossroads outside the Houses of Parliament was the testing ground for a new technology.

3

Chariots of Steam by Erasmus Darwin

Erasmus Darwin imagines how steam power will change the world.

4

Columbus by Arthur Hugh Clough

Arthur Clough marvels at the vision of a man who could cross the Atlantic without knowing there was a farther shore.

5

Brigands and Imbeciles by John Bright

John Bright dismissed fears that digging a tunnel under the English Channel would encourage a French invasion.

6

The Great Brassey Keeps his Word by Samuel Smiles

Once railway engineer Thomas Brassey made a promise he kept it — even if he wasn’t aware that he’d made one.

Discovery and Invention