Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge is an important landmark in New York City.

Construction began in 1869 and was completed in 1883.

It used to be called the Great East River Bridge before it changed its name to what is known today.

The Brooklyn Bridge was dangerous to build.

It lasted 14 years for the bridge to be completed.

The diagonal steel stays form a triangle, which is known to be the very strongest shape.

Emily Roebling is an inspirational person.

In the winter of 1867, the East River froze and it was hard for people to commute from Brooklyn to Manhattan and boats couldn't pass through.

Caissons were built at the bedrock to form a strong foundation and support the weight of the bridge.

It was the first bridge to be built with steel cables.

The steel cables swooping between the towers is called the catenary curve.

As Washington's eyesight dimmed from the caisson disease, Emily Roebling became his hands, feet and eyes for the construction.

The building of the Brooklyn Bridge did not go smoothly.

Emily Roebling is the hero in the story of the Brooklyn Bridge.

The main parts of the bridge are the towers, cables, deck and anchorage blocks.

The Brooklyn Bridge was a complicated and difficult engineering project.