1. The history of Skyscrapers

2. A skyscraper is what they call a really tall building.
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A skyscraper is what they call a really tall building.

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In the United States, tall buildings became very popular about 100 years ago.

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But before the invention of the elevator, really tall buildings were not usually built.

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After all, if you built a 10-story building, that meant people would have to climb 10 flights of stairs!
That’s Tiring!

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In the 1850's, a man named Elisha Otis developed the first elevator that was safe for people to ride in. Here he is and here’s his design…

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Today if you get in an elevator you can still see the name Otis sometimes. That's because Elisha Otis's company is still the biggest elevator-making company in the world.

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As elevators were made safer, buildings began to grow higher --- especially in New York City.

9. And why did they want to build taller buildings in New York City?
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And why did they want to build taller buildings in New York City?

10. Because it was so crowded!
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Because it was so crowded!

11. As more and more people came to New York
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As more and more people came to New York
More and more apartments were needed!

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Soon there was not much space left, so architects began to design buildings that went high up into the sky.  

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Of course, some people say that maybe they shouldn't have kept building so much.  Aside from a huge park called Central Park, there isn't that much green space in New York City.

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But architects continued to build bigger and bigger buildings in New York.  Soon buildings were…
10 stories high
20 stories high
30 Stories high
And more!

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In 1902, one of the great skyscrapers was built in New York.  It was 22 stories and very interesting looking.

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Because it looked like an iron, people began to call it the Flatiron Building.  When it was built it was the tallest building in the world.   Today if you go to New York, you can still see it!

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In 1913, a new "tallest building in the world" was built in New York.  It was called the Woolworth Building.  It was 57 floors high! People couldn't believe how high buildings were being built.

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The Woolworth Building was so high that on a very low cloud day, you could get an amazing photograph like the one below.
Here it is!

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But in 1931, a skyscraper was built that was taller than anyone could have imagined.

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The Empire State Building was 102 floors high and was the new tallest building in the world!

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In those days, it was very dangerous to work on a skyscraper.  Look at some of these photographs of men risking their lives to build the Empire State Building.

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Part of the reason why they would take such chances is because the Empire State Building was built during the Great Depression.

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This was a time when many of the people in our country were very poor.  Men were willing to risk a great deal in order to have a job.

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In fact, the country was so poor that when the Empire State Building finally opened it was half empty because businesses could not afford to move in.

25. Since the 1930s, taller buildings have been built.
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Since the 1930s, taller buildings have been built.

26. The Sears Tower in Chicago
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The Sears Tower in Chicago

27. The Shanghai World Financial Tower in China.
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The Shanghai World Financial Tower in China.

28. The Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia.
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The Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia.

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The Taipei 101 in Taiwan.

30. And the tallest of them all the Burj Khalifa.
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And the tallest of them all the Burj Khalifa.

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Soon the Freedom Tower will be completed in New York City where the World Trade Center once stood. It will be the tallest building in the U.S.

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But some people think that skyscrapers do not work well in a city. It’s true that they look great from far away on the city's skyline...

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But when you walk right next to them, they can seem too big compared to one person.  They don't always make for a friendly neighborhood.

34. That’s something to consider when designing your skyscraper.
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That’s something to consider when designing your skyscraper.
Now let’s get ready to design!