How Gunpowder Changed the World: ESL Reading Activities

50-minute English Lesson

We’ve got many ESL reading activities. This one is about gunpowder and how it changed world history.

Read the story

Gunpowder

Gunpowder shaped history. It helped armies wage wars, countries build empires and cities construct transport systems. All of these things were possible because of an accident.

The history of gunpowder begins in 850 AD.

A Chinese leader asked his staff to invent a medicine that would help him live forever. They failed in that task, but they did come up with a unique mixture: a powder that burned quickly and produced a loud noise when touched by fire. It was gunpowder.

At first, it was used to manufacture fireworks. Around the 1200s, somebody discovered how to make weapons with it. They put gunpowder and stones inside a bamboo tube. Burning powder produced a gas that launched stones into the air.

By the late 1200s, gunpowder was in Europe. By the 1400s, canons could launch 25-kilogram metal balls. Early canons were extremely practical because they destroyed forts. Early handguns were less useful. They were expensive to make and not altogether accurate when aiming at distant targets.

Gunpowder was a vital part of the evolution of European power between the 1400s and 1700s. This is when people from Europe travelled the world looking for new ways to make money. Gunpowder helped them become wealthy.

With cannons on ships, navies controlled the seas, harbours and trade routes. With soldiers carrying long guns, armies marched into new territories and took whatever they wanted.

Looking at the history of gunpowder, one thing seems obvious. Countries that possessed it were strong and rich. People who did not were weak and poor.

Gunpowder was used for other purposes, like construction projects. It helped build roads, tunnels and mines by breaking large rocks into small pieces. That work was slow and dangerous before gunpowder. Eventually, gunpowder was replaced by better explosives like dynamite.

Today, gunpowder is not popular, but it’s still used for fireworks. However, its influence was huge.

Gunpowder helped European countries become global powers that built large international economies, fought long wars with rivals and destroyed ancient cultures in the name of progress. All of this was possible because of an accident 1100 years ago.

Listen to the story without reading

ESL reading activities

English listening lesson: Gap Fill

LISTEN TO THE STORY AGAIN AND FILL IN THE BLANKS.

Gunpowder __________ history. It helped armies wage wars, countries build empires and cities construct __________ systems. All of these things were possible because of an __________ .

The history of gunpowder begins in __________ AD.

A Chinese leader asked his staff to invent a __________ that would help him live forever. They failed in that task, but they did come up with a __________ mixture: a powder that burned quickly and __________ a loud noise when touched by fire. It was gunpowder.

At first, it was used to manufacture __________ . Around the 1200s, somebody discovered how to make __________ with it. They put gunpowder and stones inside a bamboo tube. Burning powder produced a gas that __________ stones into the air.

By the late 1200s, gunpowder was in Europe. By the __________ , canons could launch 25-kilogram metal balls. Early canons were extremely __________ because they destroyed forts. Early handguns were less useful. They were expensive to make and not altogether __________ when aiming at distant __________ .

Gunpowder was a __________ part of the evolution of European power between the __________ and 1700s. This is when people from Europe travelled the world looking for new ways to make money. Gunpowder helped them become __________ .

With cannons on ships, navies __________ the seas, harbours and trade routes. With soldiers carrying long guns, armies marched into new __________ and took whatever they wanted.

Looking at the history of gunpowder, one thing seems __________ . Countries that possessed it were strong and rich. People who did not were __________ and poor.

Gunpowder was used for other purposes, like __________ projects. It helped build roads, tunnels and mines by __________ large rocks into small pieces. That work was slow and __________ before gunpowder. Eventually, gunpowder was __________ ________ better explosives like dynamite.

Today, gunpowder is not __________ , but it’s still used for fireworks. However, its __________ was huge.

Gunpowder helped European countries become __________ powers that built large international economies, __________ long wars with rivals and destroyed __________ cultures in the name of progress. All of this was possible because of an __________ 1100 years ago.

ESL discussion questions

TALK ABOUT THE Active Listening Skills story.

1. What kind of story is this?
2. Do you like fireworks? Have you ever seen a big fireworks display?
3. What are the pros and cons or gunpowder?
4. Summarize the history that connects gunpowder with empire.
5. Let’s say a rich king asked you to invent a new weapon. What would you invent?

ESL reading activities: synonym match

MATCH THE WORD OR PHRASE ON THE LEFT WITH THE CORRECT SYNONYM.

English listening lesson anagrams

MOVE THE LETTERS. MAKE A WORD FROM THE ENGLISH LISTENING lesson.

1. VIALR
2. ULFENNECI
3. LISODESR
4. AVITL
5. ARCECATU
6. OBBOMA

Writing practice

WRITE THE FIVE SENTENCES. PUT THE WORDS IN THE CORRECT ORDER.

1. navies / seas / ships / the / harbors / and / on / trade / routes / controlled / With / cannons
2. into / by / pieces / helped / It / small / mines / rocks / large / breaking / build / and / tunnels / roads
3. cannons / because / practical / destroyed / Early / were / extremely / they / forts
4. stones / powder / the / a / gas / Burning / air / that / into / launched / produced
5. accident / these / an / possible / All / because / of / were / things / of

More ESL reading activities

Another ESL reading activity? Try this free English listening comprehension lesson about the printing press.

Watch a short video and take notes

Do you like ESL reading activities like this one? Here’s another. Click here to watch a YouTube video about the history of gunpowder.

1. Watch the video.
2. Take notes.
3. Make a list with at least eight facts.

ESL reading activities: get the worksheet

Want to print out these ESL reading activities? Click to download the PDF worksheet.