The Problem of Flight: The Wright Brothers and the U.S. Army

by National Museum of the U.S. Army

On Dec. 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright flew their heavier-than-air machine, over a 100 feet in 12 seconds at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. This flight, the first of three that day, marked the world’s first powered, sustained and controlled airplane flight. During those three short test flights, the aerial age was born.

The Army has frequently been a leader in recognizing and developing new technology and inventions to improve its effectiveness on the battlefield. Following the Wright Brothers success, the Army challenged the inventors to provide an aircraft that would carry two passengers, fly 40 miles per hour and remain airborne for an hour. The result, the Wright Model A, was tested and accepted by the Army in 1909 at Fort Myer, Virginia. The purchase constituted the Army’s first air force.

Discover how the Wright brothers countered the problems of control and balance through experimentation to achieve success. Discover how the U.S. Army harnessed this new technology to improve readiness and learn how in turn that technology impacted civilian life.

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About This Program

Cost

By Request: $0.00
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FREE!

Length

45 minutes

Target Audience

Education: Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12, Teacher(s)/Educator(s), Parent, Adult Learners, Homeschool/Family , Learning PodPublic Library: Library Patrons, Library Staff

Minimum participants:

Maximum participants:

100

Primary Disciplines

History & Social Studies, STEM

Program Delivery Mode

Videoconference – Webcam/desktop (Zoom, Google Meet, Cisco WebEx, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, etc...)
Zoom
WebEx
Microsoft Teams

Booking Information

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Provider's Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be made 48 hours prior to the start of the program.

About This Provider

National Museum of the U.S. Army

Fort Belvoir, VA
United States

The National Museum of the United States Army provides the only comprehensive portrayal of Army history and traditions through the eyes of the American Soldier. Through preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting invaluable artifacts, the National Army Museum creates learning opportunities for all visitors and bonds the American people to their oldest military service.

We are America’s Army Museum.

Contact:
Jennifer Dubina
usarmy.belvoir.hqda.mbx.programs-education-division@army.mil
5715150783

Program Details

Format

This program guides participants through an examination of primary resources including paintings, images, and documents to understand how the Wright Brothers conquered the question of flight and encouraged the Army to purchase their aircraft.

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:
1) Explain the four forces of flight.
2) Describe how the development of aircraft has improved American life.
3) Discuss how the U.S. Army has developed new technologies that have transformed American life.

Standards Alignment

National Standards

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools

United States History 1865 to Present
USII.3 The student will apply history and social science skills to understand how industrialization changed life in rural and urban America after the Civil War by
B) explaining the impact of new inventions, the rise of big business, the growth of industry, and the changes to life on American farms in response to industrialization.
USII.9 The student will apply history and social science skills by
A) studying the iterative and ongoing advancements in science and technology.