You’ll never look at an ice cube the same way again!
Learning Objective: to read a short informational text then craft a constructed response that includes a claim, text evidence, and commentary
Some 2,000 years ago, a Roman emperor named Nero sent a group of men on a mission: to find a treasure prized throughout the world.
This mission would take the men through treacherous mountains, pitting them against avalanches, thieves, and wild animals.
What did the men risk their lives for? It wasn’t gold or silver or jewels.
It was ice.
Saws and Sleds
Shutterstock.com
Today ice is so common, you hardly notice it clinking in your glass of lemonade. Thanks to the freezer in your kitchen, you can make as much ice as you want—and keep your ice cream frozen even in the most sweltering of summers. But if you traveled back in time a few centuries and asked for ice in your drink, most people would have laughed.
Prior to the 19th century, if you wanted ice, you likely would have done what Nero did: Find it in nature and lug it home. Nero would order groups of men, often enslaved persons, to gather ice from blustery mountains and frozen rivers and lakes. The men used saws and sharp metal tools to hack off giant chunks. Next, the chunks were painstakingly loaded onto sleds or wagons and hauled away by horses. The ice was then stored in large pits dug into the ground, where it would remain frozen for months.
Over the centuries, ice harvesting, as it was called, became more common. By the 1700s, many wealthy Americans had icehouses on their properties. These small, insulated buildings could keep ice harvested in winter frozen long after the snows melted. During warm weather, this ice was used to keep food fresh. More deliciously, it could also be used to make ice cream. But ice remained a luxury only the rich could afford.
Still, even the richest Americans couldn’t have ice unless they lived near an ice-topped mountain or in a place where temperatures dropped below freezing. A millionaire in Florida might have been able to buy a pile of diamonds, but no amount of money could have procured an icy drink in steamy weather. There was simply no way to make ice in many parts of the country—or to transport ice from someplace cooler without it melting.
A Boston man named Frederic Tudor changed that.
Library of Congress
Ice Hackers
Cutting ice from frozen rivers and lakes was grueling and dangerous. Workers could easily slice themselves while sawing the ice—or slip and fall into the frigid water while pulling out a heavy ice block.
In the early 1900s, long saws like these were used to cut ice into massive blocks.
Big Breakthrough
In 1805, Tudor figured out how to ship ice from chilly New England to sweltering regions of the U.S.—and beyond. His big breakthrough was a new tool developed by one of his employees: a special plow with sharp blades. A horse would drag the plow across a frozen pond or river, etching lines into the ice. The lines formed a checkerboard pattern that workers used as a guide for where to saw. The men then used metal bars to pry out giant, uniform ice blocks.
Because the blocks were all the same size and shape, they could be packed together tightly on wagons, which kept them cold. Tudor also figured out that surrounding the ice with a thick coating of sawdust insulated the blocks, slowing down the melting process. Incredibly, his ice could survive journeys that lasted months.
National Archives, Photo No. 165-WW-595A
Icy Delivery
Before refrigerators, Americans kept food cold in “ice boxes” chilled by ice. The blocks had to be replaced daily. Customers could choose what size block they wanted: 25, 50, 75, or 100 pounds! Above, women deliver fresh ice in 1918.
The Ice King
Shutterstock.com
By the 1830s, Tudor’s ships were delivering ice to Southern states and the Caribbean, and even as far away as India, an ocean journey of 14,000 miles. Tudor made millions and became known as the Ice King.
Tudor’s ice changed America—and the world. Many more people could keep their food fresh in summer, which meant fewer people died of food poisoning. Hospitals could use ice to cool patients with high fevers, reduce swelling, and preserve medications, saving many lives. And ice cream became one of America’s most popular treats.
By the 1940s, most Americans had electric refrigerators and freezers and no longer needed to buy ice. They could simply make it at home.
And just like that, the idea that ice was a luxury melted into history.
Short Write: Constructed Response
How does the author develop the idea that ice was once rare and prized?Answer this question in a well-organized paragraph. Use text evidence.
This article was originally published in the May 2024 issue.
1. PREPARE TO READ (5 MINUTES)
Preview Vocabulary (5 minutes)
2. READ AND DISCUSS (20 MINUTES)
For students’ first read, have them follow along as they listen to the audio read-aloud, located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.
Have students read the story again.
3. WRITE ABOUT IT (20 MINUTES)
How does the author develop the idea that ice was once rare and prized? Answer this question in a well-organized paragraph. Use text evidence.
