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THE FIRST ROAD TRIP, part I
One morning in August 1888, Bertha Benz and her two sons, Eugen (15),
and Richard (13), woke up early. They got dressed very quietly, so as not
to waken the head of the family, Karl Benz. They left a note that said, “We
are going to visit Grandma.” They crept out to Mr. Benz‘s workshop,
opened the door, and pushed out a three-wheeled vehicle. It was the fruit
ofMr. Benz’s long and hard work - the first engine car.

Imagine it: a wooden construction more similar to a horse carriage than to
the cars we have now: no roof, no hood, two wheels in the back but only
one wheel in the front, a kind of handle instead of a steering wheel,
leather-covered seats, and, the most important part, a 2.5 horsepower
single-cylinder four-stroke engine.
The car thatMrs. Benz and her sons rolled out of the workshop had gone
through a great deal of development since its registration (no. DRP 37435)
two years before, but Mr. Benz felt it needed even more work and
improvement. He believed that most people would not trust such a new
thing enough to be willing to buy it, and so it seemed to him that the
prospects for any success on the market were not good. Incontrast, his
loving and energetic wife believed immensely in his abilities, and was more
than certain that the fruit was ripe enough to be picked. Her plan was to
make a long-distance journey in her husband’s invention, which would
persuade everyone of the benefits and reliability of the new “horseless
carriage”.

©2007abcteach.com

Name _____________________________ Date_________________________

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FIRST ROAD TRIP, part 1

1. When does this story take place?
a. in the late 1800s
b. at the end of the 19th century
c. in August
d. all of the above
2. In what ways was Mr. Benz’s invention different from cars we drive
today?
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3. In what year had Mr. Benz gotten the car registered? __________
4. What do you think Mr. Benz would say if he knew his wife was
taking his car for a trip? Write a short note to Mrs. Benz from Mrs.
Benz, telling her what you think of her visit to Grandma’s._____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
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©2007abcteach.com

THE FIRST ROAD TRIP, part II
After pushing the car a sufficient distance from their house, the trio jumped
in and set off on their trip. It was a long and troublesome journey, 65 miles
from Mannheim over the hills of the Black Forest to Pforzheim. There were
no gas stations, no repair workshops, and no shopswith spare parts.
The adventurous technical pioneers were dedicated to their cause. When
the engine needed water for cooling, they took it from village wells and
puddles along the roads. When the brake lining became worn, they went to
a shoemaker to have new pieces of leather nailed to the brake blocks.
When the chains broke, they found a blacksmith who was able to fix them.
When they wereshort of gasoline, they visited a pharmacy. Gasoline was
quite expensive at that time. People would buy it at the pharmacy in little
bottles, and use it only for removing stains from clothes. Imagine the
pharmacist’s surprise when he saw a strange machine carrying a woman
and two teenagers who then came in and bought a half-gallon of
gasoline—all the remaining stock. He probably didn’t realize...