The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world.

It connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City.

When it opened in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge ever built.

It was also the first bridge to use steel cables.

The bridge quickly became a symbol of New York and American engineering.

Before the bridge was built, people had to travel

between Brooklyn and Manhattan by ferry. This was difficult in bad weather. Ice on the

river could stop ferries from running. New York was growing fast, and more people needed to travel

between the two boroughs for work and business. A bridge would make it easier and safer.

The idea for the Brooklyn Bridge came from a man named John A. Roebling. He was a German-born engineer who had built other

suspension bridges. Robling had a vision for a great bridge across the East River. He planned a bridge

that would be strong, beautiful, and big enough for many people to use.

He designed it to carry horse-drawn wagons, trains, and people walking.

In 1869, just as work was about to begin, John Roebling had a terrible accident.

While checking the site, his foot was crushed between a ferry and a dock.

He became sick and died a few weeks later.

His son, Washington Roebling, took over the project.

Washington had helped his father on other bridges and was a skilled engineer.

The work on the bridge was difficult and dangerous.

The first step was to build two large towers in the river.

These towers would hold the steel cables that supported the bridge.

To build the towers, workers had to go deep underwater.

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