This is Angela Odell and you are listening to real cool history for kids.

A podcast show featuring history told from a distinctly biblical world view perspective.

Welcome to an adventure.

Welcome to episode 88 of real cool history for kids.

This episode is for Sophia Haluski, who wanted me to tell the story of Helen Keller.

Hey, Sophia, this one's for you.

You guys are so excited for this episode.

The story of Helen Keller is one of my absolute favorites.

I know I say that a lot, but I'm really, really serious.

I'm a huge fan of true stories that show determination and grit and perseverance and a growth mindset.

Helen's life and the life of her teacher is such a shining example of all of these character traits.

For this story's cultural and historical backdrop, we need to go back to the year 1880.

The American Civil War had been over for 15 years at this point.

And this time period is called the Victorian Age, named after Queen Victoria of England.

And it was the time in which great innovation and invention was happening.

The year 1880 is the year Helen Keller was born, a beautiful, healthy baby girl.

She quickly learned to crawl and walk and even started learning how to talk.

Helen was a bright and curious little girl.

And then one day when she was about a year and a half old, she became extremely ill.

She ran a fever, a really high fever for a long time.

The doctor said that it was scarlet fever and that there was nothing that they could do.

Helen's parents felt helpless.

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