
Revolutions & Industrialization (1750-1900)
An Interactive Journey Through a World Transformed
Released: Apple Books (2020), Cross-Platform Port (2021)
Platforms: Chromebook Web App, Apple Books (iPad), iOS, Android, Kindle
Recognition: 2020 Reimagine Education Nominee (Best Educational App)
Overview
Explore the tumultuous era of 1750-1900 with Revolutions & Industrialization, a flagship installment of the award-winning History Adventures: World of Characters series. This interactive experience investigates a period of colossal change when new ideas sparked political revolutions, new inventions triggered unprecedented economic growth (and exploitation), and new empires spread globally. Learners grapple with the central question: were the advancements of this era worth the profound human cost?
This project represents a pivotal moment in Dr. Spencer Striker's development of interactive digital learning experiences for history. It marked an early major success for Striker in combining narrative design, multimodal elements (animation, sound, interactivity), and rigorous historical content into an engaging product aligned with AP World History standards. A key focus was achieving broad accessibility through ambitious cross-platform deployment, making it a foundational project for Striker's ongoing work in creating impactful, widely available educational media.
The first product in the award-winning History Adventures, World of Characters series. Available for download around the world on Apple Books, Kindle Interactive, Chromebooks, iOS, Android.
The digital learning experience is best enjoyed via the original Apple Books version or the Chromebook Web App.
Experience Revolutions & Industrialization
Key Features
Five Global Narratives: Experience the era through the eyes of diverse characters: Agent 355 (an enslaved spy in Revolutionary America), Jiemba (an Eora man facing colonization in Australia), Fei Hong (an opium smuggler in 19th-century China), Khari (a tribal leader resisting Belgian exploitation in the Congo), and Thomas Brown (a muckraking journalist in Chicago).
Interactive Storytelling: Make choices at critical moments, shaping the narrative and understanding the consequences faced by historical individuals.
Rich Multimedia: Features motion comics, animation, sound design, interactive infographics, and 360° panoramas to bring history to life. (Placeholder for 360/3D assets).
Curriculum-Aligned: Designed to support AP World History: Modern curriculum, focusing on Units 5 & 6 (Revolutions and Consequences of Industrialization).
Cross-Platform Accessibility: Intentionally developed and ported for wide availability across multiple platforms preferred by students and schools.
Meet the Characters: Five Lives, One Transformed World
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Agent 355: The Spy Who Loved America (USA, 1778)
Follow an enslaved woman turned spy for the revolutionaries during the American War of Independence. Risk everything for freedom, navigating loyalty and betrayal in a nation fighting for liberty while upholding slavery.
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Jiemba: Death of the Rainbow Serpent (Australia, 1788/1795)
Witness the devastating impact of British colonization on the Eora Nation in Botany Bay. As disease and displacement threaten his people and sacred traditions, Jiemba faces impossible choices between resistance and survival.
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Fei Hong: Tears of the Poppy (China, 1840s)
Explore the destructive opium trade through the eyes of a woodcarver drawn into smuggling to support his family. Trace his journey from complicity to addiction as the Opium Wars loom, highlighting the human cost of global trade conflicts.
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Khari: Loyal to the Nightmare of His Choice (Congo, 1890s)
Stand with a tribal leader opposing King Leopold II's brutal regime in the Congo. Faced with horrific exploitation for rubber extraction, Khari must lead his people in a desperate fight against overwhelming force.
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Thomas Brown: The Scoop of a Lifetime (USA, 1899)
Go undercover with a muckraking journalist exposing the shocking conditions of Chicago's meatpacking industry. Disguised as a janitor, uncover corruption, exploitation, and dangers hidden behind the facade of industrial progress.
Visual Development | Explore Gallery of Character Art & Key Scenes
Concept art, in-game screens, and production visuals exploring the characters, environments, and moods of the Revolutions & Industrialization era (1750-1900), illustrating the journey from historical research to interactive realization.






























Features Trailer (1m)
See how Revolutions & Industrialization blends animation, interactive features, and narrative design to explore a world transformed (1750-1900).
Product Trailer (2m)
Watch the official Revolutions & Industrialization product video designed for the Reimagine Education 2020 Awards Competition for Best Educational App
Characters Trailer (1m)
Meet five extraordinary individuals navigating the upheavals of revolution and industrialization across the globe (1750-1900).
Immersive Features | Explore 360° Panoramas & Interactive Elements
In-App Videograbs showcasing the immersive 360° environments and interactive features that transport learners directly into the historical settings of the Revolutions & Industrialization experience.
Agent 355 | Cinemagraph
Khari | Cinemagraph
Agent 355 | 3D Interactive Scene
Fei Hong | Cinemagraph
Thomas Brown | Cinemagraph
Fei Hong | 3D Interactive Scene
Jiemba | 3D Interactive Scene
Ayondela | Cinemagraph
Jiemba | Cinemagraph
Khari | 3D Interactive Scene
Thomas Brown | 3D Interactive Scene
Technical Implementation
A major goal for Revolutions & Industrialization was maximizing accessibility through strategic cross-platform deployment. The project originated as a highly interactive experience built using Apple's iBooks Author platform (2020). Recognizing the need to reach students on devices common in schools, particularly Chromebooks, Dr. Striker collaborated with the international team at Digital Pomegranate to carefully port the project. Using Google's Flutter SDK, the team successfully recreated the experience as a high-fidelity Chromebook Web App (2021), preserving animations and interactivity within the browser. Subsequent ports brought the experience to iOS, Android, and Kindle Interactive, achieving broad availability across devices found at home and in the classroom.
Educational Impact & Recognition
Revolutions & Industrialization's innovative approach was recognized early, winning the 2019 Horizon Interactive Gold Award for Best Education App and nominated for Best Educational App at the 2020 Reimagine Education Awards. As a foundational part of the History Adventures series, its development benefited from funding supporting the overall series (including contributions acknowledged from the NEH, NSF, and Northwestern INVO) and partnership with NU's Center for Talent Development. Designed with educators and students in mind, particularly for AP World History: Modern, the experience delivers key educational impact by:
Igniting Curiosity: Sparking genuine interest in the 1750-1900 period through engaging narratives and visuals.
Developing Historical Empathy: Encouraging students to understand the past through the lived experiences and perspectives of diverse individuals.
Promoting Critical Analysis: Challenging learners to evaluate the complex causes and consequences of revolutions and industrialization, considering the human cost of progress.
Fostering Active Learning: Moving beyond passive fact consumption via choice-based interaction and primary source engagement suggestions.
Supporting Curriculum Goals: Aligning with AP World History themes and skills, providing memorable context for Units 5 & 6.
Discover More
Official Website
Available on:
Apple Books Interactive | Chromebook Web App |
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