Coatbridge

Article summary

Coatbridge ( ; ) is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. It had a population of 42,264 in 2022. Along with neighbouring town Airdrie, Coatbridge forms the area known as the Monklands (population approximately 90,000 including outlying settlements), often considered to be part of the Greater Glasgow urban area – although officially they have not been included in population figures since 2016 due to small gaps between the Monklands and Glasgow built-up areas. In the last years of the 18th century, the area developed from a loose collection of hamlets into the town of Coatbridge. The town's development and growth have been intimately connected with the technological advances of the Industrial Revolution, and in particular with the hot blast process. Coatbridge was a major Scottish centre for iron works and coal mining during the 19th century and was then described as 'the industrial heartland of Scotland' and the 'Iron Burgh'. Coatbridge also had a notorious reputation for air pollution and the worst excesses of industry. However, by the 1920s, coal seams were exhausted and the iron industry in Coatbridge was in rapid decline. After the Great Depression, the Gartsherrie ironwork was the last remaining iron works in the town.…

Key claims

1. date of birth: 1902-05-27 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of death: 1873 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
3. date of foundation: 1882 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
4. date of foundation: 1976 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
5. date of foundation: 1849 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
6. date of foundation: 1912 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
7. publication date: 1654 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of birth is "1902-05-27". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of death is "1873". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. The record states that the date of foundation is "1882". What evidence would count against this claim?
5. The record states that the date of foundation is "1976". What evidence would count against this claim?
6. The record states that the date of foundation is "1849". What evidence would count against this claim?
7. The record states that the date of foundation is "1912". What evidence would count against this claim?
8. The record states that the publication date is "1654". What evidence would count against this claim?
9. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
10. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1377309523