The Great Molasses Flood
Like Duolingo, but for The Great Molasses Flood. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
For the part of you with thirty open tabs that never became anything.
Free during early access · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in The Great Molasses Flood
- The sheer weight and volume of the molasses created massive potential energy
- The rivets popping out of the tank sounded like rapid gunfire
- The sudden structural failure of the tank released that energy all at once as a pressure wave
- The air was filled with a mist of molasses and debris, darkening the sky
- Sensory experiences of survivors during the initial moments of the collapse
- The mechanical failure of the rivets preceded the liquid release
- The pressure inside the tank was high enough to atomize the liquid into a spray
- Why the molasses behaved like a solid wall rather than a slow spill
- The 'brown sky' was a visual indicator of the violent energy release
- The wave's height and speed provided the kinetic force to move buildings
- The sequence of events from tank failure to destruction
- The wave reached heights of up to 25 feet
- The liquid moved at a speed of 35 miles per hour
- The physical characteristics of the molasses wave
- The significance of the 'brown sky' phenomenon
- Molasses is significantly denser and heavier than water
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives The Great Molasses Flood the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
What did witnesses compare the sound of the snapping metal rivets to?
Get it right to open this lesson and 53 more in the app.
Where The Great Molasses Flood takes you
Step into the sticky streets of 1919 Boston to uncover the mystery of a giant wave of syrup. Explore rare photos and hear the voices of those who survived the strangest disaster in history.
- 1
Walking Through the Aftermath
- The Day the Sky Turned Brown
- What the Ruins Looked Like
- The Sticky Cleanup Effort
- Finding Clues in Old Photos
- 2
Voices of the Survivors
- Escaping the Moving Wall
- Stories from the Firehouse
- The Sound of the Steel Snapping
- Helping Neighbors in the Goo
- Life in Boston After the Wave
- Memories That Never Faded
- 3
Seeking Justice in Court
- Who Was to Blame?
- The Neighborhood Fights Back
- What the Experts Discovered
- 4
Why the Tank Actually Broke
- The Secret of the Leaky Seams
- How Temperature Changes the Flow
- Building Things Safer Today
- The Legend of the Sweet Smell
- Lessons from a Sticky Past
4 sections · 18 units · 54 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
You pick the voice
The Great Molasses Flood is taught in the The Bestie style: your friend who just gets it. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
More History on Tomo
Marriage: The Power Behind the Vows
Go beyond the white dress to discover how marriage was used as a tool for survival, wealth, and social control. Explore how an ancient contract for land and labor transformed into a modern quest for love.
Voyages of the Great Ocean
Master the history of the world's largest ocean. From ancient wayfinders and the Tongan Empire to the complex legacy of global colonization and modern cultural resilience.
The Shipwreck of Paul: Malta’s Apostolic Legacy
Trace the transformative 100 days of the Apostle Paul on Malta through the lens of 'Providential Hospitality.' Analyze the intersection of Lucan narrative, Roman maritime law, and the archaeological evidence of the Melite shipwreck.
Mastering the Steel Giants
Step into the commander's seat and learn how to operate, identify, and outsmart the most famous tanks of World War II. From basic maneuvers to the high-stakes chess of armored warfare, you'll discover why these machines changed history.
Unlock the Heart of Korea
Go beyond the screen and understand the real Korea. Learn to read the clever alphabet, navigate a Seoul street, and discover the ancient stories that shaped modern K-culture.
Five Friends Across the Ocean
Discover how five different countries—Canada, Australia, the UK, the US, and New Zealand—share a common history and a special bond. Explore the traditions, symbols, and stories that make these 'cousin' nations unique yet connected.
Start The Great Molasses Flood today.
Download Tomo, search The Great Molasses Flood, and play your first lesson in under a minute.