Margaret Knight: The Woman Who Invented the Paper Bag Machine

Lexile: 720 | Grade: 4

Passage

Margaret Knight was always full of ideas. Born in 1838, she loved building things, even as a child. While other kids played with dolls, Margaret made kites and wooden toys in her father’s workshop.

As a young woman, she worked in a factory that made paper bags. At the time, the bags had flat tops and didn’t open very well. Margaret thought there had to be a better way.

So, she designed a machine that could cut, fold, and glue paper to make strong, flat-bottomed bags—the kind we still use today!

But before she could finish her invention, a man saw her design and tried to steal the idea by patenting it himself.

Margaret didn’t give up. She took the case to court and showed proof that the idea was hers. In the end, she won the patent in 1871. That was a big deal, especially since women inventors were rare at the time.

Margaret went on to create more than 20 inventions in her lifetime. She proved that great ideas can come from anyone—no matter their age or gender.