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The Tennessee Valley Authority

The Tennessee Valley Authority was entablished on May 18, 1933 by President Franklin Roosevelt. USA was going through severe economic dpression during that period. The President formulated several programs to lift the country out of this depression. These programs were collectively known as the New Deal. Apart from providing employment to people all over the country, the Tennessee Valley Authority provided much needed succor to the inhabitants of the Tennessee Valley by bringing electricity and irrigation facility to the area.

The Tennessee Valley area is the area sorrounding the Tennessee River. The authorities therefore utilized the natural energy of the river to provide hydel power to the area. This provided a much needed relief to the residents of the area by bringing power to their homes and businesses during the time of severe depression.

From an economic standpoint, the Tennessee Valley’s residents were quite poor and even referred to as the “Forgotten Americans.” Due to the area being strapped for funds, it is no surprise electricity was lacking in the valley. For this reason, Roosevelt’s TVA was critical in remembering these forgotten individuals and helping them in stimulating a rebirth of the area. After the TVA brought electricity to the valley’s residents, the average incomes began increasing and the once forgotten Americans were forgotten no more.

Apart from bringing electricity to the area by utilizing the natural energy of the river, the TVA also succeeded in controlling the floods which used to ravage the area sorrounding the river. This saved the people of the area from the damage that was caused to their crops and houses because of the flood. The TVA achieved this by building dams to control the flow of the river.

The dams provided a source of irrigation. During the years of the Depression, crops failed due to lack of water and farmers were often plunged deeper and deeper into debt. With electricity and irrigation facilities available the residents quickly changed to modern agricultural techniques of irrigation and gave up the old methods used by their forefathers.

It was very difficult to traverse the river by boats before the TVA built these new dams. Once these dams were built, it became much more easy to navigate through the river. This brought in increased traffic to the area, thereby bringing much needed funds.

The natural effects of the Tennessee Valley Authority were also substantial. The project worked to control and prevent forest fires. Additionally, the workers replanted trees to rebuild the forest that had been cleared for a variety of reasons. This reforestation in turn encouraged wildlife to converge in the newly minted forests, just as the dams encouraged fish to populate the new bodies of water.

Tennessee Valley Authority was a pioneering effort at a very crucial juncture in the country's history. It not only provided jobs for a number of unemployed Americans but also helped in improving the overall economic status of the residents of the valley. Its innumerable contribution therefore should not be underestimated.

Article Source: http://www.inpop.net

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