R.E.A. Lesson

Rural Electrification:
Bringing Power to the People!

Have you ever thought about how much electric power influences your life? From the time you get up in the morning until you turn off the lights at night, your daily activities are shaped by electricity. Lights, air conditioners, appliances, power tools and the computer you are working on need to be plugged in before they are useful.

Now try to imagine that your friends have electricity – but you don't. Your house would be dark; you would pump water by hand; you'd have no telephone or radio (not to mention television which wasn't invented until the late 1930s) ; and you would need a wood stove to cook. All the "modern" conveniences are beyond your reach. This was the problem facing farmers in the early 1900s.

In this lesson, you will learn about the spread of electric power and how the federal government helped rural Americans get electrified.

Are you ready to get started?

1.	First, hone your history skills by completing the "Learning About Sources" and "History by the Numbers" activities.

2.	Done with the activity? Next read the story of Rural Electrification told through primary and secondary sources.

3.	Next you will have a chance to solve a History Mystery. You may even win your class a prize!

4.	If you have solved the case, come back here to to report your answer.