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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What two things did Humphrey unsuccessfully attempt to do to change the mouth of the Mississippi River?
(a) Dredges and bridges.
(b) Bridges and canals.
(c) Canals and dredges.
(d) Creating a new river and a dam.

2. What helped Leroy Percy lose a lot of his political influence outside of the Delta area?
(a) He advocated for the rights of women.
(b) He helped Vardaman get defeated for a seat in Senate.
(c) He enforced the need for slaves.
(d) He wanted to free all slaves.

3. What was LeRoy Percy's problem with the Klan?
(a) They were the reason he couldn't become president.
(b) They threatened his life.
(c) They were in "conflict" with the life he desired.
(d) They boycotted all his propositions.

4. For decades, what were the levees constructed to do?
(a) Increase farmland.
(b) Decrease farmland.
(c) Increase the number of reservoirs.
(d) Increase the number of outlets.

5. What two cities were underwater in early 1927?
(a) Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
(b) Cincinnati and Cleveland.
(c) Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
(d) Chicago and Columbus.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happened when Hoover goes to inspect the levee south of New Orleans?

2. Where did the Mississippi River Commission decide their failure was in the 1912 and 1913 floods?

3. Before going to Washington, what was Hoover's life like?

4. As the levees in other cities are failing, why would New Orleans "saboteurs" attempt to dynamite the levees by St. Bernard Parish?

5. In 1926, what prevented annual levee maintenance?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Humphreys does publish his report, it receives great acclaim in Europe, but because of the Civil War it doesn't receive a lot of recognition in the United States. Why would the Civil War limit the recognition of Humphreys' report?

2. Why does Hoover see being the chairman of the flood committee as a great opportunity?

3. The author wrote that during the 1800's "the prevailing attitude is that the Mississippi River can be controlled if the laws of nature governing the river were understood." What could John M. Barry mean by this?

4. It is said in Chapter 13 that the slower the flood, the more dangerous it is. Why would a slow flood be more dangerous than a fast moving flood?

5. How is pressure the most damaging component to a levee?

6. World War I has begun and the Delta area is flourishing, yet lacking in manpower. Percy is a big influence for the fine development of the area, yet the more successful the area's development becomes, the more Percy's popularity decreases. Why do you think this happens?

7. How involved in the flooding is Coolidge when he is the President of the United States?

8. Why does the destruction of the St. Bernard and Plaquemines levee prove to be unnecessary?

9. One night, a boat approaches the levee that protects St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parshes and is shot at. Why was the boat shot at?

10. Why does Thompson feel he is doing a good thing by withholding news from the public?

(see the answer keys)

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