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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. River flow is measured in cubic feet per second (cfs). What happens as the cfs increases?

2. In early 1927, what did many of the communities begin to do?

3. What did Hoover do during WWI?

4. Who was at the center of New Orleans finances and is also a Club member?

5. What event did the Boston Club pay a large role in?

Short Essay Questions

1. Humphreys has his friend, Charles Howell, inspect the progress Eads is making on the jetties. Howell makes a report that the jetties aren't working the way Eads said they would. Eads in turn has a friend of his disclaim Humphreys' report. Why does Humphreys lie in his report?

2. When the author says it is hoped that the bridge construction will "marry steamboats to railroads", what does he mean?

3. After facing complete opposition, how would Eads' offer to independently pay for the construction of the jetties completely change the minds of the public and politicians?

4. Thompson has the idea of dynamiting the levees to the south of New Orleans, but who gets the idea primarily accepted by everyone?

5. 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?

6. What are the terms that are reached for the levee that protects St. Bernard and Plaquemines to be destroyed?

7. 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?

8. The levees along the Mississippi River are built differently and to a "higher standard" than levees in other places. What does this engineering and planning tell you about the knowledge of the Mississippi?

9. A racist governor is elected into office in Mississippi, yet it is still considered a safe place for the blacks to work. However, when waters begin to rise, black convicts are ordered to lay on the levee and use their bodies as sandbags. Does everyone follow Percy's influence to alleviate discrimination?

10. Why do people want to follow the ways of the Ku Klux Klan rather than follow Percy's successful lead?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The refugee camps were once referred to as "concentration camps." What examples in the book provide reasoning for this description? Were all people treated poorly in these camps? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

World War I was occurring during the time of the flood. How did the war affect the Delta region during this time? Why was the war mentioned repeatedly throughout the book? Who did the war affect the greatest and why?

Essay Topic 3

How could the flooding in many of the cities been prevented? What was ignored by the politicians? What did the politicians focus on?

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