HIST 100: Engineering The Past

First Reflection of the Fair

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1 Near the end of this section of the reading, Erik Larson writes of the “turmoil and grief engulf[ing] Chicago.” “The old world,” he notes, “was passing” (121-22). Based on what you’ve read so far, what do you think was the most significant issue or tension in the United States in the 1880s and 1890s, and why? Cite evidence from the book to support your choice.

I think some of the most significant issues in the United States around this time was trying to be the most innovative and grandest. It was obvious that times were changing and things were being more progressive, so everyone wanted that coveted title of being the person or the first to create something so large. The book speaks the competition to have the World’s Fair come to New York City, Washington, St. Louis, or Chicago. Every city wanted it because it would show how extraordinary they are and how important that city is to them. Burnham and Root were working on building the tallest buildings in the country, and finding new ways to lay the foundation. With things changing so fast and so often this time made it hard to keep up with absolutely everything that was going on. People were being introduced to ideas that were wild and sinister, and since so many were focusing on being the best and the greatest these people were able to practice these things they had heard about almost unnoticed.

2 Why do you think Larson has chosen to intertwine the story of the fair with that of Holmes?

I think Larson decided to intertwine the store of Holmes with the fair because Holmes is the perfect example of someone that was willing to do whatever it took to be successful. With the fair coming into town many saw this as the perfect opportunity to find success. Holmes knew how to use his strengths to talk his way into almost anything he wants. Before coming to Chicago he traveled all around the Northeast in search of finding something he could be successful at. Holmes, like many, was not worried about ethics during this time, as cited above, “turmoil and grief” was surrounding the city, and he was part of that. Having so many people in one place made it easy to hide the wrongdoing that was going on. He saw opportunities and he took it, preying on anyone’s weakness.

Irrigation in the West and Idaho

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Irrigation provides water for agriculture and farm land. When settlers were exploring the country, there was land that was not ideal for dry farming, and did not receive enough rain throughout the year to be prosperous. Irrigation is a controlled application of water to land, mainly for agriculture, through handmade devices to make up for the need of water that is not fulfilled by natural rainfall. Having developed irrigation canals and ditches has allowed Idaho to be successful in farming, and able to provide the country with produce.
Finding ways to regulate water usage was not something that came naturally. As Mormon settlers became more prominent in Idaho, they were bringing water technologies they adapted from the Pueblo Indians with them. Southern Idaho is an ideal place to have farmland for potatoes, hay, wheat, and for livestock raising. (1) In order to grow a greater variety of produce there needed to be a greater amount of water. Once all of the land that had easy access to water was taken up, companies began to pop up to build canals and ditches.

Picture1
A painting of Pueblo Indians irrigating

Pueblo Indians developed irrigation and it was later adopted by settlers in the area.
In 1300 CE the natives, The Pueblo, lived in American Southwest. The Pueblo had originally been hunter gatherers but their dietary needs began to shift to growing food, in this area their primary food was corn. Because of a dry period during this time they began to build terraces and dams to conserve soil and water so they could continue to grow their crops. Finding ways to bring water to them extended their livelihood, however there are theories that suggest they could not over come the drought and the famine, or possibly diverting the water led to conflict with others in the area. (2) The methods they used in the West helped pave the way for many settlers to adapt possible ways to help them.
Having large amounts of land without water and a lack of companies to build these canals began to be a problem in many places. Under the Desert Land Act, also known as the Carey Act, the United States gave land to the states to give to farmers that could irrigate it and turn it into farmland. The growth of irrigation grew from the Newlands Act that created the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The Bureau utilized the Snake River, building many dams and canals off of it.

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Sugar beet farm

It is important for these farms to have access to water because Idaho is a major producer of fruits and vegetables throughout the country. Not only does Idaho supply the most potatoes in the country it supplies the third most barely, sugar beets, hops and mint. (3) By adopting and utilizing irrigation all regions of the state have become successful producers, making the growth of irrigation so significant.

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Gates to open and close irrigation canals

In communities with irrigation canals those that have decided to use the water for flood irrigation have a set time they are allowed to keep the water. When it is the water user’s time to take the water user will lift or open their irrigation gate to direct the water to their property. Once their allotted time is up the farmer or land owner must go outside and shut off the water to send it down the way to the next property. These gates that are used can range from small boards being lifted and moved, to large cranks that are controlled by wheels to lift and lower the gate. In farms with more modern technology they use computer controlled and buried pressurized water pipelines or sprinklers. (4) This new way of irrigating is much more efficient, especially on farms with large amounts of land. By having it computerized there is not worry of someone not keeping an eye on the time and not passing down the water when needed. Farmer’s assess the needs they have for irrigation, and chose which irrigation method is most beneficial for them. One of the most visually recognizable forms of irrigation would be the center pivot method, this is an automatic technique the water is dispersed from sprinkler heads and on average covers about 130-acre circular area. (5)

Picture4
A central pivot sprinkler

However beneficial this method of water transportation is there are always some concerns that come with it. The canals and ditches that house and transport the water are deep and fast moving. In the summer months it is common for people, commonly children, to seek them out for a refreshing swim. These canals are deep, fast moving, and often made of cement which makes it easy for someone to get swept away in the current and unable to get out. If someone were to hit their head on the side of a canal or get caught in a gate it could be fatal. Since irrigation canals are so prominent in southern Idaho there is an Irrigation District Canal Safety Recognition Week to inform residence of the dangers.

Picture5
An irrigation canal with high cement walls making it dangerous for any swimmers

People in many different cultures know the importance water is to creating a successful civilization. There have been engineering and developing of many different methods to bring water to these people. Idaho and many other western states would have different environment had irrigation not be utilized and adapted to fit the areas needs. Southern Idaho would still have crops, but not the large variety that there is today.

Works Cited

1. http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/agirrig/agirtext/agigmain.htm
2. http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/anasazi.htm
3. http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/agirrig/agirtext/agigmain.htm
4. http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/about-us/offices-and-locations/canada-saskatchewan-irrigation-diversification-centre/about-the-centre/?id=1186152258980
5. http://water.usgs.gov/edu/irquicklook.html

Engineering

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Engineering is applying sciences, technology and using ideas to create ways to better civilizations.  People start to engineer small and large objects when they see the need. There is evidence that dates back thousands of years where people have created and built things based on their needs.  The Mayans and the Aztecs engineer their towns and villages around their needs and religious beliefs.  In modern civilization we look to create things to help make life more efficient.  In result of that we sometimes end up harming our environments, and to make up for that we begin to engineer even more.  The things we have looked to engineer take a lot of time and energy but without having these things life would be much more difficult.  Engineering is not only used to change what we have as a society, but to look at finds ways to better the world we live in.