Mrs. Ruland's U.S. History Class Project
The Effect of REA on Small Towns
By Aamir Z., James T., and Kevin H.
The Rural Electrification Act, or the R.E.A. had an enormous effect on small towns. The REA stated that Electric Programs could make direct loans from the government in order to build power plants in rural areas that didn't have power plants before. The REA was part of the recovery section of the New Deal. The purpose of the recovery section of the New Deal was to stabilize business and the economy. The REA created jobs, at the power plants for people, and provided power to people. Once having power, the people of small towns would buy electronics, which also helped in the stabilization of the economy. The REA also allowed people to organize non-profit electric cooperatives to further electrify the rest of the countryside.
Rural Electrification Act of 1936
This site contains the original act in writing. It is written in legal language so is a little hard to understand, but includes everything stated in the act. To get everything from the site you have to do a lot of reading, so this site is not for the lazy researcher.
USDA Rural Development's Electric Programs
This site is the government site for electric programs in rural America, so it is reliable. It states the goals of the REA and how they were to be accomplished. Also it tells how successful the REA has been to date.
This site provided a brief history of rural electricity in America. It includes reasons why FDR signed the act when he did and how the act affected the rural United States. Finally, it tells how the REA was able to have such a positive effect on rural businesses.
Rural Electrification Act (1936)
This site describes in detail the results of the REA on rural farmers, comparing their living conditions before the REA to their living conditions after the REA. It also tells how and when the REA was created. Finally, this site describes what happened to the REA as time went on.
Rural Electrification 1929-1953
This website shows the life of the farmer in a small town before the REA was passed. This site also shows how the life was changed in small towns after the REA. This site also gives the exact numbers that the REA contained, including the prices for kilowatts per hour. This site shows the effect of the REA on small towns, from the farmer's view economically and socially.
This site is very insightful and is enriched with information on the REA and how it started as an executive order and became the great policy for the farmers. This website gives the details of the REA and the dates of its first creation to the time it is passed. This site also explains the policy as a whole and all of its clauses. This site finally explains the effect on the small town farmer.
This site shows the history of electric companies in small towns. This site also explains how FDR used the REA to help develop small towns to become economic oil wells. This site is very informative and would help with the explanation of how the REA help develop today's great electrical systems.
This website contains lots of information on rural electrification. It has facts on the importance of electrification and the benefits farmers experienced from rural electrification. It is made up of five pages that each have certain facts concerning rural electrification. This website was extremely informative and answers many questions you might have about the Rural Electrification Act.
Electrification History - Rural Electrification
This website talks about how rural electrification was designed, who designed it, and who it helped. The information describes important dates in rural electrification from 1935 to the 1950's. This site was created by the National Academy of Engineering.
What is Cooperative Rural Electrification and How Was It Started
This website gives some background information on rural areas before electrification. It tells about the importance of the Rural Electrification Act to rural ares. Explains very well why rural electrification was important.
Rural Electrification - A Kansas Portrait
This website also provides some information on the importance of rural electrification. This site, however, focuses mainly on rural electrification in Kansas. Describes all angles of the importance of rural electrification in Kansas from jobs to lighting homes.
Last updated March 28, 2007
© Marcella Ruland 1998-2008, All rights reserved
