State Historical Society of Iowa

"Elmer Power's Diary" 1932

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Courtesy of the University of Northern Iowa Library, "Elmer Power's Diary" 1932

Description

The diary of Elmer Powers shows the perspective of one Iowa farmer before and during the farm holiday. In 1933, the Federal government passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) to help farmers. The law set limits on the amount of the crops and size of herds farmers could produce, dealing with the issue of surplus that was driving prices down. If farmers agreed to limit production they would be paid a subsidy, a practice that is still in place today. In his diary Mr. Powers discusses daily life on the farm as well as conflicting feelings about the farm holiday.

Source Dependent Questions

  • What was the author's perspective? Why do you think he kept a diary? Who do you think he meant his audience to be? Do you think his purpose and audience make the source more or less reliable? Why?
  • How did Elmer Powers feel about the farm holiday in his early entries? How did his perspective change in later entries? Use evidence from the source to support your answer.
  • How effective did he feel the protest would be in passing the farm bill? Consider the context of his early entries to his later entries covering the end of Hoover's administration and the beginning of Roosevelt's. Did the change in administration impact his relationship with the government? Support your answer with evidence from the source.

Citation Information

Powers, Elmer, "The Depression Diary of Elmer Powers," 1932-1933. Courtesy of the University of Northern Iowa Library Courtesy of Library of Congress

State Historical Society of Iowa

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