The Impacts of 1927 Mississippi River Flood and Differences in the Northern and Southern Regions in New Deal Era

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25870940
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Economic history; History of Europe and America
• Research Institution: Hannan University
• Principal Investigator: Masaoki Izawa 阪南大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (40611942)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 連邦治水法 / 1927年ミシシッピ川大洪水 / ニューディール / 環境保全 / 湿地再生 / 野生生物保護 / プランテーション / 治水構造物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 marked a major shift in relation between river and society. Focusing on the land drainage, flood control projects, this study show the impact of great flood on the Mississippi river basin.
After 1880s, The Yazoo-delta had grown dramatically. The population had increased and the amount of land in cultivation had nearly doubles, but white planters agreed that the South should not rely on the negro for its prosperity. Finally, this study concludes that the oppression experienced during the flood drove many blacks to abandon the delta and move to northern cities.
On the contrary, in south Minnesota, drainage work were began in 1880s and 1890s, large areas of wet prairies were acquired by northern european settlers. They maintained close links with their home. But since great flood of 1927, farmers were reducing acreage of drainage farm land, the state authority launched a project to acquire wetland areas threatened by agricultural drainage.

Free Research Field

アメリカ経済史