Which organization was primarily responsible for employing young men to conserve natural resources?

Which organization was primarily responsible for employing young men to conserve natural resources?

• A. Tennessee Valley Authority
• B. Works Progress Administration
• C. Civil Air Patrol
• D. Civilian Conservation Corps

Answer: (D)

This item targets understanding of a New Deal effort that paired job relief with environmental conservation by putting young men to work on natural-resource projects. The Civilian Conservation Corps fits best. Established in 1933, it was a federal work-relief program that hired unmarried men roughly ages 18–25 to tackle reforestation, soil and water conservation, flood-control projects, and the development of parks and public lands. They lived in camps, learned conservation skills, and earned a modest wage, much of which was sent home to families. The emphasis was on providing employment while directly addressing environmental degradation, a pressing concern during the Dust Bowl era. In contrast, the Tennessee Valley Authority aimed mainly at dam-building and electricity for a large region, not specifically to employ young men for conservation work; the Works Progress Administration funded a broad array of public-works jobs without a primary focus on conservation; Civil Air Patrol, established later, centers on aviation-related missions rather than natural-resource conservation.

This item targets understanding of a New Deal effort that paired job relief with environmental conservation by putting young men to work on natural-resource projects. The Civilian Conservation Corps fits best. Established in 1933, it was a federal work-relief program that hired unmarried men roughly ages 18–25 to tackle reforestation, soil and water conservation, flood-control projects, and the development of parks and public lands. They lived in camps, learned conservation skills, and earned a modest wage, much of which was sent home to families. The emphasis was on providing employment while directly addressing environmental degradation, a pressing concern during the Dust Bowl era. In contrast, the Tennessee Valley Authority aimed mainly at dam-building and electricity for a large region, not specifically to employ young men for conservation work; the Works Progress Administration funded a broad array of public-works jobs without a primary focus on conservation; Civil Air Patrol, established later, centers on aviation-related missions rather than natural-resource conservation.