| On January 12, 1888, a devastating blizzard swept across Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Minnesota. The day had begun as an unseasonably warm morning with the weather so mild that children traipsed off to their one-roomed schools wearing very little wraps. Farmers went to their fields and barns to tend their animals and work their lands. They, too, were devoid of coats and gloves due to the warmth of the weather. With the coming of mid-afternoon, without warning, the atmosphere suddenly and violently changed. Where the air had been calm one moment, in the next instance the sky sent snow that seemed to be falling in a horizontal pattern due to hurricane-forced winds.
Teaches, for various reasons, closed the schools and sent their pupils homeward. Many never saw their homes or families again. Heroes and heroines were made that day, although their simplest intentions were to save their own lives and the lives of those in their charge. By the following morning some five hundred people lay dead on the plains, frozen where they had dropped, and now buried beneath the drifted snow. | ||
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Kind Of History Time of history: - 19th century History of disaster/tragedy? Yes Kind of disaster: - Very hot/cold weather Nationality? Subjects of this Historical Account Ethnicity (if plays a major part) - European/White Is the portrayal sympathetic? - Sympathetic From a certain profession/group? - farmers Intelligence of subject of history: - Naive Main Adversary From a certain profession/group? How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book. Nationality? - Scandinavian Ethnicity? (if plays big part) - White/European Is the portrayal sympathetic? - Sympathetic Setting United States Yes The US: - Midwest Farm/Ranch: - farm Small town? Yes Small town people: - nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee Farms/Ranches? Yes Writing Style How much gore? - 3 () How fast-paced is the book? - 10 () Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Book makes you feel... - in awe How much focus on stories of individuals? - Focuses mostly on history of key players How much romance? - 2 () Minor characters feature lots of: Is this a kid's book? - Ages 16-Adult Pictures/Illustrations? - A handful Maps necessary? - Maps not in sufficient detail How much emphasis on small details? - 10 () |
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