250 to 250:152. Dust Bowl, Narrated by Representative Josh Turek

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Dust Bowl, Narrated by Representative Josh Turek

Joshua Turek is an Iowa House Representative, 4x Paralympian, 2x Gold Medalist in wheelchair basketball, disability advocate, and candidate for the U.S. Senate in Iowa. Turek recounts the Dust Bowl, the 1930s environmental catastrophe that drove families from the Great Plains and taught America the value of soil conservation.

The Dust Bowl happened during the Great Depression.

• There was very little rain, and the land became dry.
• Wind and dust storms affected the Great Plains.
• The storms damaged farms, homes, and animals.
• Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas were badly affected.
• Many families moved west to find work.
• Americans learned to protect the soil and use better farming methods.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 8:01. Have you taken a trip outside of the United States in the last 5 years?
• USCIS 100:89. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
• USCIS 128:103. What was the Great Depression?
• Read: What do people in America want?                                | Why did people come to California?
• Write: People in America want to work and live in freedom.  | People came to California for work.

Family Fun:

• FDR Library: FDR and the Dust Bowl
• Fairfield Productions: The 1930s Great Depression and Drought in Iowa
• Kansas Memory: Dust Storms, 1934. Kansas Emergency Relief Committee
• LOC: Dust Bowl
• NBS News Learn: The Dust Bowl and the Depression
• National Drought Mitigation Center: Dust Bowl Timeline
• OMCA: Dorthea Lange Digital Archives: On the Road
• PBS and Ken Burns: The Dust Bowl
• Smarthistory: Behind the icon, Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother
• Smithsonian: The Black Blizzards of Oklahoma
• Smoky Hills PBS: Stories from the Dust Bowl  (2005)
• Reading Through History: History Brief: the Dust Bowl
• Texas Archive of the Moving Image: Stories of the Texas Dust Bowl
• uscitizenpod: Plains Need Trees | Soil Conservation

250 to 250:151. Ice Industry, Narrated by Ken Lincoln

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Ice Industry, Narrated by Ken Lincoln

Ken Lincoln is president of the Thompson Ice House Preservation Corporation, which operates an onsite museum and sponsors an annual ice harvest. Lincoln chronicles America's forgotten ice trade, which revolutionized how the nation ate and drank before mechanical refrigeration melted the business away.

In the 1800s, people cut ice from frozen ponds in winter.

• They stored the ice to sell in summer.
• Ice kept food and drinks cold.
• Trains and ships used ice to keep food fresh.
• In 1886, people began drinking cold Coca-Cola.
• People began eating and drinking more cold food and beverages.
• After World War I, machines made ice.
• In the 1920s, people began buying home refrigerators.
• Refrigerators slowly replaced ice deliveries.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 7: List the start and end dates for all employment for the past 5 years.
• USCIS 100:92. Name one state that borders Canada.
• USCIS 128:81. There were 13 original states. Name five. 
• Read: What was the first U.S capital? 
• Write: New York City was the first capital. 

Family Fun:

• Adam Ragusea: How people kept stuff cold before refrigerators
• Antique Ice Tool Museum: Ice Industry History
• Beyond Battle: History of Portable Cold - The Ice Trade
• Boston University: The Hidden History of Ice Harvesting in New England
• Dupage Forest: Cutting Ice at Kline Creek Farm
• Eats History: 1886 Coca-Cola
• The Henry Ford: Evolution of Refrigerators
• The History Guy: The Forgotten History of Ice
• Matthew Li: The Rise and Fall of America’s Ice Trade
• NPR All Things Considered: In Maine, Residents Slice Through Thick Ice To Keep A Tradition From Melting Away
• Penn Live: Ice harvesting like it was done in the 1800s on Pennsylvania farms
• Thompson Ice House Preservation Corporation: Ice Harvest
• uscitizenpod: Ice Harvesting | Ice Industry

250 to 250:150. Molly Ivins, Narrated by Andy Borowitz

 

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Molly Ivins, Narrated by Andy Borowitz

Andy Borowitz is an acclaimed American humorist, New York Times bestselling author, and creator of the popular satire site The Borowitz Report. Borowitz celebrates Molly Ivins, the razor-tongued Texas columnist who skewered politicians and made a career of speaking uncomfortable truths.

Molly Ivins was a famous newspaper writer from Texas.

• She wrote about politics and government leaders.
• She used jokes to criticize politicians.
• In 1991, one of her jokes about a Texas congressman made many people angry.
• A billboard asked, “Molly Ivins can't say that, can she?”

Molly believed people should question their government leaders.

• In 2001, George W. Bush, a former Texas governor, became president.
• Molly criticized President Bush and his decisions.
• She believed people should speak freely about their government.
• She used humor and newspapers to encourage Americans to think about politics.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 11:03. What is your email addess?
• USCIS 100:93. Name one state that borders Mexico.
• USCIS 128:65. What are three rights of everyone living in the United States? 
• Read: Who has freedom of speech?
• Write: People who live in America have freedom of speech.

Family Fun: 

• Americans Who Tell the Truth: Molly Ivins
• Berkeley Rep: Kathleen Turner Behind the Scenes of Red Hot Patriot
• Coloring Book Fun: Texas coloring pages
• Don Giller: Molly Ivins and Ann Richards on Letterman, 1991 & 1992
• Factual America Podcast: The Political Wit and Persona of Molly Ivins
• Magnolia Pictures: Raise Hell: The Life And Times Of Molly Ivins | trailer
• Molly Ivins: RH Molly's Civics 101 Vote
• PBS Scout Dialogue: Molly Ivins
• Progressive Forum: Molly Ivins: 'Have fun while you try to fix the world!'
• Smithsonian Magazine: Academy Award Nominee Kathleen Turner Discusses Political Journalist Molly Ivins
• Texas Monthly: Molly Ivins archive
• Texas Observer: The Strangest State (Cartoon series by the TO staff and illustrated by Drue Wagner featuring Molly Ivins presenting funny and unusual stories about Texas)
• Todd Jagger: Molly Ivins - 3 Minute Civics Lesson (Painless)
• UCTV: The State of the Union: Molly Ivins
• uscitizenpod: Molly Ivins coloring page

250 to 250:149. Trail of Broken Treaties, Narrated by Nick Estes

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Trail of Broken Treaties, Narrated by Nick Estes

Nick Estes is an enrolled member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and Associate Professor in American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota. He co-hosts the Red Nation podcast and is the lead editor of Red Media. He recounts the cross-country caravan that indigenous activists organized in October 1972.

Native Americans fought to protect their land and rights for many years.

• In 1972, Native Americans traveled to Washington, D.C. to protest.
• Their protest was called the Trail of Broken Treaties.
• They wanted the U.S. government to keep its promises to Native American tribes.
• Protesters stayed in the Bureau of Indian Affairs building for one week.
• Their protest helped change some government policies.
• It helped Native American tribes work together for their rights.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• USCIS N-400 Part 9:02. Have you EVER registered to vote or voted in any Federal, state, or local election in the United States?
• USCIS 100:06. One is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
• USCIS 128:65. What are three rights of everyone living in the United States? 
• Read: What do American Indians have?
• Write: American Indians have freedom of speech and the right to vote.

Family Fun:

• AIM: Trail of Broken Treaties 20-Point Position Paper | summary
• B Marshall: Trail of Broken Treaties
• Crash Course: The Native Civil Rights Movement: Ep 15 of Crash Course Native American History | full course playlist
• John Trudell Archives: trailer | full documentary | AIM | album playlist | Red Nation episode
• Muscarelle Museum: The Trail of Broken Treaties: A March on Washington, DC 1972 | Rising exhibition overview
• NPS: The Trail of Broken Treaties, 1972 | Series: The Struggle for Sovereignty: American Indian Activism in the Nation’s Capital, 1968-1978
• OAH: “Let’s Raise Some Hell”: Clyde Warrior and the Red Power Movement
• PBS Orgins: Native American Reservations, Explained.
• Penn Museum: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations: Native American Activism and the Long Red Power Movement
• Soundings Mindful Media: American Indian Movement (AIM) - Occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs - 1972, Washington, DC playlist
• Washington Area Spark: Native Americans Take Over Bureau of Indian Affairs: 1972
• Unsung History Podcast: The 1972 Occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
• The Uptake by Bridgemakers: We Are Still Here: 40 Years of AIM in Photographs
• uscitizenpod: Red Power coloring page
• WorldBeat: American Indian Movement - Dennis Banks Interview

250 to 250:148. Soo Locks, Narrated by Lauren Westphal

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Soo Locks, Narrated by Lauren Westphal

Lauren Westphal is a proud Yooper born and raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She is a producer and an independent media strategist. Here, Westphal tells how the Soo Locks unlocked Michigan's iron riches, becoming the "Linchpin of the Great Lakes" that fed America's steel mills and westward expansion.

In 1844, William Burt found a lot of iron in Michigan.

• Iron is used to make steel.
• Ships could not carry the iron because the St. Marys River had dangerous rapids.
• In 1855, the Soo Locks opened.
• Soo Locks are called "Linchpin of the Great Lakes."
• The locks helped ships travel between Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
• Ships carried iron to steel factories.
• The iron helped build railroads and buildings.
• During World War II, most American iron ore traveled through the locks.
• Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes care of the Soo Locks.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 4. Where do you live?
• USCIS 100:92. Name one state that borders Canada.
• USCIS 128:118. Name one example of an American innovation.
• Read: Where is Canada? 
• Write: Canada is north of the United States. 

Family Fun:

• A Traveling Orchid: Michigan’s Upper Peninsula ~ Sault Ste’ Marie ~ Soo Locks
• Adventures in Northern Michigan: 20 Things about the Soo Locks
• eek! Environmental Education for Kids: Cargo in the Great Lakes: Iron ore and more (plus many activities)
• Land & Line: Why Michigan Holds America’s Steel Industry Together
• Michiganology: Michigan Iron Ore
• National Museum of the Great Lakes: Illustrated History of the Soo Locks
• Sault St Marie: Soo Locks
• PBS World Greatest Cruises: Exploring the Great Lakes on a Expedition Cruise (Soo Locks minute 15:43)
• USACE: US Army Corps of Engineers | Soo Locks | Water Safety coloring book
• USACE Detroit: New Lock at the Soo: Unlocking the Great Lake | History of the Soo Locks (Vintage Version)
• USACE Learning Center: Brief History of Sault Ste. Marie and the Soo Canal
• Upper Pennisula: The Soo Locks: Connecting Lake Superior to the World for Over 150 Years
• uscitizenpod: Soo Locks Centennial single issue coloring page

250 to 250:147. Ellen Ochoa, Narrated by Hope Delgado

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Ellen Ochoa, Narrated by Hope Delgado

Hope Delgado is the Program and Content Associate at Made By Us, a national network of more than 750 museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives working to connect young people with history and civic participation. Delgado profiles Ellen Ochoa, the engineer who became the first Hispanic woman in space in 1993, and later the first Hispanic director of NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Ellen Ochoa was an American astronaut and engineer.

• In 1993, she became the first Hispanic woman in space.
• She traveled on the space shuttle Discovery.
• She studied the Sun and Earth's atmosphere.
• She traveled into space four times.
• She worked on the International Space Station.
• In 2013, she became the first Hispanic director of NASA's Johnson Space Center.
• She inspired women and Hispanic students to study science  and technology.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 3:01. Are you Hispanic or Latino?
• USCIS 100:53. / 128:67.  What is one promise (two promises) you make when you become a United States citizen?
• USCIS 128:68.   How can people become United States citizens?
• USCIS 128:118. Name one example of an American innovation.
• Read: What is the largest state? 
• Write: California is the largest state and has the most people. 

Family Fun:

• Air and Space Museum: Making History Aboard Discovery
• Discovery West Bend: A Conversation with Dr. Ellen Ochoa, NASA Astronaut and Former Director of the Johnson Space Center
• Florida's Space Coast: Ellen Ochoa | U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame
• NASA: Hispanic American Month Profile: Dr. Ellen Ochoa
• NMAH: Ellen Ochoa: Beyond the Barrier | Emily Key
• National Archives DocTeach: Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa Playing Flute Aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery 4/17/1993 | video
• New Mexico Museum of Space History: First Latina Astronaut - Ellen Ochoa
• PBS News Hour: Story of Ellen Ochoa
• Untold History: Ellen Ochoa: The First Female Hispanic Astronaut
• USPTOvideo: Women in Innovation: NASA’s Dr. Ellen Ochoa
• uscitizenpod: Ellen Ochoa 1 | 2 coloring pages
• Weather Channel: Hispanic Heritage Month: Dr. Ellen Ochoa Profile

250 to 250:146. Wilma Mankiller, Narrated by Julie Reed

updated

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Wilma Mankiller, Narrated by Julie Reed

Julie Reed is a citizen of the Cherokee nation, Native American historian, author, and professor whose reflective essays include a widely syndicated piece about Wilma Mankiller, the first female principal chief of Cherokee Nation. 

those who get up every morning and stand for something larger than themselves."

In Cherokee society, women had important roles in families and communities.

• Wilma Mankiller was born in 1945 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
• In the 1950s, the U.S. government moved her family to San Francisco.
• She became active in the American Indian Movement.
• She supported the Native American occupation of Alcatraz Island.
• In the late 1970s, she returned to Oklahoma.
• She worked to help the Cherokee Nation.
• In 1985, she became the first woman elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
• She worked to improve schools, health care, and water.
• She helped make the Cherokee government stronger.
• Mankiller believed people should work together to help others.
• She said, "The most fulfilled people are those who get up every morning and stand for something larger than themselves."

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 2:05: Are you male or female?
• USCIS 100:43. / 128:61. Who is the Governor of your state now?
• USCIS 100:87. / 128:117. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
• Read: What right do American Indians have?
• Write: American Indians have the right to live in freedom.

Family Fun

• CW4W: The Cherokee Word for Water trailer | channel | Charlie Soap's background video (Wilma Mankiller's husband) | presentation | wiki page | Mankiller-Soap Water Act (2022)
• Cherokee: Cherokee Nation government | Cherokee History | Cherokee Language
• Cherokee Nation: History Presentations playlist  | Children Stories playlist
• Cherokee Phoenix: CN officially opens Mankiller Capitol Park with ceremony | video
• Cynthia M. Ruiz- Cherokee Name:Lion Mother: Keep Our Stories Alive is an Award-winning documentary about Cherokees in Los Angeles (20 minutes)
• The Conversation: Wilma Mankiller, first female principal chief of Cherokee Nation, led with compassion and continues to inspire today
• Everyday Heroes: Wilma Mankiller: Trailblazer of the Cherokee Nation
• KQED Arts: Native American Occupation of Alcatraz Captured in Rare Footage
• Katie Couric Media: Wilma Mankiller | First Female Chief of the Cherokee Nation | #SeeHer Story
• NPS: Native American Occupations of Alcatraz | Alcatraz Island Junior Ranger Activity Book
• New York Historical Society / Untold Hisory: Wilma Mankiller (WAMS E41)
• Osiyo TV: Gina Olaya, A Living Legacy (Wilma Mankiller's daughter) 
• Ou : GaDuGi: Coming Together For All (English)
• uscitizenpod: Wilma Mankiller 1 | 2 coloring pages
• National Congress of American Indians: The Wilma Mankiller Fellowship Program
• Vision Maker Media: Mankiller (trailer) | full documentary
• Writing Out Loud: Wilma Mankiller

250 to 250:145. Mayo Clinic, Narrated by Dr. Stephen Ray Mitchell

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Mayo Clinic, Narrated by Dr. Stephen Ray Mitchell

Dr. Stephen Ray Mitchell is an award-winning medical expert who currently serves as the Joseph Butenas Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and Dean Emeritus for Medical Education at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Mitchell has chaired the North American Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME) and has led accreditation visits to over 20 other Medical Schools. He tells the story of the founding of the Mayo Clinic, which pioneered many hallmarks of modern health care.

In 1883, a tornado hit Rochester, Minnesota.

• The Mayo family were doctors who helped injured people.
• They opened a small hospital in a dance hall.
• The Mayo doctors worked with Mother Alfred Moes and the Sisters of St. Francis to open a permanent hospital.
• This hospital became the famous Mayo Clinic.
• Mayo Clinic doctors worked together to help patients.
• They used X-rays and patient records.
• Today, the Mayo Clinic is famous for medical care and research.
• Dr. William Mayo believed patients must always come first.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 2:11. Do you have any physical or mental impairment that prevents you from demonstrating your knowledge of the English language or civics requirements for naturalization? 
• N-400 Part 9:33. Are you unable to take the Oath of Allegiance because of a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment?
• USCIS 100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
• USCIS 128:69. What are two examples of civic participation in the United States?
• Read: Name one right in the Bill of Rights. 
• Write: Freedom of speech is a right. 

Family Fun:

• ABC 6 News - KAAL TV: Women's History Month: The women of Mayo Clinic
• Andrew Tyberg: Mayo Clinic’s history (History Day 2014-15)
• Augustine Langford: The Patient Comes First: The Mayo Clinic And Its Unified Medical Record
• Mayo Clinic: website | History and Heritage | Contributions to Medicine | Peregrine Falcon Activity Pages | Heritage Films (all): Born in a Storm |  Leap of Faith | Healing Hands | playlist of previews 
• Minnesota PBS: Minnesota's Deadliest Tornadoes
• Minnesota Digital Library: Origins of the Mayo Clinic
• National Library of Medicine: The Origins and Evolution of the Mayo Clinic from 1864 to 1939
• National Postal Museum: 5c Doctors Mayo single | more
• PBS and Ken Burns: The Mayo Clinic: Faith - Hope - Science (stream or borrow video from your local library)
• PBS Learning Media: Mayo Clinic (several clips and lessons)
• Your Very Favorite: Health Matters! Coloring and Activity Book (80-pages)