You have been asked to assist the staff at the Grout Museum of History & Science in Waterloo, Iowa in researching information for a display called Iowa’s Early Industrial Development.

Your job will be to tell the story of industrialization in Iowa and specifically in Waterloo as the city was developing in the 1800s and early 1900s.

Your research assignment is to show how factories, food processing industries, and railroads were connected to each other.

By 1870, Iowa was no longer considered a frontier area. Nearly all of the land suitable for farming had been purchased and developed.

By 1900, buying an Iowa farm required a considerable amount of money. The price of Iowa farm land, livestock, and machinery made farming too expensive for many new immigrants.

For new immigrants who could not afford to purchase land, jobs in meat packing or other agricultural-related industries were available. Some immigrants also found work with the railroad.

To begin your research, follow these steps:

Step 1: Key Thinking Questions

Start by considering Key Thinking Questions which will guide you as you begin your research on industrialization.

Step 2: Get the Facts

Check out the quick facts about early industries in Waterloo.

Step 3: Research Activities

Complete the following research activities to learn about the development of factories and why agriculture encouraged early industrial development.

• Activity 1 – Cause and Result Relationships
• Activity 2 – Profiles of Early Ag Businesses
• Activity 3 – Where Are the Women?
• Activity 4 – Industrial Classification
• Activity 5 – Production Prediction
• Activity 6 – Evolutions and Revolutions in Transportation