MONTANA HISTORY

HIGH SCHOOL ELECTIVE

MONTANA ON THE MOVE UNIT

CHAPTER 17 of Montana – Stories of the Land

Nothing has changed the landscape of Montana greater that the coming of the automobile. Prior to 1900 the only modes of transportation for the common person were trains, horses/mules and on foot. Along the Hi-Line route of the Great Northern Railway towns were sited every 6-10 miles and homesteaders would settle up to 30 miles north or south of the railway. The reason for this pattern was how far you could travel in a wagon each day which was about 10-15 miles. If you lived at the far edge it would take you 2-3 days to get to town and the same number for the return trip.

With the advent of the car and some basic road improvements, a car or truck could cover the same distance in 1-2 hours giving the farmer or rancher and their families more time for everything: work, travel to new places, and socializing.

And it wasn’t only in Montana that changes took place. Across the country, people were seeking out new adventures via their own cars desiring to visit the new national parks, especially Yellowstone and Glacier. The freedom and independence that an automobile gave a family was exhilarating and fashionable. Today, who would think that we could ever survive without our cars.

Step 1: Read Chapter 17 (pages 332-350) Montana on the Move: Coming of the Automobile -1904 to 1940

Step 2: Answer the following questions on page 351: Check for Understanding: Questions 1-12 25 points

Critical Thinking: Answer ONLY 1 of the 4 questions 10 points

Step 3: View the PowerPoint Presentation “Montana on the Move” and take notes as needed.

Step 4: Take Chapter Test 100 points

Step 5: Complete the following assignment: Montana’s and the nation’s roads and bridges are due for an upgrade both for safety and usage changes.

Using your Montana Highway Map and the articles in the folder:

A. Identify 3 major roads that you feel need improvements including the type(s) of improvements and your reasons for the improvements.

B. How many steps does it take to get road improvements approved and started such as the Toston Bridge project?

C. Based upon the needs of Montanans and visitors to the state, prioritize state spending, from highest to lowest, along with at least one reason for each.

The areas of spending: Highways/Roads, Health Care, Education, Economic Development, and Environment.

Grading Rubric – 50 Possible Points

ITEM / 10 Points / 7 Points / 4 Points / 0 Points
A / Identify 3 major roads / Identify 2 major roads / Identify 1 major road / No roads identified
Identify improvements/reasons for each road / Identify improvements/reasons for each road / Identify improvements/reasons for each road / Identify improvements/reasons for each road
B / 5 or more steps identified / 3-4 steps identified / 1-2 steps identified / No steps mentioned
C / Rank all 5 spending areas / Rank 3-4 spending areas / Rank 1-2 spending areas / No ranking done
Reason for each spending area / Reason for each spending area / Reason for each spending area / Reason for each spending area