The term infrastructure refers to the facilities and systems housing, water, sewers, electricity, roads, bridges, schools, universities that a modern community needs in order to survive.
As Californias population and economy boomed and diversified, twentieth century California became what historian Kevin Starr calls a megastate. The states unrelenting growth led to an equally unrelenting demand for infrastructure. How did the state meet this demand? And what were the costs?
Once you have read the sources, compose a thoughtful, well-written essay, in which you answer the following questions:
Describe the development of Californias infrastructure in the 20th century. How did the dams, bridges, roads and schools of California get built? Who built them, and who paid for them? And what have the benefits, as well as the costs, of this infrastructure been?
In your response, be sure to point to specific infrastructure projects, and remember to utilize primary source material.
OTHER SOURCES:
https://governors.library.ca.gov/addresses/32-Pbrown01.html
https://www.vogue.com/projects/13353964/california-drought-owens-lake
James D. Phelan, “Why the Chinese Should Be Excluded” (1901)
Chinese Immigrants Confront Anti-Chinese Prejudice (1885, 1903)
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/spring/winema.html
