History

The reading will focus on the eyewitness accounts of the terrible catastrophe of the 1900

Galveston Hurricane. Your assignment will be to read the accounts and answer in a 1- 1-1/2 page

paper, the following questions:

1. When did the storm hit and what is the overall assessment of the hurricane’s damage?

How many people died?

Did it seem that the inhabitants were warned at all about the severity and danger of the

storm? Why do you think was so?

2. As you read the report given by John Blagden, it is clear that a government

meteorological service existed on the island. Who was the Local Forecaster Official and

what apparently befell him and his family?

3. Why did Blagden survive when many others clearly did not? What happened to the

family he was boarding with?

4. Why were Galveston officials pleading for help from Austin? What was the

government’s response to the storm?

You must turn in a 1-1-1/2 page report that is typewritten and double-spaced using an

11-12point font.