The Galveston Hurricane


Texas History Economic Boom The Galveston Hurricane
Students learn about the devastating Galveston Hurricane of 1900. They identify the effects that the storm had on the city and its economy, and why the storm was so devastating. They read some letters written from survivors of the storm and then write a letter of their own, including information about the storm.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

1:1 Devices
Teacher Pack

The Pack contains associated resources for the learning experience, typically in the form of articles and videos. There is a teacher Pack (with only teacher information) and a student Pack (which contains only student information). As a teacher, you can toggle between both to see everything.

Here are the teacher pack items for The Galveston Hurricane:

Preview - Scene 1
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Overview

In this experience, students learn about the devastating Galveston Hurricane of 1900. They identify the effects that the storm had on the city and its economy, and why the storm was so devastating. They read some letters written from survivors of the storm and then write a letter of their own, including information about the storm.

Students will collaborate in small groups for scene 2 and scene 3.

Note that the change in city government adopted by Galveston following the hurricane is covered in the experience The Progressive Movement in Texas.

Objectives:

  • Analyze the effects of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 to Galveston and Texas.
  • Identify the destruction of the hurricane and analyze why it was so great.


The great Galveston Hurricane made landfall on September 8, 1900. It traveled west from the Caribbean and into the Florida Straits before it hit Galveston. The people in Cuba and Florida had no way of warning the people in Galveston about the storm that was going to devastate the city. The people ignored the warnings about the storm; the weather seemed so nice days before the storm, so people didn’t want to leave the beach. In this experience you will learn about the impact of this hurricane.

Objectives:

  • Analyze the effects of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 on Galveston and Texas.
  • Identify the destruction of the hurricane and analyze why it was so great.


people stand around ruins

Galveston Hurricane, 1900


Can you name a recent hurricane that caused extensive damage? Name the hurricane or a city that experienced severe destruction.

Post your answer

Students may be familiar with some of the hurricanes that have occurred in their lifetime or their region, for example:

  • Katrina, most notably hitting New Orleans
  • Rita, hitting the Gulf coast
  • Sandy, hitting the Eastern seaboard
  • Irene, hitting the Eastern seaboard
If your area has been affected by a hurricane, give the students time to discuss their personal experiences.


Divide students into their small groups for the next two scenes. When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.


End of Preview
The Complete List of Learning Experiences in Cotton, Cattle, Railroads, and Westward Expansion Unit.
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