State Historical Society of Iowa

The Farm Debt Crisis of the 1980s: a Review Essay, 1992

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Courtesy of Fite, Gilbert C. “The Farm Debt Crisis of the 1980S: a Review Essay.” The Annals of Iowa

Description

A review of three books written by Gilbert Fite. Through his review, Fite highlighted the different factors related to the 1980s Iowa Farm Crisis which were addressed in each book. 

Full Transcription of "The Farm Debt Crisis of the 1980s," A Review Essay, 1992

Source-Dependent Questions

  • What causes does each book attribute to the Iowa Farm Crisis of the 1980s?
  • How did overproduction in the early 1970s to meet global demand lead to dangerous surpluses of farm goods by the early 1980s?
  • How did these surpluses contribute to the farm crisis? According to Sunbury, what role did debt play in the farm crisis?
  • How do the different factors mentioned in each book combine to cause the farm crisis? How does this source connect to other sources within the text set, specifically with the causes and potential impacts from the Farm Crisis?

Citation Information

Fite, Gilbert C. “The Farm Debt Crisis of the 1980S: a Review Essay.” The Annals of Iowa, vol. 51, no. 3, 1992, pp. 288–293., doi:10.17077/0003-4827.9608.