Legislation1933
Tennessee Valley Authority Created
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation creating the Tennessee Valley Authority, a federal agency tasked with providing navigation, flood control, electricity generation, and economic development to the Tennessee Valley region. It brought electricity to one of the most impoverished areas of the country.
Why It Matters
The TVA demonstrated how federal investment could transform entire regions, providing a model for government-led economic development and raising questions about the proper role of government in the economy.