The Blizzard of 1888 was a terrible midwest blizzard that took the people by surprise, and left death in its wake. Many factors contributed to the blizzard and how so many people were killed. Laskin says that the promise of free fertile land in the midwest gave an incentive to people to emigrate out of their home country and move to the American midwest. Many of the families that moved gave up everything they had in their home countries to afford the expensive journey to America. These families usually created towns in the midwest along the railroad that supported many people and had institutions such as school.
Laskin outlines many challenges faced by the new immigrant settlers in the midwest, including locusts, fire, and the weather. These