Blood, concrete, and dynamite: Building the Hoover Dam - Alex Gendler

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Let’s Begin…

In the early 20th century, the US had expanded from coast to coast, but many cities in the southwest still lacked reliable water sources. The Colorado River's erratic flow and frequent floods made it unreliable for agriculture, and the region’s growing cities needed more energy. So the government decided to build a massive hydroelectric dam. Alex Gendler details the creation of the Hoover Dam.


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About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alex Gendler
  • Director Jovan Rakić, Artrake Studio
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Tamara Bogovac, Jovan Rakić
  • Animator Tamara Bogovac, Jovan Rakić
  • Compositor Jovan Rakić
  • Art Director Jovan Rakić
  • Music Nikola Radivojevic
  • Sound Designer Nikola Radivojevic
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
Additional Resources for you to Explore
The official Hoover Dam site has a wealth of essays covering all aspects of the dam’s construction as well as articles from the period. The construction is also detailed in documentaries from PBS and National Geographic. Delve deeper into the engineering behind the dam and its recently built bypass. Or read more about the city built from the ground up to house the dam workforce.

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alex Gendler
  • Director Jovan Rakić, Artrake Studio
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Tamara Bogovac, Jovan Rakić
  • Animator Tamara Bogovac, Jovan Rakić
  • Compositor Jovan Rakić
  • Art Director Jovan Rakić
  • Music Nikola Radivojevic
  • Sound Designer Nikola Radivojevic
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler

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