American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Practice Exam

What was the main purpose of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)?

1. To manage national parks and forests

2. To create jobs through public infrastructure projects

3. To regulate water quality in the Mississippi River

4. To promote tourism in the Tennessee River Valley

The correct answer is: To create jobs through public infrastructure projects

The primary purpose of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), established during the Great Depression in 1933, was to stimulate economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region significantly impacted by poverty and lack of industrialization. Job creation through public infrastructure projects played a critical role in achieving this objective. The TVA undertook large-scale developments, including the construction of dams and power plants, which not only provided electricity to rural areas but also created thousands of jobs in construction and related industries. This emphasis on infrastructure was aimed at modernizing the region's economy, improving living conditions, and fostering long-term sustainable growth. In contrast, while managing national parks and forests and regulating water quality are important functions of various government agencies, they were not the main focus of the TVA. Similarly, promoting tourism, though a potential benefit of the increased infrastructure and development in the area, was not the primary aim of the TVA. The TVA's overarching mission centered around economic revitalization, making job creation through public works a significant aspect of its initiatives.