The “hard winter” hit the Great Plains in 1880 and 1881. There were relentless blizzards from October through April, and The Long Winter contains “many verifiable facts, including those regarding the meteorological events of the Hard Winter. Both meteorological records and nonmeteorological accounts indicate that the winter was particularly long, snowy, and cold” (“The Long Winter of 1880/81.” Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, June 2020). The weather was so severe that trains were suspended to the Dakota Territory until May, because the trains could not get through the snow and ice. The suspension of the trains meant that homesteaders in the territory were without supplies for months. The flooding that occurred after the snow melted caused further damage.

The primary conflict in The Long Winter involves the Ingalls family and the town of De Smet surviving relentless blizzards for seven months. Because there are no supplies coming on the train, everyone begins running low on coal, kerosene, and food. The novel explores the physical challenges such as surviving the cold and food shortages, and the theme Pioneer Resilience and Ingenuity emerges as Ma and Pa try to keep their family alive.