U.S. History
New Deal – Success or Failure?
Please DO NOT
mark on this
reading packet.
Objective: Decide whether or not you think the New Deal was a success or failure.
Directions: You will be put into a group of four then split into two teams – Team A and Team B. Team A will argue
that the New Deal was a success while Team B will argue that the New Deal was a failure. Your best arguments will
come from your sources. You need to consider who wrote the document? What was their motive? Are they reliable? Etc.
Example: If a representative from the WPA says that the New Deal is so great, students on Team B should challenge the
trustworthiness of her claim, given that she’ll lose her job if the program ends.
Team A will present to Team B. Team B then repeats the arguments back to Team A, until Team A is satisfied. Team B
will then present to Team A. Team A then repeats arguments back to Team B, until Team B is satisfied. Teams will try to
reach a consensus then we’ll conclude with a class discussion.
Procedure:
30 minutes - With your teammate, read the documents in the New Deal Document Set. Find five pieces of evidence
which support your side.
10 minutes - Team A presents. BOTH PARTNERS MUST PRESENT!!! Team B writes down Team A’s arguments and
then repeats them back to Team A to make sure they understand the main argument(s).
10 minutes - Team B presents. BOTH PARTNERS MUST PRESENT!!! Team A writes down Team B’s arguments and
then repeats them back to Team B to make sure they understand the main argument(s).
10 minutes - Everyone CAN abandon their positions. Groups of four (Team A and B combined) attempt to develop a
consensus.
Class Debrief
*See Documents on the next pages