1930’s Scavenger Hunt
Directions:
You are beginning a Scavenger Hunt in which you will gather information about The Great
Depression. You will learn about famous people, places, buildings, historical events and games.
The following pages are divided into these categories:
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People in History
Historical Events
We Made Do... Surviving the Great Depression
Buildings of the 1930’s
Hey, What Did People Do for Fun?
Answer all of the questions for each category as completely as you can. Please make sure to
separate the questions by the number.
People in History
PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
Question 1:
President Roosevelt was related to a man who had served as President of the United States
before him. Who was that man, and how were the two men related?
Question 2:
What other political positions did Roosevelt hold before becoming President?
Question 3:
What did Roosevelt sign into law on August 14th, 1935 that is still around today?
The Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/fr32.html
FIRST LADY ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
Question 4:
How is Teddy Roosevelt related to Eleanor Roosevelt?
Question 5:
Unlike First Ladies before her, Eleanor Roosevelt spoke her opinions freely in lectures, radio
broadcasts, and in a daily newspaper column. What was her newspaper column called?
The Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/glimpse/firstladies/html/ar32.html
JESSE OWENS, RECORD SETTING OLYMPIAN
On the afternoon of May 25, 1935, Ohio State University's track star Jesse Owens broke or
tied four world records in a span of 45 minutes.
Question 6:
When Jesse Owens was born, he wasn't named "Jesse." What name did Jesse's father give to
him at birth? How did Jesse Owens get his name?
Question 7:
What happened at the 1936 Olympics and why was it so important (both athletically and
politically)?
The Web site: http://www.cmgww.com/sports/owens/owens.html
THE RISE OF ADOLPH HITLER
Question 8:
What was the name of the book Hitler wrote while in prison?
Question 9:
Who was the Hitler Youth? Did girls belong to this group?
The Web site: http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/new.htm
ORSEN WELLS
Question 10:
On October 30th 1938…What event did people think had happened to the earth?
List three things people heard on the radio.
Question 11:
Who was responsible for the broadcast and how did listeners respond?
Question 12:
What observation was made by New York Tribune columnist Dorothy Thompson about the
broadcast?
The Web site: http://www.transparencynow.com/welles.htm
CHARLES LINDBERGH
Charles Lindbergh was the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Upon his return his
was hailed a US hero. While it would appear his life was perfect, it wasn’t always…
Question 13:
What were the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and how many ransom notes were
there?
Question 14:
Who was eventually arrested for the crime and what happened to him? What “evidence” was
presented to convict him?
The Web site: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/the-lindbergh-kidnapping
Historical Events
DUST BOWL
Question 15:
What was the Dust Bowl? How long did it last and what states were most affected?
Question 16:
What else, besides the drought, was a major factor in causing the Dust Bowl?
The Web site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/generalarticle/dustbowl-drought/
HINDENBERG
Question 17:
How were the passenger cabins of the Hindenburg laid out and what were they like?
Question 18:
Where was the Hindenburg scheduled to fly and how many passengers were on the British
airship on it’s last flight?
Question 19:
What happened to the ship and how many people (crew and passengers) died?
The Web site: http://www.airships.net/hindenburg
We Made Do...
Surviving the Great Depression
Question 20:
On the website you will find a number of actual letters that were written to First Lady Eleanor
Roosevelt. Read one letter from each of the four categories. What were people asking the First
Lady to do for them? What is the general “tone” or “feeling” you get from the letters that you
have read and what is your perception of the people writing the letters?
The Web site: http://newdeal.feri.org/eleanor/er3a.htm
Question 21:
In 1932 a group of WWI veterans that would become known as the Bonus Army arrived in
Washington, DC.
A). Why did they come to Washington and how many were there?
B). Did they get what they wanted?
C). What happened on July 28th and why was it such a disaster?
The Web site: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snprelief4.htm
Buildings of the 1930’s
GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
After more than four years of construction, the Golden Gate Bridge opened to vehicular traffic
May 28, 1937. Boasting a 4,200-foot-long main span, the "International Orange" bridge carried
the moderate price tag of $35 million.
Question 22:
The designer of the Golden Gate Bridge worked many hours to convince citizens that the bridge
could be built and that it could pay for itself with tolls paid by travelers. Who was that famous
bridge designer?
Question 23:
Where does the Golden Gate Bridge rank in terms of the longest suspension bridges of the
world?
The Web site: http://goldengatebridge.org/research/
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
Completed in 1931, New York City's Empire State Building has 102 stories and rises 1,250 feet
above the ground. For more than 40 years it was the tallest building in the world.
Question 24:
How long did it take workers to complete construction of the Empire State Building?
Question 25:
How did the building get its name?
The Web site: http://www.esbnyc.com/
Hey, what did people do for fun??
THE MONOPOLY GAME
Produced commercially for the first time in 1935, the Monopoly® game became the world's
most famous board game. In a period of economic depression, players enjoyed amassing
fortunes and driving opponents bankrupt.
Question 26:
Most of the places on the Monopoly® board game were named by the game's inventor for places
in what real U.S. city?
Question 27:
How many people are estimated to have played Monopoly since it was first marketed?
The Web site: http://www.hasbro.com/monopoly/en_US/
MICKEY MOUSE
Who doesn’t love Disney? Read the story of Mickey Mouse.
Question 28:
What was Mickey’s original name and why (reportedly) did they change it?
Question 29:
Who originally provided Mickey's voice?
Question 30:
What was Mickey's first "big hit" and when did it premier?
The Web site: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1859935,00.html