MPS/MOEC Teaching American History Grant Lesson Plan Template
Teacher’s Name: __Bob Brousek_______
District: ____Westside (District 66)________
Date Submitted: __7/20/05____
Lesson Title: _____Was it a New Deal or a Raw Deal?___
NE
Standards
8.1.8
By the end of eighth grade, students will describe key, social, economic and cultural developments
from WWI through the Great Depression.
8.4.2
By the end of eighth grade, students will demonstrate skills for historical analysis.
12.1.7 By the end of twelfth grade, students will analyze and explain the Great Depression.
12.2.11 By the end of twelfth grade, students will demonstrate historical research and geographical skills.
Nebraska STAR (Standards That Are Reported) Standards
8.4.2
Students will demonstrate skills for historical analysis.
12.1.13 Students will demonstrate skills for historical analysis.
Grade
Level
Established Goals (Learning Objectives)
9-12
1. Students will explain the arguments for and against President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.
2. Students will identify individuals and groups who supported and criticized the New Deal.
3. Students will analyze primary source documents focusing on the New Deal.
Duration
Understandings (Background Knowledge)
3 Days
This lesson is designed for use at the end of a unit on the Great Depression and the New Deal. Prior to this
lesson, students should understand the main objectives of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal (relief, recovery,
and reform) and some of the major programs (alphabet agencies) that were created during the era.
The lesson focuses on examining the various views of the New Deal during the 1930s. It is important for
students to understand that the New Deal did not go unquestioned. Besides the supporters of FDR, there
were both conservative and liberal critics during the era and these groups had an influence in American
politics. This lesson will integrate these views and introduce an evaluation of the New Deal.
The lesson will conclude by asking students to respond to a 1930s era newspaper editorial that takes a
position on the effects of the New Deal.
Materials
Essential Questions (Engaging Questions)
1. What groups generally supported the New Deal?
2. What groups generally criticized Franklin Roosevelt’s domestic policies during the Great
Depression?
3. What were the criticisms against the New Deal?
Materials / Resources
Students should have access to the following handouts to complete this activity.
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“Written Document Analysis Worksheet” National Archives. Digital Classroom
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/analysis_worksheets/document.html
“Analyzing the Supporters & Critics of the New Deal” [PDF document]
http://whs.westside66.org/WHS/66/academics/departments/socialstudies/bb/us/spectrum.pdf
“Cartoon Analysis Worksheet” National Archives. Digital Classroom.
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/analysis_worksheets/cartoon.html
Students should have access to the following websites to complete this lesson.
“World’s Smallest Political Quiz.” Advocates for Self-Government.
http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html
“Huey Long’s Senate Speeches.” The History of Social Security. Social Security Online.
http://www.ssa.gov/history/longsen.html
“American Liberty League.” University of Kentucky Libraries. The Jouett Shouse Collection.
http://www.uky.edu/Libraries/Special/mpa/shouse-all-all.html
“Real Deal Editorial Gallery.” University of Virginia. [Collection of newspaper editorials from the New
Deal era]
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA02/volpe/newdeal/editorials.html
Introductory Set
As class begins, ask students to take the on-line Political Quiz. [Upon completion, the quiz will assign
students a political description/label that fits them according to their answers.] Ask students if they were
surprised with the political description they were assigned. Briefly discuss the meanings of these labels
with the class. [It MAY BE important to remind students that labels are not always accurate and that the
quiz is not scientific but rather meant only as an educational activity.]
Inform them that this lesson will incorporate the labels of liberal and conservative and will analyze how
various individuals and groups evaluated Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Inform students that during the
New Deal era, there were groups who supported and criticized Roosevelt’s policies for a variety of
reasons. This will be the focus of this lesson.
Learning Activities (Procedure)
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Divide the class into pairs and distribute a copy of the “Written Document Analysis Worksheet”
to each student. Assign each team two primary source documents to analyze: Huey Long’s
Senate speech (given on February 4, 1935) and Jouett Shouse’s speech, president of the American
Liberty League. Working together, ask students to analyze the documents and complete the
worksheet.
2.
Ask students to report their conclusions. [Focus on their responses to their answers to question #6
– Document Information. This discussion should guide students in concluding that both
documents are responding to the early events of the New Deal. Additionally, students should be
encouraged to conclude that Huey Long wants more from the New Deal while Jouett Shouse,
representing the American Liberty League, charges that the New Deal has done too much (this
explains the League’s stance on ‘upholding the Constitution’ and the need to protect property
rights).
3.
Use these documents to re-introduce the political labels introduced in the political quiz given at
the beginning of class (emphasize the basic terms of liberal, moderate, and conservative). First,
summarize the definitions of these labels. Ask students: Which document would best be labeled
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liberal? Which document would best be labeled conservative? What evidence within the
documents supports your classifications?
4.
Assign students to read the segment in their textbooks on criticisms of the New Deal. Following
the reading, students should be able to identify key groups and individuals who were critical of
Roosevelt’s New Deal. [As an alternative, you may want students to read an excerpt from an online textbook (Digital History) focusing on this topic.]
5.
Distribute copies of the handout, “Analyzing the Supporters & Critics of the New Deal,” to each
student. Explain to students that the diamond graphic on the first page of the handout is really
two spectrums. The horizontal spectrum signifies political philosophy (liberal to conservative
with moderate in the middle). The vertical spectrum signifies views towards the New Deal
(success to failure with a neutral position in the middle). Inform students that they will be
analyzing various editorial cartoons from the 1930s in an attempt to identify the political
philosophy of the artist and whether or not the artist believes the New Deal has been successful.
Remind students that not all cartoons may clearly depict both spectrums, so students have the
option to use the “neutral” position on the spectrum.
6.
Prior to examining the editorial cartoons, have students speculate the meaning of the various
labels on the spectrum. Ask them: What does it mean to be a liberal supporter of the New Deal?
A conservative critic of the New Deal? A liberal critic of the New Deal? [Answers will vary
although students should understand that a conservative critic believed the New Deal had gone
too far while a liberal critic generally believed that the New Deal had not gone far enough.]
7.
Ask the class to examine Cartoon A as an example. This cartoon is from the Daily News in 1934.
After asking students questions about the symbols found in the cartoon, show students where
cartoon A has been placed on the spectrum. Inform them that since this cartoon shows FDR’s
first year in office as successful, the A has been placed on the upper extreme of the vertical
spectrum. Furthermore, one can infer that the artist is in favor of increased government
involvement in the economy (a liberal point of view) so it is placed on the left side of the
horizontal spectrum as well. [You may find this lesson more effective if you ask students to
merely place the letter in the correct quadrant in which they believe it most accurately fits.]
8.
To aid students in their analysis of the editorial cartoons, distribute copies of the “Cartoon
Analysis Worksheet” to each student.
9.
Discuss the answers given on students’ spectrums. [You may find it useful to create an overhead
of the spectrum and place student responses on it as the discussion moves along.] Which cartoons
did they identify as supporting the New Deal? Why? Which cartoons did they identify as
criticizing the New Deal? Why? Which cartoons presented a liberal point of view? Which
cartoons presented a conservative point of view? What evidence is there to support your answer?
Suggested Spectrum Answers
Cartoon A = Liberal supporter
Cartoon B = Supporter (liberal to neutral)
Cartoon C = Supporter (liberal to neutral)
Cartoon D = Conservative critic
Cartoon E = Conservative critic
Cartoon F = Liberal critic
Cartoon G = Liberal supporter
Cartoon H = Conservative critic
Cartoon I = Liberal critic
Cartoon J = Liberal supporter
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Technology Links:
“World’s Smallest Political Quiz.” Advocates for Self-Government.
http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html
“Written Document Analysis Worksheet” National Archives. Digital Classroom
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/analysis_worksheets/document.html
“Huey Long’s Senate Speeches.” The History of Social Security. Social Security Online.
http://www.ssa.gov/history/longsen.html
“American Liberty League.” University of Kentucky Libraries. The Jouett Shouse Collection.
http://www.uky.edu/Libraries/Special/mpa/shouse-all-all.html
“Analyzing the Supporters & Critics of the New Deal” [Student handout in PDF format]
http://whs.westside66.org/WHS/66/academics/departments/socialstudies/bb/us/spectrum.pdf
“Cartoon Analysis Worksheet” National Archives. Digital Classroom.
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/analysis_worksheets/cartoon.html
Lipset, Seymour Martin & Marks, Gary. “How FDR Saved Capitalism” Hoover Institution. Stanford
University.
http://www.hooverdigest.org/011/lipset.html
“Real Deal Editorial Gallery” University of Virginia. [Collection of newspaper editorials from the New
Deal era]
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA02/volpe/newdeal/editorials.html
Differentiated Instructional Strategies (Learning Advice)
As an extension to this lesson, students could complete further research on various groups and individuals
who were critical of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal policies. Some possible research topics include but
are not limited to: Fr. Charles Coughlin, Dr. Francis Townsend, Upton Sinclair, E.P.I.C., Huey Long, and
the American Liberty League.
Additionally, students could be asked to read “How FDR Saved Capitalism” by Seymour Lipset and Gary
Marks and discuss with the students the authors’ thesis. According to the article, what were three ways
Roosevelt saved capitalism? What is co-opting the left? Explain why Roosevelt’s politics shifted after
1936.
Assessment Activities:
Ask students to choose one editorial from the “Real Deal” editorial gallery website. After reading the
article, students will write a 500 word “Letter to the Editor” (or Public Pulse like article) responding to the
author’s argument by commenting, criticizing and/or congratulating the author.
Bibliography:
Books:
Bailey, Thomas & Kennedy, David. The American Pageant. 7 ed. Lexington: D.C. Heath & Co., 1983
Bennett, Clifford. Political Cartoon History of the United States. Glenview: Scott, Foresman and
Company, 1992
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Dudley, William, ed. The Great Depression. Opposing Viewpoints Series. San Diego: Greenhaven
Press, Inc., 1994
Internet:
Baciewicz, Joseph. “FDR Cartoon Archive.” Niskayuna High School. October 5, 1998
http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/FDRcartoons.html
“He Just Ain’t Fast Enough.” Brooklyn Citizen. February 9, 1937. New Deal Network.
http://newdeal.feri.org/court/024.htm
“How The South Interprets The New Deal” [editorial cartoon] L. Rogers “Chicago Defender” January
27,1934 George Mason University. History News Network.
http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/7608.html
Lipset, Seymour Martin & Marks, Gary. “How FDR Saved Capitalism” Hoover Institution. Stanford
University.
http://www.hooverdigest.org/011/lipset.html
“Veteran’s Lobby: My Sympathy If Your Luck Is No Better Than Mine” [editorial cartoon] Morris in
Chattanooga Times
http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/fdr_100/large/33040301.GIF
Volpe, Paul. “The Real Deal: The Battle to Define FDR’s Social Programs.” University of Virginia. May
2002.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA02/volpe/newdeal/intro.html
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