The 1920’s and the Great Depression Student Portfolio
1. Understand the evolution of the American political system, its ideals, and institutions postreconstruction.
a. Cite and analyze evidence that the United States Constitution is a ―living‖ document as reflected in
Supreme Court cases, Amendments, and presidential actions. (DOK 3)
b. Analyze and evaluate the impact of presidential policies and congressional actions on domestic reform.
(DOK 3)
c. Explain and analyze the expansion of federal powers. (DOK 3)
2. Understand major social problems and domestic policy issues in post-reconstruction American
society.
b. Trace the response of American institutions such as government and non-profit organizations to
environmental challenges such as natural disasters, conservation and pollution, and property rights
(including but not limited to the expansion of the national park system, the development of environmental
protection laws, and imminent domain). (DOK 2)
c. Compare and contrast various social policies such as welfare reform and public health insurance and
explain how such social policies are influenced by the persistence of poverty. (DOK 2)
Economics
5. Understand the continuing economic transformation of the United States involving the maturing
of the industrial economy, the expansion of big business, the changing demographics of the labor
force, and the rise of national labor unions and industrial conflict.
a. Evaluate the factors leading to and the effects of industrialization on the political, physical, and
economic landscape of the United States during the late 19th and early 20th century. (DOK 3)
b. Explain the conditions of industrialization that led to the rise of organized labor and evaluate labor‘s
effectiveness in achieving its goals. (DOK 3)
c. Identify and explain migration and immigration patterns that developed from the push-pull effects of
economic circumstances. (DOK 2)
6. Understand the scope of government involvement in the economy including the following: the
regulation of industry and labor, the attempts to manipulate the money supply, and the use of
tariffs or trade agreements to protect or expand U.S. business interests.
a. Cite and explain evidence that led to the transition of the U.S. economy from laissez-faire capitalism to
an increasingly regulated economy. (DOK 2)
b. Analyze and evaluate historical arguments regarding monetary policy. (DOK 3)
c. Critique the government‘s use of tariffs and trade agreements. (DOK 3)
d. Evaluate deficit spending as a means of financing government programs. (DOK 3)
Culture
7. Understand cultural trends, religious ideologies, and artistic expressions that contributed to the
historical development of the United States.
a. Examine cultural artifacts (including but not limited to visual art, literature, music, theatre, sports) to
contextualize historical developments. (DOK 2)
b. Analyze and evaluate the impact of religion on various social movements, domestic/foreign policies,
and political debates. (DOK 3)
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c. Evaluate the role mass media has played in shaping perceptions toward certain policies, social groups,
other nations, and political ideas. (DOK 3)
d. Contrast modernism and traditionalism relating to social change. (DOK 2)
e. Cite and explain evidence of the diversity of the United States. (DOK 2)
2011 Mississippi Social Studies Framework
The1920’s (1920-1929): Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover
Overview: The popular image of the 1920s, as a decade of prosperity and riotous living and of bootleggers and
gangsters, flappers and hot jazz, flagpole sitters, and marathon dancers, is indelibly etched in the American
psyche. But this image is also profoundly misleading. The 1920s was a decade of deep cultural conflict. The
pre-Civil War decades had fundamental conflicts in American society that involved geographic regions. During
the Gilded Age, conflicts centered on ethnicity and social class. Conversely, the conflicts of the 1920s were
primarily cultural, pitting a more cosmopolitan, modernist, urban culture against a more provincial,
traditionalist, rural culture.
The decade witnessed a titanic struggle between an old and a new America. Immigration, race, alcohol,
evolution, gender politics, and sexual morality--all became major cultural battlefields during the 1920s. Wets
battled drys, religious modernists battled religious fundamentalists, and urban ethnics battled the Ku Klux Klan.
The 1920s was a decade of profound social changes. The most obvious signs of change were the rise of a
consumer-oriented economy and of mass entertainment, which helped to bring about a "revolution in morals
and manners." Sexual mores, gender roles, hair styles, and dress all changed profoundly during the 1920s. Many
Americans regarded these changes as liberation from the country's Victorian past. But for others, morals seemed
to be decaying, and the United States seemed to be changing in undesirable ways.
A.Mitchell Palmer and the Red Scare- Attorney General who accused innocent people of being communist
and created the mass hysteria when people worried that communists were going to take over the US.
Sacco and Vanzetti- two Italian immigrants who were falsely accused and executed of murder and robbery;
Example of intolerance of the period Teapot Dome Scandal- oil scandal that occurred while Harding was
president; the scandal was not known until he died; Sec. Of the Interior Albert Fall had leased govt lands to
private oil companies and pocketed the money Ku Klux Klan- first formed after the Civil War (1860s) and was
revived during this period of intolerance; KKK persecuted Af-Am, Jews, Catholics, alcoholics, adulterers,
immigrants.
Marcus Garvey- led the Black Nationalists movement; promoted black pride in their culture; encouraged
African Americans to start their own businesses; started a back-to-Africa movement; he embezzled money from
his followers and was sentenced to prison.
Prohibition and 18th amendment- made alcohol illegal
21st amendment- repealed prohibition (made it legal again)
speakeasies- illegal bars where alcohol was sold
Al Capone- king of the mob; made his fortune on gambling, prostitution, and illegal alcohol
Volstead Act- enforced prohibition
Flappers- symbolized the revolution in morals and manners; women who drank, smoked, cursed, cut their hair
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short, wore short sleeveless dresses, danced the Charleston…
Entertainment -Popularity of radio (first stations hit the air) , movies (first talking movie was The Jazz Singer)
and Sports (Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Red Grange); all were huge forms of entertainment
Impact of Automobile- made other industries like oil, gasoline, rubber, glass, paint, steel, etc. boom; had
a dramatic impact on the landscape with red lights, parking lots, stop signs, gas stations, etc. Assembly lineallowed goods to be produced faster and therefore, cheaper.
Charles Lindbergh- flew the Spirit of St. Louis from NY to Paris non-stop; became a hero overnight
The Jazz Age- name given for the music of the period Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington- famous jazz
musicians.
Harlem Renaissance- rebirth of art and literature in the black community; center of this rebirth was Harlem,
NY
The Lost Generation- group of artists and writers that were disillusioned with society; they were disgusted
with the materialism and were disillusioned from the war.
The Great Depression and New Deal: 1929-1941 Hoover & Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Overview: The Great Depression was, without a doubt, the longest and most severe economic downturn in
American history. Widely held to begin with the stock market crash of 1929, the Depression lasted until the
advent of American involvement in World War II.
Unemployment skyrocketed during the Depression years, reaching levels as high as one third of the population.
Output shrank tremendously, falling by ten percent a year from 1929 to 1932. Nearly half of the commercial
banks of the United States failed during the Depression. Crop prices fell by over fifty percent. People went
hungry because so much food was produced that production became unprofitable. Others were unemployed
because they had produced more than could be sold.
Huge numbers of Americans had their lives upset by the Depression. Tens of thousands of migrant farm
workers travelled the nation looking for employment. Homelessness, poverty and general despair characterized
much of the nation.
Causes:
 stock speculation- buying stock when the price is low and selling it when the price rises in hopes of
making a quick profit; many Americans were stuck with worthless stock when the market crashed
 buying on the margin- Americans were able to purchase stock by putting down as little as 10% of the
stock’s
value; Americans then borrowed money from the bank to pay for the rest of the stock;
when the market crashed, Americans had to pay the loan back to the bank even though the stock was
worthless
 overproduction- various industries kept up production even though there was not a demand from the
market
(ex. Automobiles, crops, construction); supply exceeded demand which made prices fall)
 stock market crash- this was the spark that began the depression; 16 million shares of stock were
traded******
 individual debt- Americans were in debt due to the installment buying of the 20’s
 international debt- the US was in debt due to WWI; we practically financed the entire war for the
Allies inevitability of depressions- depressions are a natural part of the business cycle; they will happen
eventually
 unequal distribution of income- “the rich got richer and the poor got poorer”; salaries of the wealthiest
percent of Americans increased while wages of the poorest percent of Americans decreased
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Herbert Hoover- elected in 1928 by promising a “chicken in every pot, a car in every garage”; was blamed for
the depression even though it was not his fault; he was in the wrong place at the wrong time (White
House)
Hoovervilles, Hoover flags, etc.- names given to common objects that showed Americans blamed Hoover
“Brother can you spare a dime”- lyrics to a famous song of the depression
Bonus Army- group of WWI vets who marched in Washington, DC ; they wanted the govt to pay them then
the bonus that they had been promised for fighting in WWI; they did not receive it during the depression
The Scottsboro Case- involved 9 Af-Am teenaged boys who were accused of raping 2 white girls on a train;
was an ex. Of the intolerance of the period; they were later all freed and charges were dropped
Dust Bowl- natural disaster that occurred out west where a severe drought and heavy winds blew the dry
topsoil east; poor farming practices intensified the situation (lack of crop rotations); many moved to
California and were nicknamed Okies (most moved from Oklahoma) 25% unemployment- highest average
unemployment during the depression; in 1933.
Forms of entertainment (radio, movies, board games…)
Election of 32 and 36- FDR won both
Franklin Roosevelt- promised Americans a “New Deal” and began social programs that helped ease the
depression
New Deal Agencies:
 CCC (worked outdoors doing conservation projects);
 CWA, PWA, WPA (all gave jobs building roads, bridges, and dams;
 WPA also helped writers and artists);
 TVA (built dams that created hydro-Electricity);
 FDIC (insured bank deposits); SSI (pension plan for elderly and disabled);
 AAA (Farmers were paid not to farm ¼ to ½ of land in an effort to raise farm prices)
Court packing plan or Judiciary Reorganization Bill- when FDR tried to get Congress to allow him to add
new justices to the Sup Ct for every justice over 70; he was mad b/c they ruled many agencies unconstitutional
Dorothea Lange- photographer during the Depression whose photos help bring govt aid to farmers out west
Academic Vocabulary:
Innovation
stimulate
incentive
advocate
Drastic
ensure
stimulate
gender
ethnic
oppose
Deficit
dilemma
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physical landscape
regulations
intention
justification
Acivity one: Analyzing quotes and excerpts
"The business of America is business."
Calvin Coolidge 1923
Figure 1
1. When this quote was made what was happening in America?
2. What is significant about this quote?
3. What impact did his belief have on America? (Business)
Figure 2
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it
frankly and try another. But above all, try something.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
1. Who is the author of this quote?
2. What is sigificant about “Try Something”, what is he implying?
3. What impact will this belief have on what he does and what programs were a result of this belief?
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Figure 3
The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the
abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide
enough for those who have too little.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
1. What time period is FDR referring to?
2. What is FDR implying in this quotation?
3. What is the effects of this statement?
“First, we are giving opportunity of employment to one-quarter of a
million of the unemployed, especially the young men who have dependents,
to go into the forestry and flood prevention work. This is a big task because
it means feeding, clothing and caring for nearly twice as many men as we
have in the regular army itself. In creating this civilian conservation corps
we are killing two birds with one stone. We are clearly enhancing the value
of our natural resources and, second, we are relieving an appreciable
amount of actual distress. These great groups of men have entered upon
their work on a purely voluntary basis, no military training is involved and
we are conserving not only our natural resources but our human resources.
One of the great values to this work is the fact that it is direct and requires
the intervention of very little machinery.”
— Excerpt from FDR’s fireside chat
May 7, 1933
1. What New Deal program is Franklin Delano Roosevelt referring to?
2. What was significant about this program?
3. What impact did this program have on the economy and the physical landscape?
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Activity 2 Analyzing primary documents
Figure 1
Figure 3
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Figure 2
Figure 4
1. In figure1, what is the term for the lady in the picture? Who do the men represent?
2. What is significant about what the picture represents?
3. What impact did the time periods have on history?
4. Figure 2 building is the Empire State Building in New York City. What is it a symbol of?
5. What is significant about this building?
6. What impact did the construction of the building have on American Society? (Culture)
7. Figure 3 is an advertisement for?
8. The most famous quote from Henry Ford was “you can have any color Model T you want, as long as you
want black”. Ford was not the only car manufacturer in the 1920’s, yet he out sold every other car
manufacturer. Why? What was significant about his process?
9. How did the automobile impact society? (list at least three)
10. Who is the man in the photograph, Figure 4? What is going on?
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11. What was significant about that event?
12. How has that event impacted history to the present?
Figure 5
1. In Figure 5 what are the men running from? What does it represent?
2. Why was this event important to U.S. History? What was it evidence of?
3. What was the impact of this event on government?
1. Who is the author of the poem referring to?
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Figure 6
“I, too, sing America.
2. What is significant about- “they send me to the
kitchen”?
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
3.What impact did the Harlem Renaissance have on
society and the rules that govern it?
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Figure 7
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I, too, am America.”
― Langston Hughes
4. The Cotton Club was a segregated restaurant and club,
yet
greatest African American entertainers of the
era performed there. Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and Ella Fitzgerald to name a few.
" the club enforced a whites-only policy for customers and a 2.50 cover charge to keep out the
undeserving poor". Compare the two primary resources. What laws allowed this to happen? What
future law will be written to outlaw segregation in public places?
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Activity 4: Great Depression/ New Deal: analyzing Primary Documents
Rising Unemployment and Business Closures
1. In what year did the unemployment rate peak? In what year did the most businesses fail?
2. What is significant about the number of businesses failed in 1931?
3. What is the impact of the business failures and the unemployment rate between 1929 and 1942 ??
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Figure 1
Figure 3
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Figure 2
Figure 4
1. In figure 1, what type of line are these people standing in? What gender and what race?
2. Why is this important in understanding the problems of the Great Depression?
3. It is argued that FDR did not do enough to improve both race relations and economic problems of
minorities. As result how did this impact society?
4. In Figure 2, This woman is an Okie. What is an okie?
5. What is significant in their plight?
6. How did this impact society, both in California and the U.S.?
7. The men in figure 3 are advertising for what?
8. Why is this significant?
9. What impact did the Great Depression have on society? (Economically and socially)
10. What was the purpose of the poster?
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11. What is significant about the program being offered?
12. What impact did this program have economically on the U.S.? Why is this important?
Figure 5
1. Who is the man in the chair? the man in the suit? What is on the table? What is the subject of the
cartoon?
2. What is this cartoon telling Americans? What is significant of the about the cartoon s message?
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3. What was the impact of American opinion on New Deal policies?
4. At least three New Deal programs still exist today. List them. What conclusion can you draw from
their existence today?
Figure 6
“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime,"
They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob,
When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead,
Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?
Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;
Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Jay Gorney (1931)
1. What are the lyrics in the song conveying?
2. What is significant about this song?
3. What was the impact of this song?
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Figure 6
1. What is happening in the photo above?
2. What was significant about the event? (to both individuals who lived here and the nation)
3. What impact did this event have on the U.S.?
4. What is government’s response to this disaster? Hint: What organization?
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Figure 7
1. In the political cartoon above (Figure 6), who is the “umpire”, who does the manager represent? What
is the cartoonist referring to?
2. The bats represent New Deal programs. What is significant about the bats lying on the ground? (what
does that mean and how will it affect the New deal Programs?)
3. How will the actions conveyed in this cartoon affect both FDR’s administration and the government?
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Traditionalism – the belief in keeping things the way they have been/ ‘My father is a traditionalist since
he thinks boys should not have long hair.’
Modernism – the belief in doing things in new ways/ ‘My mother is a modernist, since she believes that
people can wear whatever they want.’
Complete the chart below. In the blanks spaces in the chart write other modernist and traditionalist ideas
from other eras. For example where would the progressive movement fit or Women’s rights movement.
Modernists
versus
Traditionalists
Women who wore modest clothing, long hair and
no makeup
Prohibition
Creationism
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