Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Lesson Overview
Lesson Overview
The Great Depression resulted in huge drops in industrial production and stock market share
prices. Many considered the Great Depression to be a sign of the failure of capitalism. The
interdependent global economy that had been built following World War I splintered as
governments across the globe sought to protect their respective countries from the effects
of the Great Depression. Governments scrambled to retain revenues and support their
citizens. Citizens everywhere suffered personal losses of all kinds and endured long periods
of unemployment. Banks and companies around the world failed. The beginning of the Great
Depression and the beginning of recovery from economic depression were different for
different nations, but, for most, the Great Depression started around 1929 and lasted well
into the late 1930s or even into the 1940s and the beginning of World War II.
Developer note: number key questions
Key Questions
How did the conflicts and crises of the first half of the 20th century become global in nature?
How did the conflicts and crises of the first half of the 20th century impact the world?
How did the conflicts and crises of the first half of the 20th century reshape political and
economic global power structures?
Developer note: number student outcomes
Student Outcomes
Analyze the financial, economic, and social causes of the Depression and why it spread to
most parts of the world.
Assess the human costs of the Depression and compare its impact on the economies and
societies in different countries, including its impact on colonial peoples of Africa and Asia.
Analyze how the Depression contributed to the growth of socialist and communist
movements and how it affected capitalist economic theory and practice in capitalist nations.
Describe how governments, businesses, social groups, families, and individuals addressed
the hardships of the Depression.
Explain how the Soviet Union was able to become an industrial power and progress
economically during the Depression.
Assess the impact of the Great Depression on the rise of authoritarian regimes in Europe,
Asia, and Latin America.
Formulate historical questions.
Interrogate historical data.
Identify the gaps in the available records; marshal contextual knowledge and perspectives
of the time and place.
Support interpretations with historical evidence.
Developer note: bullet the following key terms
Key Terms
balance of international trade
depression
free market
gold standard
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
import substitution
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
interest rates
interventionism
personal income
populism
price
profit
reparations
supply and demand
tariff
tax revenue
unemployment rate
welfare
Student Resources
Blank World Map
Responses to the Great Depression
Responses to the Great Depression Graphic Organizer
Great Depression Brief Constructed Response (BCR)
Chart of Activities
Pre-Assessment
Key Terms
Activator: The World in Depression – 1929-1936
Opening: Economic Principles and Their Relevance to Citizens
Activity 1: Economic Responses
Activity 2: Causes of the Great Depression
Activity 3: Comparing Capitalism and Marxism
Activity 4: Impacts and Choices around the World
Activity 5: The Gold Standard
Activity 6: Responses to the Great Depression
Activity 7: The Great Depression and World War II
Activity 8: Causes and Effects of Great Depression: Discussion
Review and Assessment: Evaluating Causes and Effects of Great Depression
Lesson Summary
10 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
15 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
25 minutes
10 minutes
10 minutes
30 minutes
10 minutes
20 minutes
20 minutes
5 minutes
Time: approximately 215 minutes
Pre-Assessment
Directions: Analyze the following terms from the Great Depression. Decide whether each
description is a cause, an effect, or both a cause and effect of the Great Depression and
place it into the appropriate column.
Development note: Create this using inline quiz features. Three Column Drag and Drop.
Labels are Causes, Effects, and Both. Note – this same quiz will be used later in this lesson.
THIS IS NOT BEING DEVELOPED IN ARTICULATE!!






agricultural overproduction
anti-colonial protests
export dependency
fascism
financial instability
import substitution
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template










labor strikes
mechanization
national welfare programs
price drops on consumer goods
protectionism
reparations payments (WWI)
skewed income distributions
the gold standard
the stock market crash
war debts (WWI)
Correct Answer:
Causes:
 agricultural
overproduction
 export dependency
 financial instability
 mechanization
 reparations payments
 skewed income
distributions
 the gold standard
 the stock market crash
 war debts
Both Causes and Effects:
 protectionism
Effects:
 anti-colonial protests
 fascism
 import substitution
 labor strikes
 national welfare
programs
 price drops on consumer
goods
Key Terms
Developer note: see overview page
Activator: The World in Depression 1929-1936
Select each continent to preview some of the events you will learn about in this
lesson. Discuss the questions that follow as directed by your teacher.
[MapIcon.png: 32x32]
South America: 1930 CE – A military junta took control in Brazil with Getúlio Vargas,
“father of the poor,” at the head. The Brazilian Revolution of 1930 reflected dissatisfaction
with the old oligarchies. The price of coffee, Brazil’s main export, fell sharply. Shown here is
Vargas, center, Provisional President of Brazil.
This image from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Revolução_de_1930_-_2.jpg is in
the public domain.
North America: 1929 CE – The U.S. stock market crashed on “Black Tuesday,” October
24. In 1932, President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated the “New Deal” program to provide
relief and stimulate recovery. Shown here is a crowd gathering outside the Stock Exchange
after the 1929 crash.
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
This image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crowd_outside_nyse.jpg is in the public
domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government
under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.
Europe: 1932-1933 CE: – The confiscation of grain and other foodstuffs by the
government of the Soviet Union during the collectivization of farms caused a famine that
affected more than 40 million people. While estimates of the number of deaths vary, they
are usually in the millions. Shown here is a child affected by the famine.
This image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Child_affected_by_malnutrition_19211923_Famine_in_Soviet_Russia.jpg is in the public domain.
Asia: 1930 CE - Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi led the Salt March to Dandi in protest of the
British tax on salt as shown here.
This image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marche_sel.jpg is in the public domain.
Australia: 1930s CE: After the stock market crash, unemployment in Australia more than
doubled to 21% in mid-1930, and reached its peak in mid-1932, when almost 32% of
Australians were out of work. Shown here are children lining up for a free soup and bread
during the Depression circa 1932.
This image from http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/objectsthroughtime/
objects/starvation/ is in the public domain.
Note to Nate – Third picture down
Africa: 1935 CE: South Africa’s agriculture and mineral exports fell drastically. Lack of
demand destroyed prices, and the price of wood fell 75% between 1925 and 1933. The gold
mining industry saved the nation from a complete collapse because the price of gold rose
rapidly. Shown here are gold miners.
This image from http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3a40984/ is in the public domain.
Development note: insert hybid, discussion, and link icon; link to Discussion Scoring Tool
Classroom Activity:
Discussion – Great Depression: Prepare a response to the discussion question
below. Follow your teacher’s directions to participate in your class discussion.

How do the events listed from the period 1921-1936 relate to the impact of the
Great Depression on the nations of the world?
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Select the link to review the Discussion Scoring Tool.
Opening: Economic Principles and their Relevance to Citizens
This photograph is synonymous with poverty, and it is one of the most iconic images in the
world. It represents both the Great Depression and the additional devastation of the Dust
Bowl in the United States.
This image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lange-MigrantMother02.jpg is in the
public domain.
Caption: Migrant Mother
In this activity, you will review and learn about economic principles and the relationship
between the actions of governments, businesses, and individuals, and how the decisions
made can lead to or aggravate economic problems.
Development note: insert video icon and link to ppt Economic Principles
When you are ready, select the play button to learn about Economic Principles Behind
the Great Depression and Their Relevance to Citizens.
HTML Development Note: Please develop as an inline quiz using the quiz tool – matching
question.
Directions: Match the following terms to their definitions. Print out a copy of the correct
answers to add to your notebook. These concepts will be important for understanding the
discussion of the economic and personal implications of the Great Depression presented in
this lesson.
1. balance of
international trade
2. gold standard
3. gross domestic
product
4. personal income
5. price
6. profit
7. tax revenue
8. unemployment rate
A. the excess of visible exports over visible
imports
B. the system by which a country gives gold in
exchange for any of its currency when
demanded
C. the monetary value of all goods and services
produced in a given year
D. the salary or wages that workers receive for
their labor and/or nonwage benefits (insurance
and paid time off)
E. the amount, as of money or goods, asked for
or given in exchange for something else
F. the amount received for a commodity or
service in excess of the original cost
G. government income due to taxation
H. the percentage of the workforce looking for
work but not finding it
Activity 1: Economic Responses
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Directions: Use your understanding of the economic terms you just reviewed to respond to
the three scenarios. Each scenario will provide a backdrop of the economic health of a
country. Your task is to determine the implications or consequences for the average working
family. Be prepared to discuss your answers.
Custom Flash Development: filename will be u5le_countrytone.swf
Development Note: Heather, develop this like the other tone thermometers.
Screen 1
Title:
Play Button
Screen 2
Scenario 1
Country A is on the gold standard. Prices are low and, therefore, profits are also low. The
balance of trade is slightly lower than it has been. The gross domestic product shows
negative growth, and the government has increased taxes to offset losses. Unemployment
is at 5%.
Use the thermometer below to indicate the impact on the average family’s standard of living
and personal income.
not affected
moderately affected
Correct Answer: moderately affected
Feedback: Correct or Incorrect
severely affected
Next Button
Screen 3
Scenario 2
Country B is on the gold standard and is an export-dependent country. Prices are low and
profits are also low. The balance of trade is much lower than it has been. The gross
domestic product shows negative growth, and the government has increased taxes to offset losses. Unemployment is up to 25%.
Use the thermometer below to indicate the impact on the average family’s standard of living
and personal income.
not affected
moderately affected
Correct Answer: severely affected
Feedback: Correct or Incorrect
severely affected
Next Button
Screen 4
Scenario 3
Country C is not on the gold standard. The balance of trade is slightly lower than it has
been, but the government has been supporting domestic production of goods usually
imported. Prices are low to help promote buying these local/domestic goods. The gross
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
domestic product shows moderate growth. Unemployment is down by 5%.
Use the thermometer below to indicate the impact on the average family’s standard of living
and personal income.
not affected
moderately affected
severely affected
Correct Answer: not affected
Feedback: Correct or Incorrect
End Flash Development:
Classroom Activity
Discussion: Solutions to the Economic Depression
Directions: Re-read the Country B scenario and then prepare a response to the discussion
questions below. Follow your teacher’s directions to participate in your class discussion.

Country B is on the gold standard and is an export-dependent country. Prices are
low and profits are also low. The balance of trade is much lower than it has been.
The gross domestic product shows negative growth, and the government has
increased taxes to off-set losses. Unemployment is up to 25%.

Now apply your understanding of these economic principles to propose a solution to
the economic depression currently suffered by Country B. Propose what you think
both government and individuals could do to improve conditions.
As you proceed through the lesson, you will be able to compare your response to the real
responses of countries around the world.
Activity 2: Causes of the Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe, international economic depression felt in the forms of
huge drops in industrial production and stock market share prices, as well as major
increases in bank failures and unemployment. The beginning of the Great Depression and
the beginning of recovery from economic depression were different for different nations,
but, for most, the Great Depression started around 1929 and lasted well into the late 1930s
or even into the 1940s.
Development note: insert video icon; link to Causes of the Great Depression ppt
[VideoIcon.png: 32x32]
When you are ready, select the play button to learn about Causes of the Great
Depression. As you view the presentation, you may wish to record information about
the events that led to the Great Depression to use in the discussion that follows.
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Answer the following questions in your notebook.

 What were the events that led to the Great Depression?
How did each event contribute to the Great Depression?
Activity 3: Comparing Capitalism and Marxism
The decline in the United States manufacturing output, as well as the withdrawal of
investment capital, affected people around the world. Those affected included Argentinean
cattle ranchers, Australian woolgrowers, Brazilian coffee workers, British steel workers,
Indonesian sugar producers, Japanese fishermen, Turkish tenant farmers, and West African
cocoa pickers.
The decline in the United States economy pulled most other countries down into economic
depression. However, internal conditions in each country determined how quickly and how
well it recovered. Some countries were less affected, overall, than others.
Many considered the Great Depression to be a sign of the failure of capitalism. This point
seemed to be made by the contrasting growth in economic production in the Marxist
U.S.S.R.
Development note: insert video icon and link to Comparing Capitalism ppt
When you are ready, select the play button to learn about Comparing Capitalism and
Marxism: Views from the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.
Classroom Activity
Discussion: Comparing Capitalism to Marxism
Directions: Prepare a response to the discussion questions below. Follow your teacher’s
directions to participate in your class discussion.



How did the Great Depression contribute to the growth of communist movements?
What was the role of government in capitalist and Marxist countries during the Great
Depression?
How was the Soviet Union able to progress economically during the Great
Depression?
Select the link to review the Discussion Scoring Tool.
Activity 4: Impacts and Choices around the World
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
The interdependent global economy that had been built following World War I splintered as
governments across the globe sought to protect their respective countries from the effects
of the Great Depression.
International cooperation was largely abandoned as governments pursued moves of
economic nationalism to increase revenues and lower unemployment rates. The most
common courses of action included:
 abandoning the gold standard,
 devaluing currencies to make exports cheaper in foreign markets, and
 charging tariffs on goods imported from other countries to attempt to protect
domestic industries.
Interventionism became almost standard as governments attempted to regulate the
economy to protect their national interests.
Directions: Use the blank to world map to summarize the actions taken in response to the
Great Depression on different continents. Select the play button when you are ready to
begin.
Download the Student Resource: Blank World Map (pdf).
Developer note: use the the map from
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/pdf/world_cont.pdf
Custom Flash Development: filename will be u5le_globaldepress.swf
Development Note: Heather, develop this using the blue world map from istock.
Screen 1
Title: Responses to the Great Depression
Play Button
Screen 2
Africa:
Interaction Notes: Heather – start by showing the world map – then zoom to Africa – which
should be labeled. Have a boat land at Egypt. Label Egypt on the map and have a pop up
that says "raised tariffs on imported goods." Next, have the boat go to South Africa and that
should be labeled. Have a pop up appear that says "began racial segregation."
Script: Egypt raised tariffs on imported goods. South Africa instituted racial segregation,
which eventually became a governmental policy of apartheid, in response to the economic
crisis felt by white Afrikaners when agricultural and mining exports slumped. Nearly onethird of the Afrikaner population lived as paupers.
Next button
Screen 3
Asia:
Interaction Notes: Screen wipes clean and returns to the world map – then zoom to Asia –
which should be labeled. Have a boat land at China. Label China on the map and have pop
up that has two bullets that say “remained on silver standard” and "largely unaffected by
Great Depression" Next, have the boat go to India and that should be labeled. Have a pop
up appear that says "world agricultural prices drop and cut India’s income in half"
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Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Script: China was on the silver standard and had been since 1914. As a result, the Chinese
almost entirely avoided the Great Depression. Farmers in India found their incomes cut in
half because of the fall in world agricultural prices and were forced to sell land and jewelry
to pay bills.
Next button
Screen 4
Australia and Oceania:
Interaction Notes: Screen wipes clean and returns to the world map – then zoom to
Australia and Oceania – which should be labeled. Have a boat land at Australia. Label
Australia on the map and have pop up say "one of hardest hit countries" and “29%
unemployment”. Next, have the boat go to Indonesia and that should be labeled. Have a
pop up appear that says "sugar prices drop sharply."
Script: Australia was one of the hardest-hit countries in the world because of its
dependence on agricultural and industrial exports. Incidents of civil unrest became common
because of falling wages and record high unemployment (29%) in 1932. Indonesia’s sugar
prices dropped sharply.
Next button
Screen 5
South America:
Interaction Notes: Screen wipes clean and returns to the world map – then zoom to South
America – which should be labeled. Have a boat land at Colombia and one at Peru. Label
both on the map and have a pop up that says "raised tariffs on imported goods". Next, have
the boat go to Bolivia and one to Peru and those should be labeled. Have a pop up appear
that says "lack of U.S. investments destroys economy" for each. Last, have the boat go to
Argentina and label it. Have a pop up that says “beef prices drop sharply”.
Script: All Latin American economies were damaged because of dependence on the U.S.
Colombia and Peru raised tariffs on imported goods. Bolivia and Peru were affected
particularly badly because of high levels of previous U.S. investment. The price of
Argentina’s beef dropped sharply.
Next button
Screen 6
North America:
Interaction Notes: Screen wipes clean and returns to the world map – then zoom to North
America – which should be labeled. Have a boat land at Mexico. Label Mexico on the map
and have a pop up that says "government seizes petroleum companies".
Script: Mexican President Lázaro Cárdenas issued a decree that the petroleum companies
were in rebellion against the government and took possession of them. In 1936, the
government redistributed land to peasants, supported unions, and made great changes to
public education.
Next button
Screen 7
Europe:
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Interaction Notes: Screen wipes clean and returns to the world map – then zoom to Europe
– which should be labeled. Have boats land in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Poland.
Label each on the map and have a pop up that says "”gold bloc’ country”" for each. Next,
have the boat go to Sweden and that should be labeled. Have a pop up appear that says
"raised tariffs on imports after abandoning gold standard."
Script: France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Poland – the “gold bloc” countries, stayed on
the gold standard until 1936. Sweden abandoned the gold standard early and raised tariffs
on imported goods. Social democrats seized government control in 1932 based on policies
for strong interventionism and a welfare state.
End Flash Development
Activity 5: The Gold Standard
Now study the chart explaining when various countries left the gold standard and the graph
comparing global exports during the years of the Great Depression to previous years. Use
the information from the world map and these two data sources to answer the following
questions. Look at the feedback carefully to confirm your understanding of this content.
Development Notes: Please insert the following images side by side with zoom options on
both.
This image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:International_depression.png is licensed
under the Creative Commons Atrribution-ShareAlike License. Attribution: Will O'Neil.
Caption: The Great Depression in international perspective. Red ticks mark points at which
nations suspended gold convertibility and/or devalued against gold.
Source: This image from http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era8.php
is free to use for non-profit/educational purposes.
Note to Nate: The image is in the ppt at the bottom of the page.
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Caption: Value of Global Exports in Billions of Dollars
Development Note: Using inline quiz questions please develop the following using short
answer with custom feedback.
Directions: Using the information from the data sources and the map of the world, answer
the following short answer questions. Pay close attention to the feedback to confirm your
understanding of the affects of the Great Depression and the responses in different
countries.
What was the desired outcome of individual countries placing tariffs on imported goods and
dropping prices on exported goods?
insert text box
Feedback: The U.S. and other countries imposed high tariffs to try and protect their
domestic products in the competitive market against imports. Nations dropped prices on
their exports to make their products more competitive for importing by other nations.
What was the desired outcome of leaving the gold standard?
insert text box
Feedback: The desired outcome of leaving the gold standard was to devalue currency and
make prices on a nation’s goods more affordable for citizens and for exporting as well.
Why were countries like Belgium and Poland called “gold bloc” countries?
insert text box
Feedback: These countries were called the “gold bloc” countries because they stayed on the
gold standard until much later than other countries (1936).
What was the impact of the Great Depression on China?
insert text box
Feedback: China was on the silver standard, not the gold, and remained isolated from the
world economy. The Great Depression had very little impact on China.
What was the impact of the Great Depression on Mexico?
insert text box
Feedback: The government took possession of petroleum companies. In 1936, the
government redistributed land to peasants, supported unions, and made great changes to
public education.
What was the impact of the Great Depression on South American countries?
insert text box
Feedback: All Latin American economies were severely damaged by the Great Depression
because of high levels of U.S. investment. Bolivia, Chile, and Peru were affected particularly
adversely.
What was the impact of the Great Depression on Australia?
insert text box
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Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Feedback: An export-dependent country, Australia was one of the hardest hit. It also
suffered lots of civil unrest and record high unemployment.
Development note: insert hybrid, discussion, and link icon; link to discussion scoring tool
Classroom Activity
Discussion: Impact of the Great Depression
Directions: Prepare a response to the discussion questions below. Follow your teacher’s
directions to participate in your class discussion.


Which nation’s story do you find the most compelling, and why?
What is the significance of the gold standard in terms of this nation’s recovery from
the Great Depression?
Select the link to review the Discussion Scoring Tool.
Activity 6: Responses to the Great Depression
What were some of the ways ordinary people dealt with the Great Depression?
When you are ready, select the play button to learn about Public Perception and
Nationalist Responses to the Great Depression.
Classroom Activity
Jigsaw – Responses to the Great Depression
Directions: In this activity, you will complete a jigsaw activity to review the Responses to
the Great Depression: Snapshots of Nations Chart. As you read, look for patterns across
these nations in terms of both the realities faced during the Great Depression and the
responses of people and governments to the Great Depression.
Next, your teacher will provide instructions to work in groups to review the case studies of
four nations -- Canada, Chile, Japan, and New Zealand -- and the responses of these
countries to the effects of the Great Depression. Take notes on your assigned case study
noting both how the nation was challenged and the responses made to the challenges of the
Great Depression. Your teacher may assign additional research about these nations.
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Follow your teacher's directions to complete the jigsaw activity. After
completing the assignment, prepare for discussion.
Download the Student Resource: Responses to the Great Depression – Snapshots of Nations
Chart (pdf)
Download the Student Resource: Responses to the Great Depression Jigsaw (pdf)
Download the Student Resource: Responses to the Great Depression Graphic Organizer
(doc).
Discussion: Comparing Capitalism to Marxism
Directions: Prepare a response to the discussion questions below. Follow your teacher’s
directions to participate in your class discussion.
Think about what you have learned about welfare efforts in Germany, New Zealand, the
United States, and other countries as a response to the unemployment and general poverty
created by the Great Depression.
Think back to your writing from Activity 1 about what both government and individuals
could do to improve conditions.


What is the role of government in response to national and international financial
catastrophe?
Is an event like the Great Depression the time for small government or for big
government in the form of social programs? .
Select the link to review the Discussion Scoring Tool.
Activity 7: The Great Depression and World War II
Development Note: Insert image and right align
Caption: Midwest factory workers assembled 37mm ammunition.
This image from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Women_aluminum_shells_
wwii.jpg is a work of the United States Government and therefore in the public domain.
The beginning of World War II was one of the most important factors in ending the
recession that caused the Great Depression. At the very least, the money that Japan, the
U.S.S.R., and other nations around the world spent starting in 1937 on rearmament and
war efforts accelerated economic recovery and also reduced unemployment.
The United States, of course, did not officially enter the war until 1941. Following the
Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, the huge government war spending raised economic
growth rates, increased industrial output by 100%, and reduced unemployment almost to
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Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
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zero. United States entry into World War II ended most of the country’s lingering problems
caused by the Great Depression.
In a sense, World War II offered a bittersweet end to the Great Depression. World War II
led to greater demand for goods and also allowed export-dependent countries to demand
higher prices for raw materials and agricultural products. Countries around the world saw
large GDP increases compared to pre-Depression levels, including Egypt (20%), Indonesia
(16%), and Mexico (25%). Of course, these economic gains were not without other costs
and losses.
As important as all of these national economic figures are, they fail to give a complete
picture of the hardships that individuals experienced during the Great Depression. The
historical realities of men and women around the world are still areas of research for
historians. Some of these new research areas include looking at birth rates and marriage
rates, and even participation in religious events, such as the Muslim hajj or pilgrimage to
Mecca, during the years of the Great Depression. Other researchers are exploring
correspondence and diaries to understand the personal impact of the Great Depression.
Directions: Now, review the Causes and Effects of the Great Depression by sorting the
listed concepts into Causes and Effects.
Development note: Embed the same pre-assessment inline three column sort quiz.
Activity 8: Causes and Effects of Great Depression
Historian John A. Garraty has written that the Great Depression was “a worldwide
phenomenon composed of an infinite number of separate but related events.”
Classroom Activity
Discussion: The Great Depression
Directions: Think about the stock market crash, export dependency, the gold standard,
various tariffs and protectionist responses, war debts and reparations, and welfare
programs as you prepare your responses to the following questions. Be sure to support you
answers with historical evidence.


What do you consider the most significant cause of the Great Depression?
What do you consider the most significant effect?
Select the link to review the Discussion Scoring Tool.
Review and Assessment: Evaluating Causes and Effects of the Great Depression
Review
The Great Depression resulted in huge drops in industrial production and stock market share
prices. Many considered the Great Depression to be a sign of the failure of capitalism. The
interdependent global economy that had been built following World War I splintered as
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Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
governments across the globe sought to protect their respective countries from the effects
of the Great Depression. Governments scrambled to retain revenues and support their
citizens. Citizens everywhere suffered personal losses of all kinds and endured long periods
of unemployment. Banks and companies around the world failed. The beginning of the Great
Depression and the beginning of recovery from economic depression were different for
different nations, but, for most, the Great Depression started around 1929 and lasted well
into the late 1930s or even into the 1940s and the beginning of World War II.
Development Note: Insert Quiz Icon and link to lesson pre-assessment.
Select the link to review the pre-assessment prior to completing the lesson
assessment.
Assessment
Review the class discussion from the previous activity and your notes and work from this
lesson. In a few well-constructed paragraphs, respond to the following BCR prompt.
Brief Constructed Response
Great Depression
What were the causes of the Great Depression and how did they affect the world?
 Identify two causes of the Great Depression and explain how these events affected the
world.
 Identify two significant effects of the Great Depression and explain the impact in one or
more countries.
 Include details and examples to support your answer.
Download the Student Resource: Great Depression Brief Constructed Response
(BCR).
Select the link to review the Social Studies Rubric.
Submit the completed BCR to your teacher as instructed.
Lesson Summary
Now you know:
bulleted list of key questions from the lesson goes here.
Sue Spencer
Page 16 of 17
Unit 5: Crisis and Change
Lesson E: Economic Depression and Political Collapse
Lesson Draft Completed Template
Congratulations! You have successfully completed the lesson <title of lesson>.
Sue Spencer
Page 17 of 17