KEY LEARNING OF THIS UNIT
In the 1930's, the Great Depression caused high unemployment, business failures, and farm foreclosures. Many people lost their homes and savings
and became willing to vote for politicians who offered new approaches to solving the crisis.
UNIT ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How did the Great Depression which consequently sparked a “New Deal” for Americans dramatically affect America socially, politically, and
economically then and years in the future?
CONCEPT
Although the 1920's were prosperous,
speculation in the stock market, risky
lending policies, overproduction, and
uneven income distribution eventually
undermined the economy and led to the
Great Depression.
LEQ
1. What is the difference between "trickle
down" and "pump priming" economic
theories?
2. How does the business cycle work?
3. What were the causes of the Great
Depression?
4. Was the Great Depression inevitable?
5. What were the causes and effects of the
Stock Market Crash?
VOCABULARY
“trickle down” economics, “pump
priming” economics, business cycle, stock
market, 10-29-1929, Black Tuesday,
buying on margin, speculation, bank runs,
Hawley-Smoot tariff, Herbert Hoover,
Election of 1828
LEQ
1. What type of problems do you think
government can and should solve?
2. What difficulties can result when the
government tries to regulate the economy?
3. Is self-help the best response to solve
unemployment in America?
4. Which economic theory do you feel is
the best for economic recovery?
5. Which political party supports each
economic theory respectively?
VOCABULARY
“trickle down” economics, “pump
priming” economics, business cycle
CONCEPT
The Great Depression caused large numbers of
people to lose their jobs and property. To help
people escape their misery, popular
entertainment offered humorous and optimistic
movies and radio programs. President Hoover
tried to fix the economy by providing loans to
banks and corporations and by starting public
works projects. Later, he reluctantly supported
direct aid to impoverished families. By the
early 1930's, more Americans were demanding
the government's help.
LEQ
1. What were the social and economic
responses of the Great Depression?
2. How did individuals cope or escape the
realities of life during the Great
Depression?
VOCABULARY
Hoovervilles, Hobos, Walt Disney, soap
operas, Marathon dancing, Riding the
Rails, Orphan Trains, Wizard of Oz, Gone
With the Wind, Groucho Marx, Shirley
Temple, Dorothea Lange
CONCEPT
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected
president in 1932, following his promise
of a "new deal" for Americans. During the
1930's, New Deal programs increased
government regulation of banking,
industry, and farming; gave greater rights
to workers; and provided government aid
to the unemployed and senior citizens.
LEQ
1. Which business theories did Franklin
Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover
respectively support?
2. Do you believe that America needs a
New Deal or will a New Deal harm
America?
3. Why was the election of 1932 a
momentous turning point election in
American history?
VOCABULARY
“Happy Days Are Here Again,” “Brother, Can
You Spare a Dime,” FDR, Hoover, Norman
Thomas, New Deal, 20th Amendment, 21st
Amendment, “You have nothing to fear but
fear itself,” Brain Trust, fireside chats
LEQ
1. Do you approve with the motives of the
Bonus Army?
2. How did Herbert Hoover try to respond
to the Great Depression and the Bonus
Army March?
LEQ
1. What were the effects of the New Deal
efforts of the First 100 days?
2. What were the major relief, recovery
and reform programs of the New Deal?
3. How did the First New Deal compare to
the Second New Deal?
VOCABULARY
Bonus Army, General MacArthur, “rugged
individualism,” Agricultural Marketing
Act, Reconstruction Finance Corporation,
Public Works, Hoover Dam
VOCABULARY
Bank Holiday, First 100 Days, relief,
recovery, reform, FERA, WPA, CCC,
NYA, FCA, AAA, RFC, PWA, HOLC,
FHA, NRA, FDIC, SEC, Social Security,
REA, TVA, Wagner Act, Fair Labor
Standards Act, Alphabet Soup
LEQ (2 lessons)
1.How would you rate FDR’s efforts as a
president to solve the Great Depression?
2.How would you rate Eleanor Roosevelt’s
efforts as First Lady to help solve the
Great Depression?
VOCABULARY
Same as previous day
LEQ
1. What were the causes of the Dust
Bowl?
2. What were the ripple effects of the Dust
Bowl during the Great Depression?
VOCABULARY
John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath, Okies,
Joad Family, Dust Bowl
CONCEPT
CONCEPT
CONCEPT
LEQ
LEQ
In response to criticisms of the New Deal,
President Roosevelt introduced several major
pieces of legislation in 1935. These laws
created the Works Progress Administration, the
National Labor Relations Board, and the Social
Security Administration.
LEQ
1. What were arguments of critics and
supporters of the New Deal?
2. Did the New Deal successfully end the
Great Depression?
3. Is the New Deal a momentous
achievement?
4. What is the legacy of the New Deal?
5. Was it a great achievement or did it
achieve little?
VOCABULARY
Franklin Roosevelt, Adolf Berle, Benjamin Gardiner Corcoran, Felix Frankfurter, Louis Howe, Raymond Moley, Basil O’Connor, George Peek,
Charles William Taussig, Rexford Tugwell, Hugh S. Johnson, F. Palmer Weber, James Warburg, Frances Perkins, John Davis, Father Charles
Coughlin, Senator Huey Long, Francis Townshend, George Barnett, Irenee DuPont, Knickerbocker Holiday, Elizabeth Dilling, Milton Friedman,
Garet Garrett, David Lawrence, Owen Josephus Roberts, Robert Taft, Al Smith, George N. Peek, John C. Gall, Malcolm Muir, William Randolph
Hearst, John Nance Garner, Senator Burton Wheeler, Max Shachtman, James Cannon, John L. Lewis, Congressman William Lemke, Senator Carter
Class, Herbert Hoover, Louis Brandeis, Gerald L.K. Smith, Hugo Black, Clarence Darrow, Robert C. Weaver, Norman Thomas, American Liberty
League, Harry Hopkins
LEQ
1. Will social security more help or harm
America?
2. What is the legacy of the New Deal?
Was it a great achievement or did it
achieve little?
3. Is the New Deal a momentous
achievement?
LEQ
LEQ
VOCABULARY
Deficit spending, Social Security,
unemployment, Recession of 1937, safety
net
LEQ (2 days)
VOCABULARY
VOCABULARY
VOCABULARY
LEQ