Living conditions during the Great Depression
Dana Starkey
Normal Community High School
Spring 2013
Russell Lee. [1940]. Library of Congress,
Prints and Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-038078-D DLC].
Interior of living room of married couple living in remodeled
boxcar. Earl Fruit Company ranch. Kern County, California.
This lesson fits within “Unit 1 – The Economy & You” in our Introduction to Business
Course. During this unit, we study the Business/Economic Cycle and look closely at the
changes in the standard of living for people who lived during the Roaring 20’s, the Great
Depression, and into World War II. This particular lesson will focus on the diminished
living conditions experienced by many during the lowest point of this period, also known
as the Great Depression.
Overview/ Materials/LOC Resources/Standards/ Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension
Overview
Objectives
Recommended time frame
Grade level
Curriculum fit
Materials
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Students will:
 research and analyze primary sources from the
Library of Congress website that relate to living
conditions during the Great Depression
 identify how primary sources highlight the poor
living conditions many people lived in during the
Great Depression
 use analysis to determine the historical context of
their primary sources
 exhibit understanding of the time period through the
use of these primary sources and compare and
contrast living conditions with their own life
 complete and present a PowerPoint project that
illustrates their main ideas
Five 50-minute class periods
9th and 10th
Introduction to Business
 Access to a computer lab or laptops
 Access to a SmartBoard or LCD projector
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University





Internet Access
MicroSoft PowerPoint Software
Student Handouts (student handouts can be
disseminated electronically to students by using
Vision software and therefore students will have
proper links and formatting set up for them)
Project Rubrics
Primary Source Analysis Form:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/workshe
ets/photo_analysis_worksheet.pdf
Illinois Learning Standards/Common Core
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ILS-Social Science
GOAL 15: Understand economic systems, with an
emphasis on the United States.
 15. A Understand how different economic systems
operate in the exchange, production, distribution and
consumption of goods and services.
o 15. A.4d Explain the effects of
unemployment on the economy.

15. E Understand the impact of government policies
and decisions on production and consumption in the
economy.
o 15. E.4b Describe social and environmental
benefits and consequences of production and
consumption.
GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals
and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the
United States and other nations.

16. A Apply the skills of historical analysis and
interpretation.
o 16. A.3b Make inferences about historical
events and eras using historical maps and
other historical sources.
o 16. A.5a Analyze historical and
contemporary developments using methods
of historical inquiry (pose questions, collect
and analyze data, make and support
inferences with evidence, report findings).
o 16. B.5b (US) Analyze how United States
political history has been influenced by the
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
nation’s economic, social and environmental
history.
GOAL 18: Understand social systems, with an
emphasis on the United States.

18. A Compare characteristics of culture as reflected
in language, literature, the arts, traditions and
institutions.
o 18. A.5 Compare ways in which social
systems are affected by political,
environmental, economic and technological
changes.

18. B Understand the roles and interactions of
individuals and groups in society.
o 18.B.5 Use methods of social science
inquiry (pose questions, collect and analyze
data, make and support conclusions with
evidence, report findings) to study the
development and functions of social systems
and report conclusions to a larger audience.
ILS-Language Arts
GOAL 5 Use the language arts to acquire, assess
and communicate information.
 5. B Analyze and evaluate information acquired
from various sources.
o 5. B.4a Choose and evaluate primary and
secondary sources (print and nonprint) for a
variety of purposes.
o 5. B.5b Credit primary and secondary
sources in a form appropriate for
presentation or publication for a particular
audience.

Procedures
5. C Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas
to communicate in a variety of formats.
 5. C.5a Using contemporary technology,
create a research presentation or prepare a
documentary related to academic, technical
or occupational topics and present the
findings in oral or multimedia formats.
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Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Students will have already been introduced to the
specifics of the causes and effects of the Great
Depression during the previous week of study. The
time constraints in our curriculum first semester make it
very difficult to fit a project like this into class, so the
focus of this project will be on analyzing primary
sources, not necessarily spending time independently
searching for them.
Day One:
 Teacher will introduce students to primary sources
and their purpose within the classroom.
 Students will access the Library of Congress website
- http://www.loc.gov/index.html
 Teacher will direct students to examples of Great
Depression era primary sources by using the
American Memory portion of the website and
students will be shown how to develop a source
table.
 Students will receive the instruction handout and
primary source table electronically - Student
Handouts – and be introduced to the expectations of
the project - Rubrics
 Students will be placed into project work groups of
approximately 3 students per group.
Day Two:
 Student groups will decide together which images
they want to analyze by looking through the many
images of the chosen collection. Emphasis will be
placed on spending time choosing images that truly
fit the focus of the assignment versus just choosing
the first 3-5 that appear.
 Students will be introduced to and begin to complete
analysis guides for their chosen resources http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/workshe
ets/photo_analysis_worksheet.pdf
 Students will begin work on primary source table.
Day Three:
 Student work day with focus on finalizing analysis
guides, completing source tables, and beginning
their PowerPoint presentation.
Day Four:
 Student work day with focus on finishing their
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
PowerPoint slides and preparing their oral
presentations.
Day Five:
 Student groups will present their projects to the
class.
Evaluation
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
Extension
Student groups will be evaluated based on their
PowerPoint project and oral class presentations
according to the designated Rubrics
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
If time permits, students will search individually the
Library of Congress website for other Great
Depression era artifacts and produce a 1-2 paragraph
description of how those artifacts reflect the activity
of the business cycle during that time period
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Introduction and Historical Background
One of the major focuses in Unit 1 of Introduction to Business is the study of the business
cycle and how living conditions are affected. The Great Depression era that the United
States experienced from 1929-1941 is the clearest and most concrete historical example
of each of the four cycle stages – prosperity, recession, depression, and recovery – and
the horrible living conditions that resulted for many Americans clearly represent one of
the worst economic periods in our nation’s history. This learning experience will give
students the opportunity to analyze primary resources from the worst part of the
Depression so they will be better able to visualize the severity of the economic downturn
and the resulting horrid living conditions for a large percentage of Americans.
The Great Depression was actually caused by several different factors, although there is
widespread belief among Americans today that it started on October 29, 1929 when the
stock market crashed. In reality, the stock market crash was a result of both consumer
and business overspending through the 1920’s, with much of this spending on credit, as
the stock market boomed with unprecedented growth. However, businesses began to
overproduce and prices and consumer purchasing began to fall, with the result being a
shaky business environment with high business and consumer debt and increased
unemployment.
The stock market crash was not the sole cause of the Great Depression but it did signal
loud and clear that the U.S. economy was in terrible shape. As people began losing their
stock market investments, they responded by withdrawing their savings from banks,
which at that time were unfortunately uninsured (the FDIC – the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation – was started in 1934 to make the banking industry safer and
entice consumers to begin depositing money in banks again). Thousands of banks failed
as depositors pulled their money and the majority of bank assets were tied up in various
types of loans. Banks that survived were reluctant to make new loans in such an unstable
economic environment.
With banks lending less money, businesses were forced to lay off workers in the attempt
to survive, which led to a massive reduction in consumer spending across the board, and
ultimately led to further employee layoffs and an unemployment rate that rose above 25%
at its peak. In addition, a prolonged drought occurred during this time period in the
Mississippi Valley leading to less agricultural trade and forcing many farmers to sell their
land at drastically reduced prices (also known as “The Dust Bowl”). To make matters
worse, government regulations intended to protect American companies from foreign
competition actually backfired and limited foreign trade further than anticipated. All of
these factors converged and were the major causes of the Great Depression.
Living conditions in the United States became worse as unemployment skyrocketed and
rural communities, failing due to the Dust Bowl, had large scores of people migrating to
urban areas. Homeowners had to forfeit their property when they could not afford to
make mortgage or tax payments. Some people moved in with relatives but hundreds of
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
thousands of people had to take more drastic measures, literally finding any place
possible to live, including vacant buildings and public lands. On these public lands, they
built crude shacks and formed communities called “Hoovervilles,” a derogatory term
toward President Herbert Hoover because his administration had been unable to stabilize
and improve the economy. Living conditions in these communities were crowded,
unsanitary, and susceptible to the heat and cold and most had bedding and very little else.
The election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his administration’s implementation
of the New Deal, including progressive programs like the Works Progress
Administration, helped to turn the U.S. economy around slowly in the mid-to-late 1930’s.
The economy improved as the nation approached entry into World War II and
transformed into full-blown recovery when we entered the war and our economy began
producing war-time munitions and materials. However, the photographs from the
collection titled “America from the Great Depression to World War II: Photographs from
the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945” clearly illustrate the desperate living conditions that many
experienced during the rock-bottom point of the Great Depression and therefore represent
a fantastic learning opportunity for students studying this time period.
Included below are links that will assist teachers in finding additional information
regarding the historical background of the Great Depression:
 http://americanhistory.about.com/od/greatdepression/tp/greatdepression.htm
 http://www.thegreatdepressioncauses.com/
 http://greatdepressiononline.com/index.htm
 http://www.legendsofamerica.com/20th-hoovervilles.html
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Primary Resources from the Library of Congress
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The lesson will ask student groups to analyze at least three photographs from the “America from
the Great Depression to World War II – Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945” collection.
I am including the information for several relevant photographs so that instructors may get an
idea of the number and types of photographs available.
Image
Description
Citation
URL
Hooverville of
Bakersfield, California.
A rapidly growing
community of people
living rent-free on the
edge of the town dump
in whatever kind of
shelter available.
Approximately one
thousand people now
living here and raising
children.
A few crowded, dirty,
expensive camps, with
bad sanitary conditions,
no light, insufficient and
poor water supply, exist
near Belle Glade,
Florida, for transient
migrant labor. One
toilet for 150 people.
Dorothea Lange.
[1936]. Library of
Congress, Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-001774-C
DLC].
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:
@filreq(@field(NUMBER+
@band(fsa+8b27057))+@fi
eld(COLLID+fsa))
Marion Post Wolcott.
[1939]. Library of
Congress, Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-051201-E
DLC].
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:
@filreq(@field(NUMBER+
@band(fsa+8c30313))+@fi
eld(COLLID+fsa))
Overcrowded conditions
and poor equipment in
rural mountain school.
In Breathitt County,
Kentucky.
Marion Post Wolcott.
[1940]. Library of
Congress, Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-055674-D
DLC].
Dorothea Lange.
[1938]. Library of
Congress, Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-018571D].
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:
@filreq(@field(NUMBER+
@band(fsa+8c13460))+@fi
eld(COLLID+fsa))
Living conditions of
workers in agriculture
on whom depend the
crops of California.
Family of migratory
cotton pickers,
originally from
Oklahoma, living in
abandoned cow barn.
Note bed in corner.
Kern County,
California.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:
@filreq(@field(NUMBER+
@band(fsa+8b15438))+@fi
eld(COLLID+fsa))
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Living conditions for
migrant potato pickers.
Tulelake, Siskiyou
County, California. See
caption number 63-1.
Dorothea Lange.
[1939]. Library of
Congress, Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-020958-E
DLC].
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:
@filreq(@field(NUMBER+
@band(fsa+8b34815))+@fi
eld(COLLID+fsa))
Baby of family living on
relief. Notice the
homemade cradle. Near
Jefferson, Texas.
Housing conditions in
this section are
particularly bad.
Russell Lee. [1939].
Library of Congress,
Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-032716-D
DLC].
Carl Mydans. [1935].
Library of Congress,
Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF33-T01000163-M1 DLC].
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:
@filreq(@field(NUMBER+
@band(fsa+8b21351))+@fi
eld(COLLID+fsa))
Wife and five children
of migratory fruit
worker. American River
camp on outskirts of
Sacramento, California.
Have worked in the
fruit since 1931. "We
don't make a living, but
we live on what we
make".
Dorothea Lange.
[1936]. Library of
Congress, Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-009910-C
DLC].
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:
@filreq(@field(NUMBER+
@band(fsa+8b29877))+@fi
eld(COLLID+fsa))
Part of one family living
in miner's boarding
house. One woman and
six children live in one
room. Two beds, no
water, no heat.
Mohegan, West
Virginia.
Marion Post Wolcott.
[1938]. Library of
Congress, Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-050111-D
DLC].
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:
@filreq(@field(NUMBER+
@band(fsa+8c09412))+@fi
eld(COLLID+fsa))
Poor white hallway,
Georgetown, D.C.
Seldom do these people
have even the desire to
clear up rubbish, and
the broom shown here
seems to be out of place.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:
@filreq(@field(NUMBER+
@band(fsa+8a00329))+@fi
eld(COLLID+fsa))
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Rubrics
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NCHS Business Department PowerPoint Project Rubric
CATEGORY
Text - Font Choice
& Formatting
2
Font formatting has
been carefully
planned to
complement the
content. It may be a
little hard to read.
Most information is Some information is
organized in a clear, logically sequenced.
logical way. One
An occasional slide
slide or item of
or item of information
information seems
seems out of place.
out of place.
A few graphics are
All graphics are
not attractive but all attractive but a few
support the
do not seem to
theme/content of the support the
presentation.
theme/content of the
presentation.
Partners delegate
Partners delegate
tasks and shares
tasks and shares
responsibility
responsibility
effectively most of
effectively some of
the time.
the time.
1
Font formatting
makes it very difficult
to read the material.
Project includes most Project is missing
material needed to
more than two key
gain a comfortable
elements. It would
understanding of the make an incomplete
material but is lacking PowerPoint.
one or two key
elements. It is an
adequate
PowerPoint.
Presentation has no Presentation has 1-2 Presentation has 3-4
misspellings or
misspellings, and/or misspellings, and/or
grammatical errors. 1-2 grammatical
3-4 grammatical
errors.
errors.
Project is lacking
several key elements
and has inaccuracies
that make it a poor
PowerPoint.
Required Slides
PowerPoint has 5-10 PowerPoint has 3-4
content slides.
content slides.
PowerPoint has 2 or
less content slides.
Printing
You must print in handout view with 3 slides
per page.
Sequencing of
Information
Use of Graphics
4
Font formats (e.g.,
color, bold, italic)
have been carefully
planned to enhance
readability and
content.
Information is
organized in a clear,
logical way. It is easy
to anticipate the type
of material that might
be on the next slide.
All graphics are
attractive (size and
colors) and support
the theme/content of
the presentation.
Cooperation
Partners delegate
tasks and shares
responsibility
effectively all of the
time.
Effectiveness
Project includes all
material needed to
gain a comfortable
understanding of the
topic. It is a highly
effective PowerPoint.
Spelling and
Grammar
3
Font formats have
been carefully
planned to enhance
readability.
PowerPoint has 2-3
content slides.
There is no clear plan
for the organization
of information.
Several graphics are
unattractive AND
detract from the
content of the
presentation.
Partners are often
not effective in
delegating tasks
and/or sharing
responsibility.
Presentation has 5 or
more misspellings
and/or grammatical
errors.
TOTAL POINTS FOR POWERPOINT: _________ / 30
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
NCHS Business Department Oral Presentation Rubric
Category
4
3
2
1
Topic Content &
Embellishment
Shows a full
understanding of the
topic and elaborates
on all information
presented.
Shows an
understanding of the
topic and elaborates
on some information
presented.
Little understanding
of the topic and only
elaborates a few
points.
No understanding of
topic and little to
none elaboration of
points.
Time-Limit
Presentation is 4-5
minutes long.
Presentation is 3-4
minutes long.
Presentation is 2-3
minutes long.
Presentation is less
than 2 minutes.
Speaks Clearly
Speaks clearly and
distinctly all the time,
and mispronounces
no words.
Speaks clearly and
distinctly all the time,
but mispronounces 5
or less words.
Speaks clearly and
distinctly most of the
time. Mispronounces
5-10 words or uses
slang.
Often mumbles or
cannot be
understood OR
mispronounces more
than 10 words and
uses slang.
Volume
Volume is loud
enough to be heard
by all audience
members throughout
the presentation.
Volume is loud
enough to be heard
by all audience
members at least
90% of the time.
Volume is loud
enough to be heard
by all audience
members at least
80% of the time.
Volume often too soft
to be heard by all
audience members.
Posture and Eye
Contact
Stands up straight,
looks relaxed and
confident.
Establishes eye
contact with
everyone in the room
during the
presentation.
Stands up straight
and establishes eye
contact with
everyone in the room
during the
presentation.
Sometimes stands up Slouches and/or
straight and
does not look at
establishes eye
people during the
contact.
presentation.
TOTAL POINTS FOR ORAL PRESENTATION: _________ / 20
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Handouts
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Analyzing Primary Sources from the Great Depression
You have been divided into groups for this project. Each group will need to analyze at
least three primary sources found by following the specific directions below.







Go to the Library of Congress website at http://www.loc.gov/index.html
On the Library of Congress homepage, click on the “American Memory” icon
Click on the “List all collections” link at the bottom of the page
Scoll down and click on the link titled “Depression Era to World War II ~ FSA-OWI
~ Photographs ~ 1935-1945”
o You are now at the main page of a photographic collection titled “America
from the Great Depression to World War II: Photographs from the FSA-OWI,
1935-1945”
Click on the “Black & White Photos” link located at the bottom left of the main
collection photograph
Click on “Search Keywords for Black-and-White Photos”
In the search box, type “poor living conditions hooverville” and change the maximum
number of bibliographic records to 5,000
o The results will give you more than 2,500 photographs to search through and
select from. Please take time to search through several pages of images to
find photographs that are of interest to you and your group members – don’t
simply select the first three images that you find! (I would like each group to
present images that are unique – I do not want each group to present the same
images!)
Group Work Instructions:
1. Choose at least three photographs (but no more than five) from the “America from the
Great Depression to World War II – Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945”
collection. (FSA stands for Farm Security Administration and OWI stands for Office
of War Information)
 For each chosen photograph, your group needs to work together to fill out a
Primary Resource Photograph Analysis Sheet. Fill out an Analysis Sheet for
each photograph and print the forms as they are completed.
 Use the following link to access the form:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/photo_analysis
_worksheet.pdf
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
 Prior to completing the form, you may want to read the guide once
again to assist you in determining how to focus your discussion. Use
the following link to access the guide:
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/resources/Analyzing
_Photographs_and_Prints.pdf
2. For each photograph you select, please provide the required information to accurately
cite your sources in a Primary Resources Table. (This properly formatted form will
be provided for you electronically.)
3. Through further group discussion, focus your thoughts and ideas about how you
believe your chosen photographs reflect the diminished living conditions experienced
by a large percentage of Americans during the Great Depression. Also spend time
discussing how those conditions are similar to or different from the living conditions
you have experienced thus far in your own personal lives. Create a 5-10 slide
PowerPoint presentation that illustrates your group’s research and ideas. (Reference
the PowerPoint rubric for specific group expectations about how your group will be
evaluated.)
4. Your PowerPoint will be formally presented to the entire class. Prepare your
presentation carefully and work together to insure that all grop members are actively
engaged and participating equally. (Reference the Oral Presentation rubric for
specific group expectations about how your group will be evaluated.)
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Completing your WPA Primary Sources Table
Student names: (insert all group member names)
Using the table provided, properly cite your primary sources using the directions we discussed
during class. For each chosen photograph, you will need to provide a pasted copy of the image,
its description, its citation, and its permanent URL. I have provided an example for you below.
Image
Required Photo #1
(insert image)
Required Photo #2
(insert image)
Required Photo #3
(insert image)
Optional Photo #4
(insert image)
Optional Photo #5
(insert image)
Citation
URL
Migratory children
living in "Rambler's
Park." They have lived
on the road for three
years. Nine children in
the family. Yakima
Valley, Washington.
Description
Dorothea Lange.
[1939]. Library of
Congress, Prints and
Photographs Division,
FSA-OWI Collection,
[LC-USF34-020297-E
DLC].
http://memory.loc.go
v/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fs
aall:@filreq(@field(
NUMBER+@band(fsa+8b3
4294))+@field(COLLID
+fsa))
(insert photo
description)
(insert photo
description)
(insert photo
description)
(insert photo
description)
(insert photo
description)
(insert photo citation)
(insert photo URL)
(insert photo citation)
(insert photo URL)
(insert photo citation)
(insert photo URL)
(insert photo citation)
(insert photo URL)
(insert photo citation)
(insert photo URL)