The great Depression
UNITED STATES IN THE 1930’S AND UP TO
WORLD WAR II
CAUSES OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION
Unequal distribution of wealth
 Overproduction
 Extensive stock market speculation (Bull Market)
 Calvin Coolidge's administration (1920’s)favored
business. The rich got richer and the poor got
poorer
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Agricultural problems- exports on decline
 9000 banks fail in 1930- too many loans and no
insurance in banking system
 No unemployment insurance or public relief
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GREAT DEPRESSION IN URBAN AND RURAL
AMERICA
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Urban Areas
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Industrial cities major
factory shutdowns
Increase in
unemployment/ evictions
No relief funds available
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Rural Areas
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Disaster in South- cotton
and tobacco prices fall
African American farmers
suffer greatly
Dust Bowl creates huge
droughts
SONGS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION
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Radio and entertainment
expanded during
depression
Soap operas increased
Radio news arrived in
1930’s
Key factor in politics
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Songs about depression,
government fallouts, and
labor disputes filled the
airwaves.
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Example: Peter Seeger
“Bacon, Beans, and Gravy”
Woody Guthrie “This Land is
Your Land”
CLASS DISCUSSION
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Listen to the songs
Follow along with the
words
Let’s Discuss
Think/ Pair/ Share
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What do you think the
singer is talking about?
Remember elements of
Folk tales
HOOVER VS. ROOSEVELT
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Election of 1932 Hoover vs. Roosevelt
Hoover (Republican) conservative, nothing he did seemed to help the
country-wanted to restore business confidence couldn’t find a
successful way to do so. High unemployment rate but Hoover refuses
to give direct relief – Growing unrest during end of presidency
Roosevelt (Democrat) Liberal – from wealthy family, wanted to
employ as many people as possible for the government, build up the
economy.
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Came from a rich family, educated and became governor of New York in
1928
ROOSEVELT’S NEW DEAL
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Elected for four terms the
most of any president
Alphabet agencies – New
Deal
Passed Emergency Banking
Act
Significant shift in political
and domestic policy in the
U.S
Lasting changes =
increased gov’t control on
economy and money supply
Relief, Recovery, Reform
AGENCIES OF THE NEW DEAL (1933)
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In Roosevelt's first
Hundred Days many
acts were introduced
which were to form the
basis of the New Deal.
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Examples Include:
Emergency Banking Act
1933
National Industrial
Recovery Act '33
Agricultural Adjustment
Act 1933
Tennessee Valley
Development Act '33
FDR’S SECOND NEW DEAL (1935-1938)
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Huey Long demand
redistribution- push FDR
to the Left
WPA- Big public works
program – creates
thousands of jobs
Wagner Act- Guarantees
labor unions right to
organize and bargain
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Social Security – huge
development, part of our
current political
discussions
FDR reelected in 1936with support of farmers,
industrial workers,
immigrants, and African
Americans
DEAR MRS ROOSEVELT
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Eleanor Roosevelt- Wife of
President big component
during the 1930’s
Worked with women and
children for better rights
and treatment
Worked with National
Youth Association
Children wrote her daily
for clothes , food, and
money
FINAL THOUGHTS
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If Eleanor Roosevelt was
still around today…
Write her a letter with
your present day
concerns about our
government, economy,
education, etc.
One paragraph in length
Please be appropriate
These will be collected.
DUST BOWL
Movie: Grapes of
Wrath
Made shortly
after Dust Storm
Personal testimonies
DUST BOWL AND WESTERN FAMINE
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Ecological and economic
disaster in southern Great
Plains in early 30’s.
Dust blew away rich
topsoil
Hardest regions hit =
Kansas, Colorado,
Western Oklahoma, Texas,
and Easter New Mexico
Okies, people who
migrated from Middle
Western States and into
California – seen as
“White Trash”
HELPFUL TIMELINE
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1929- Stock Market Crash
1932-Reconstruction
Finance Corp
Bonus Ary/ FDR Pres
1933- 13 million
unemployed
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“Hundred Days”- New Deal
1935- Second New Deal
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Social security
Dust Storm
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1936- Roosevelt wins
again
1937 – “Roosevelt
Recession” begins
1938- Fair Labor
Standards Act establishes
first federal minimum wage
TEACHER OPTIONS:PROJECT OPTIONS
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(Option 1) New Deal
Jeporardy Game
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Create a board game that
utilizes the programs and
agencies of the New Deal
or anything about FDRbiography and life as
President
Be Creative
(Option 2) Newspaper
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(Option 3) Dust Bowl Board Game
• Create a board game that shows the
hardship, travels, and effects of the Dust
Bowl
•Be Creative
•Include illustrations/ color on game
Create a newspaper that
covers the Stock Market
crash and interviews several
people from the city who are
suffering, or not from the
crash
Several articles should be
included
Pictures and advertisements
should also be included
TEACHING OPTIONS:
GRAPES OF WRATH: VIDEO PRESENTATION
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Movie made in the
1940’s not long after
the Dust Bowl
Describes a families
struggles while traveling
further west to escape
dust bowl
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Write down
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Plot
Characters
Summary
Reflection