1. The Great Depression: Examine the artifact/picture. Discuss with your partner why there are so many people are standing in line. Why do you think they are in line? 2. Read the information below.
The Great Depression was a time when the economy in the United States and throughout the world was experiencing hardships. It began with the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The prices on the Wall Street stock market increasingly fell from October 24 to October 29, 1929. Many people lost their jobs. They became homeless and poor. This ended the wealth of the Roaring Twenties and the laissez-faire attitude. The day that is said to have started the Great Depression is called Black Tuesday.
When the Great Depression started, Herbert Hoover was just short of his eighth month as president of the United States. Most experts (including Hoover), thought the stock market crash was part of a passing recession. Calls grew for federal intervention and spending, but Hoover refused to involve the federal government to force fixed prices, control businesses or manipulate the value of currency. He would not use federal money for direct aid to citizens. He focused on volunteerism to raise money.
During the next election, people voted for a new president in 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt. F.D.R got the government to pass many new laws and programs to help people who were hurt by the Great Depression. These programs were called the New Deal. One of these programs was the Civilian Conservation Core or CCC. The CCC put many young men to work in the outdoors. Another of these programs was called Social Security. Social Security gave old people a small income so they had money for things they needed. Between 1939 and 1944, more people had jobs again because of World War II, and the Great Depression came to an end.
3. Something to ponder. Discuss with your partner.
How can you connect the reading to the photograph?
What triggered the Great Depression?
What were Roosevelt’s programs referred to as?
What major world event helped to end the Great Depression?
from http://saundersms.schools.pwcs.edu/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=2033529
4. Think about if you were a family of nine, and this was how you lived. (picture on the right) Talk to your partner on how you would feel. Why would this be difficult?
5. Choose one of the movie clips below to watch (or watch both of them). After watching the video(s), discuss how life has changed since the roaring 20s.
Cinderella Man
It's a Wonderful Life
6. Take the Forms Assessment. It is based on the Stock Market Crash page and The Great Depression page.