Topic :Great Depression
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New Deal Network
The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (FERI), in collaboration with the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, Marist College, and IBM, launched the New Deal Network (NDN). The site features 20,000 items: photographs, speeches, letters, documents, and exercises from the New Deal era
The Hoover Dam (PBS)
A companion to the American Experience video series, the site focuses on the Hoover Dam construction. There is a timeline of construction, Dam facts and environmental issues, maps of the Dam, stories of key characters and incidents and a teacher's guide
Breadline: 1929-1939(PBS)
Part of PBS's People's Century television series, this site explores the massive unemployment in America during the Depression and offers interviews, a timeline, and a teacher's guide
American Life Histories, 1936-1940
These life histories were written by the staff of the Folklore Project of the Federal Writers' Project for the U.S. Works Progress (later Work Projects) Administration (WPA) from 1936-1940. The Library of Congress collection includes 2,900 documents representing the work of over 300 writers from 24 states. Typically 2,000-15,000 words in length, the documents consist of drafts and revisions, varying in form from narrative to dialogue to report to case history. The histories describe the informant's family education, income, occupation, political views, religion and mores, medical needs, diet and miscellaneous observations.
Surviving the Dust Bowl (PBS)
Part of PBS's American Experience television series, this site examines the region in the Southwest renamed the "Dust Bowl" because of a catastrophic eight-year drought. Included is a time line, maps, eyewitness accounts, New Deal remedies, people and events from the era, and a teacher's guide.
Voices from the Dust Bowl (Library of Congress)
This LOC site documents the everyday life of residents in central California in 1940 and 1941. There are audio recordings, photographs, manuscript materials, publications, related sources and more
Riding the Rails (PBS)
Part of PBS's American Experience television series, this site focuses on the plight of more than a quarter million teenagers living on the road in America. There is a timeline, maps, "tales from the rails", Hobo songs, a teacher's guide, recommended resources and more
American in the 1930s
This University of Virginia production features a museum for American studies, cultural maps, on-going hypertext projects, an electronic classroom, and special features.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum Educational Program website includes biographies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt, a Roosevelt Timeline, Online Documents and Photographs, a Research Guide and Puzzles and Activities
The Flint Sit-Down Strike, 1936-1937
An audio gallery of the strike that features a slide show and timeline
Depression Papers of Herbert Hoover
A large collection: Tariffs and Agriculture, Economic Stability Program, Relief, Unemployment and Public Works, The Dust Bowl, Banks & Finance, The Federal Budget, Economic Recovery Measures and the Bonus March.
Studs Terkel: Conversations
Produced by the Chicago Historical Society, this site explores the life and work of Studs Terkel, an important American oral historian. Galleries focus on interviews that Mr. Terkel did for his books, including one on the Depression, and also contains a multimedia interview with him.
The Depression News
From the Michigan Historical Museum, the site explores the depression in a newspaper format and provides teacher and student resources
Debunking the Roosevelt Myth
The website provides links to online e-books critical of or hostile to Roosevelt including The Roosevelt Myth (John T. Flynn), Communism at Pearl Harbor (Anthony Kubek), Roosevelt's Road to Russia (George N. Crocker) and The Yalta Betrayal (Felix Wittmer).
Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides, Activities and more
Brother Can You Spare a Dime: The Effects of the New Deal & the Great Depression (Library of Congress)
Part of LOC's impressive collection of exhibits; brings the pain of the era to life
The Great Depression and the 1990's
By using the American Memory's American Life Histories, 1936-1940 documents, personal interviews, and the Library of Congress's on-line legislative information (THOMAS), students will be able to gain a better understanding of why the government takes care of its people and how this type of welfare state started. Armed with this knowledge, they can then evaluate the current need of government programs, such as welfare, Medicare and Social Security, on the federal and state level.
Documentary Photography and The Photographic Essay (Lesson Plan)
Students will examine and interpret photographs taken by Rondal Partridge, a documentary photographer who worked with Dorothea Lange during the Depression Era. A study of the photographs will enable students to visualize the effects of the Depression on some of America's young people. Reading the captions will provide background information and an opportunity to learn about historical perspective. This lesson plan is provided by the New Deal Network.
Examining the Causes and Effects of the 1929 Stock Market Crash
In this lesson, students use New York Times articles covering the stock market collapse in 1929 to analyze the reported causes of this stock market collapse, reactions on many levels to the collapse, and speculated short-term and long-term effects of the collapse. This lesson plan is intended for grades 6-12.
Roosevelt's New Deal (Lesson Plan)
Written by teacher Brian Davis of Southern Columbia High School, this lesson plan instructs students on conducting online research and examining the New Deal.
Riding the Rails (PBS): Teacher's Guide
Students will learn about "teenage hobos" in this depression-era lesson plan. Emphasis is put on the causes of homelessness and what made these young men leave home. The plan also outlines topics for discussion, as well as small group activities.
Surviving the Dust Bowl (PBS): Teacher's Guide
In this PBS lesson plan, students begin studying "The Dust Bowl" and how Farmers reacted to it. The Teacher's guide includes 8 activities and discussion topics. PBS recommends the purchase of the film Surviving the Dust Bowl in order to fully utilize this lesson plan.
Lesson Plans- Living Without Technology
Presented by PBS, this lesson plan introduces a project that allows students to experience the difficulties of the Great Depression. Students are instructed to live 24 hours without many of today's modern comforts .
The Great Depression & the 1990's (Lesson Plan)
The Library of Congress has provided this Great Depression lesson plan that allows students to examine the origins of the welfare state. Great Depression legislature is examined and discussed, as well as the connection to our present day welfare system.
Brother Can You Spare a Dime: The Effects of the New Deal & the Great Depression (LOC Lesson Plan)
This is the lesson plan that goes along with the LOC "Brother Can You Spare a Dime" exhibit. The lesson plan makes good use of primary sources and photos.
Teacher Lesson Plan: Visions in the Dust
For grades 6-8, this lesson plan uses photographic examination to teach students about the Dustbowl. This LOC lesson plan also uses PBS resources.
Lesson Plan- Worth a Thousand Words: Depression-Era Photographs
Using the authentic photographs that were taken to introduce the New Deal, students will follow this MarcoPolo lesson plan and learn about the depression. Recommended for grades 9-12
Lesson Plan- Constitutional Issues: Separation of Powers
Presented by the NARA, this lesson plan examines FDR's attempt to add a Justice to the Supreme Court.
Hard Times, Soft Sell
In this high school lesson plan, students use online content from the AMERICAN VISIONS episode entitled Streamlines and Breadlines as a jumping-off point, and then explore the social, political, and artistic climate of the 1930s' Great Depression and identify themes that permeated the zeitgeist of that era. Using online, software, video, and multimedia resources, students will investigate diverse people's experiences of the Depression, conduct surveys and interviews, and create and publish a variety of media highlighting Depression-era motifs and resources.
Streamline and Breadlines
High School students will learn about the growth and development of cities in America from 1920 through 1940. Immigration, the migration of African-Americans from the South to the urban centers of the North, industrialization, and the Great Depression all affected cities during this period. This lesson will culminate in a student essay that compares two contrasting images from this time period. Students will view two sets of images from Thirteen/WNET's AMERICAN VISIONS Web site. Students will choose one image from each group, and compare and contrast the images in an essay.
Digital History Resource Guides
The Digital Resource Guides provides links to American history web sites by period and provide historical overviews, readings (online textbook chapter, Reader's Companion) primary source documents (documents, maps, cartoons), teaching resources (chronologies, maps, quizzes), audio-visual resources, and additional resources. It is an excellent and comprehensive teaching resource.
Course Models: Great Depression
Part of the California History-Social Science content standards and annotated course which include: background information, focus questions, pupil activities and handouts, assessment, and references to books, articles, web sites, literature, audio-video programs, and historic site. Grade 11.
The New Deal: Multiple Choice Quiz, Fill-in-the-Blank, Flashcards, American History Glossary, American History Appendix
The Student Resources section of The American Nation companion web site features introductions to chapters, interactive quizzes, flashcards, web links, an American History Glossary, and an American History Appendix
At Home and Abroad: Prosperity and Depression, 1917–1940 Practice Test
High School level quiz on Jazz Age and Great Depression from Prentice Hall.
At Home and Abroad: Prosperity and Depression, 1917–1940: Document Based Essay
This Prentice Hall DBQ is designed to test your ability to work with historical documents and is based on the accompanying documents (1–6).
Interpreting Primary Sources
Digital History provides brief excerpts from primary sources and statistics and questions to think about: Great Depression and the New Deal
HistoryTeacher.net: AP United States History Quizzes
A New York teacher has produced a great general site for history teachers that offers AP-level United States history quizzes on many different periods and topics.
AP United States History DBQs:192-1970
These student-created DBQs are part of the excellent Historyteacher.net site
The American People: The Great Depression and the New Deal
PowerPoint Presentation on the Great Depression and the New Deal as part of the online companion to The American People. Click Chapter 24.
The American Nation: Internet Activities
Prentice Hall's phschool.com offers internet activities based on their The American Nation textbook chapters. Middle School grades.
A History of the United States: Internet Activities and Student Self Test Questions
Prentice Hall's phschool.com offers internet activities and interactive quizzes based on A History of the United States textbook chapters. High School.
Economics Resources for K-12 Teachers
EcEdWeb is your headquarters for teaching resources for K-12 or pre-college economics. The menus at the top are designed to work the way you work: if you need a lesson or information on a particular concept (e.g. scarcity), start with Concepts