Senior High School

The Great Depression in the United States was the worst and longest economic collapse in the history of the modern industrial world, lasting from the end of 1929 until the early 1940s. This decline spead to many industrialized countries, since countries were dependent on each other for economic stability. There were many contributing factors that led to the Depression. The main factor was the distribution of wealth during the 1920s. Money was unequally divided between the rich and the poor, between Europe and America. This created an imbalance in wealth, which ultimately led to economic instability. Another contributing factor was the Stock Market Crash of 1929, which bankrupted thousands of investors, and destroyed people's confidence in the economy. Many people were left unemployed due to rapid declines in production and selling of goods. A large number of people lost their homes, businesses, jobs, and spirit. Many people depended on charities for food, clothing, and shelter.

In this webquest you will assume the role of a reporter. You will gain insight about life during the Great Depression of the 1930s through this webquest that will allow you to create a newspaper, reporting on people, places, and events of the times.

The Task

Use the following websites to better understand the economic, social, political, and cultural aspects of the Great Depression to create a Newspaper with a partner.
The newspaper should include the following 8 sections. Each section should have at least one image.
1. General News and Major News Events
2. Economic News
3. Culture
4. Political News
5. Personal Stories/Interviews
6. Weather and the Dust Bowl
7. Recipes
8. Recreation/Sports

Discuss with your partner which 4 areas each of you will complete. Either you will select the odd numbered topics or the even numbered. You will be responsible for placing the 4 News Sections into a format using a Newsletter Template from Microsoft Office-Word. You and your partner should select the format you both want to use. When each of you are completed and have reviewed the finished product you will place it together and hand in.

Copying text and pasting is not allowed--that is plagiarism--stealing another's work. Instead, you should read the text and rewrite in your own words what you read--what you think about the issue, just as a reporter would.

The Process and Resources

You will be working with a partner to create a newspaper by searching information for the questions on the following sites.

Part 1 - General News and Major News Events

Use the following links to report on news for this section.
Target 3 major news events and report on them in this section..check out
The Depression News
BELOW ARE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS/TOPICS YOU MIGHT WANT TO REPORT ON ALSO...
1. What was the social atmosphere during the Great Depression?

2. How were children affected by the Depression?

3. How were farmers affected by the Depression and the devastating dustbowls?

Timeline of The Great Depression - This website provides an extensive and detailed timeline of the Great Depression
Economic Analysis of the 1929 Crash - This site provides charts and summaries of business cycles.
Why did the Stock Market Crash? - Explains why the stock market crashed.
American Cultural History during The Great Depression 1930-1939 - The purpose of this site is to help the user gain a broader understanding and appreciation for the culture of the 1930's.
Reminiscences of The Great Depression - This website provides first-hand accounts from individuals that lived through the Depression.
Black Sunday - Describes the destruction of the last worst and major dust storm.
A Letter to FDR - This is an excerpt of a letter written to FDR from an ordinary citizen. Click on 'entire interview' to read the entire letter.
Begging during The Great Depression - A narrative about the Garrett's family struggle during the Depression.
Oral History transcribed from the Great Depression - Click on the various names to read their narratives. What do these links tell us about their social environment?
Survivor of Dust Bowl
Letters to Mrs. Roosevelt - Click on the various letters and read about the social conditions of the Depression. Includes letters from children.

Part 2--Economic News
Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions that you may want to include in your section related to Economic Issues:

1. List the economic causes of the Great Depression?

2.. When did the 'Great Depression' begin?

3. How many people were unemployed?

4. What happened to many farmers?

5. Because of this disaster, what happened to families? Give 4 details.

Depression Introduction

Causes of The Stock Market Crash of 1929 - This site provides details of why the stock market crashed.
Why did the Stock Market Crash? - Explains why the stock market crashed.
The main causes of the Great Depression - Describes the main causes of the Great Depression, exploring the 1920s, as well.

Part 3--Culture

Use the Internet information linked below to locate answers to these questions about the cultural times of the 1930s. This information will prove useful and interesting for the Culture Section of your newspaper .

1. Click on this Site--Collection of Music from the 1930's
Listen to one of the songs--report on kind of lyrics are contained in the site and how they relate to the times.

2. What was the purpose of implementing Arts during the Depression?

3. What did the radio and newspaper explain about the era?

American Cultural History during The Great Depression 1930-1939 - The purpose of this site is to help the user gain a broader understanding and appreciation for the culture of the 1930's.
Picture of a Soup Kitchen - This picture portrays the lack of despair during the Depression.
The 1930s in Print - On this website you can navigate the newspaper by clicking on the sections located on the left-hand side.
Art and Projects during the 1930s - At the bottom of this website, click on the various projects to see the spirit of the 1930s.
Radio during the 1930s - On this website click on various titles to learn about radio programs during the 1930s.
The Great Depression and the Arts - Describes the Arts in 1930s.
Films in the 1930s - Explores the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Part 4--Political Analysis
Use the Internet information linked below to answer questions that you may want to consider writing about in the Political Section of your newspaper.

1. Compare and contrast the administration of Hoover and Roosevelt?

2. What was the major political cause of the Great Depression?

3. Which programs of the New Deal, were the most sucessful?

FDR's First Inagural Address - FDR's 1st inagural address is located towards the bottom of the site. Brief summary of the address is provided
FDR's Fireside Chat on the Purposes and Foundation of the Recovery Program - Primary Sources include a reproduction of a radio address by FDR concerning the New Deal. A summary of the New Deal.
Herbert Hoover's Early Response to the Great Depression - This site puts the Great Depression in historical context. In addition, details Hoover's early response to the crisis.
The Depression Papers of Herbert Hoover - This website provides an extensive collections of Hoover's official papers and public statements that relate directly or indirectly to his economic policy during The Great Depression.
FDR and the New Deal - A brief summary of FDR's New Deal
Summary of the Causes of the Great Depression - Variety of explanations for the cause of the Depression.
Critics of the New Deal - Overview of the New Deal criticism

Part 5--Personal Stories/Interviews--Use the following websites to write about 2 lives of people--write the interviews as a summary of each.
Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to :

'American Exodus'

1. Look at the photos in this web site. What happened to the crops in the midwest that caused people to move west?

2. Many people became migrants(moved around for work). How did these people travel?

3. Where did they live?

4. When they found work was it easy or hard? Explain.

'Migrant Family'

5. This photo shows a migrant family. What do you see? Share 3 bits of information about this family? Do they look happy? Explain.

American Exodus

'I Remember...'
6. Four different people remember what life was like for them during the Depression. Pick one rememberence to read. Tell how that person was able to surive during this time.

7. If you were in their place, would you have done the same? Explain using details from the piece.

'Tales from the Rails'
8. Here is another story of life during the Depression, This is the story of a 16 year old who rode the rails. Why did he travel the rails?

9. Where was he trying to go? Why there?

10. What happened to him?

I Remember
Tales from the RailsAmerican Exodus'

Part 6-- Weather and the Dust Bowls

1. How did the Dust Bowls and the Weather affect conditions of the 1930's? Check out the following sites to report on weather of this time period.
Dust Bowls from AccuWeather

Weather Patterns of 1930 from NASA

Weather Related Causes of the Dust Bowls of 1930s
Part 7-- Recipes
Post a Recipe--1 or 2 here for something one would make/eat during the depression years--check out this site:
Great Depression Recipe

Part 8-Sports/Recreation

1. What was happening in sports during the 1930's? Click here for more information

2. What are recreational activities that families were involved with during the 1930's?
Games
Memories of Fun Things to do during the Depression

Conclusion
As a news reporter--you now have to publish your articles in your newspaper to share with others.