1931 England Food Riot
Lesson Plan by Ashley Ralston
Hands-On History Coordinator, Historic Arkansas Museum
Butler Center for Arkansas Studies
2007-2008 School Year
Utilizing 2006 Arkansas Social Studies Frameworks
Plus Other Curriculum Frameworks Including 2007 School Library Media Frameworks
Students will begin by looking at America as a whole during the Depression. Students
will then refine their perspective to a specific event, the England Food Riot, in Arkansas
history that took place during that period. Students will look closer into the past by
examining one family in that area. They will use resources for a predetermined task.
Grades: 9th -12th
Objectives:
1.Students will be able to analyze primary sources to understand
life during the Great Depression.
2. Students will be able to examine documents and discuss cause
and effect of a specific event in history.
3. Students will be able to use new information about a past event
and apply it to the world around them.
Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks:
Arkansas History Student Learning Expectations:
GD.8.AH.9-12.5 - Explore the economic and social consequences of the Great
Depression
G.3.CAG.1 - Explain the purpose of the government
English Language Arts Student Learning Expectations:
OV.1.10.2 - Prepare and participate in informal discussions and activities, such as
presentations, group discussions/work teams, and debates…
W.4.9.1 - Generate, gather and organize ideas for writing
School Library Media Student Learning Expectations:
I.1.9.9, I.1.10.9, I.1.11.10, I.1.12.10 – Distinguish between primary and secondary
sources
I.2.9.2, I.2.10.2, I.2.11.2, I.2.12.2 – Evaluate primary and secondary sources
A.4.9.1, A.4.10.1, A.4.11.1, A.4.12.1 – Use resources and/or technology tools for a
predetermined task
Related Encyclopedia of Arkansas Entries:
Early Twentieth Century, 1901 through 1940; England Food Riot of 1931; Lonoke
County
Introduction:
The teacher will select the appropriate student learning expectations for his or her class,
review the key terms, and make copies of the selected activity handouts as described in
the lesson. Collaboration with the school library media specialist for assistance in the
utilization of the technology resource tool for Arkansas History is suggested. See above
links or visit the online Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture at
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net. The library media specialist can assist with
obtaining the web resources cited in this lesson.
Key Terms:
The Great Depression
Census Report
Key Terms Defined:
The Great Depression: a time of extreme economic hardship that affected the majority
of the United States.
Census Report: a data base of information taken on individuals and households by the
government every ten years.
Materials Needed:
Writing Utensils
Notebook
Internet Access
Handouts from Cited Web Sources
Suggest Timeline:
Two 50 minute class periods
Background:
The England Food Riot occurred in January of 1931. Citizens of England, Arkansas
were starving and not able to receive food for their families. The merchants at the local
stores had run out of government vouchers and were not sure whether or not they would
receive payment for food. The citizens formed a mob and stormed the stores, claiming
the stores could either give them the food or they would take it by force. Merchants
handed out the food and were later paid back by the government. The England Food
Riot became a national event and epitomized the needs of the poor during the
Depression.
Procedure:
* All discussion questions may be placed in a notebook as a journal question, if desired.
Have students answer a discussion question:
y How do people obtain the resources they need?
Students should brainstorm, and place suggestions on the board, where they may be
discussed as a class.
Tell students you are going to give them a fictitious scenario and they must come up with
a solution, listing all of the pros and cons:
The school cafeteria has raised the prices for the food, so much so, that students
are unable to pay for lunch throughout the week. Unfortunately, students also
have no food at home to bring for lunch. How will students obtain the food that
they need? Whose responsibility is it to ensure that the students have food for
lunch (i.e. government, teachers, parents, etc.)
Activity 1:
Students will begin by learning about life during the Great Depression. If appropriate
equipment is available, students will listen to an audio of President Roosevelt’s speech:
http://hpol.org/fdr/inaug If appropriate equipment is not available, the teacher may make
a copy of the speech found at the suggested website. At the end of this activity students
should understand the general atmosphere of the 1930’s and be able to answer the
discussion question:
y What was the government’s plan to rectify the economic hardships of the American
people?
Activity 2:
Provide students with the 1930 census data for Lonoke County (England, Arkansas):
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05085.html. Have students review information
about population, education and economy during The Great Depression in this county.
Students should be able to answer the discussion question:
y How do census reports help historians analyze an event?
Activity 3:
Provide students with the online text article from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History
and Culture which describes the England Food Riot. Students should be able to answer
the discussion question:
y What were the causes and effects of the England Food Riot?
Evaluation:
Have students research a place in the world today that is going through the same type of
hardships as described in the England food riot. From their previous lists of cause and
effect, have students identify the similarities in the different times and place. Have
students answer the following discussion questions:
y How do places struggling with hardship impact the world around them?
For Further Reading: See Race Relations in the Natural State by Grif Stockley.
The textbook has been adopted by the ADE as social studies resource. Order
information is available at http://www.butlercenter.org/publication/books.html
Mr. Stockley has written several articles for the online Encyclopedia of Arkansas
History and Culture. Students can use the advanced search feature in the online
encyclopedia to access these articles.
The Taylor Foundation (Little Rock, Arkansas) makes Butler Center lesson plans possible.
Contact the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, Central Arkansas Library System, 100 Rock St.,
Little Rock, AR, 72201. 501-918-3056 www.butlercenter.org and www.cals.lib.ar.us