Downloadable Reproducible eBooks
Thank you for downloading this eBook from
www.socialstudies.com

To browse more eBook titles, visit
http://www.socialstudies.com/ebooks.html
To learn more about eBooks, visit our help page at
http://www.socialstudies.com/ebookshelp.html
For questions, please e-mail [email protected]

Free E-mail Newsletter–Sign up Today!
To learn about new eBook and print titles, professional
development resources, and catalogs in the mail, sign up for
our monthly e-mail newsletter at
http://socialstudies.com/newsletter/
DOCUMENT-BASED ACTIVITIES
THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND NEW DEAL
Using Primary Sources and the Internet
Social Studies School Service
www.socialstudies.com
Document-Based Activities on the Great
Depression and New Deal
Using Primary Sources and the Internet
Kerry Gordonson, Writer
Bill Williams, Writer
Dr. Aaron Willis, Project Coordinator
Katie Brown, Editorial Assistant
Social Studies School Service
10200 Jefferson Blvd., P.O. Box 802
Culver City, CA 90232
http://socialstudies.com
[email protected]
(800) 421-4246
All the Web addresses in this book can be found on our Web site:
http://www.socialstudies.com/uslinks.html
Updated 2005
© 2001 Social Studies School Service
10200 Jefferson Blvd., P.O. Box 802
Culver City, CA 90232
United States of America
(310) 839-2436
(800) 421-4246
Fax: (800) 944-5432
Fax: (310) 839-2249
http://socialstudies.com
[email protected]
Cover art courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration
http://www.nara.gov/exhall/newdeal/76.gif
Permission is granted to reproduce individual worksheets for classroom use only.
Printed in the United States of America.
ISBN 1-56004-119-6
Product Code: ZP183
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Teacher Introduction ................................................................................................v
Overview: Impact of the Great Depression ..............................................................vii
LESSONS
1. Roosevelt’s Fireside Chat
Teacher Page ...................................................................................................... 1
Student Worksheet ............................................................................................... 3
2. The New Deal and the Arts
Teacher Page ...................................................................................................... 5
Student Worksheet ............................................................................................... 7
3. “An Emergency is On”: African Americans and the NRA
Teacher Page ...................................................................................................... 9
Student Worksheet ............................................................................................... 11
4. “Sunny Cal”: The Okies Head West
Teacher Page ...................................................................................................... 13
Student Worksheet ............................................................................................... 15
5. The Court-Packing Controversy
Teacher Page ...................................................................................................... 17
Student Worksheet ............................................................................................... 19
Culminating Activities ............................................................................................ 23
Appendix
Answer Key ......................................................................................................... 27
Rubrics ................................................................................................................ 31
Selected Documents ............................................................................................ 37
Related Web Sites ................................................................................................ 41
Suggested Curriculum Materials ........................................................................ 43
iv
v
DOCUMENT-BASED ACTIVITIES ON THE GREAT
DEPRESSION AND THE NEW DEAL
TEACHER INTRODUCTION
Description:
In this unit students recognize the effects of the Great Depression on America and
Americans of various social, economic, and cultural walks of life. They investigate the
actions of the president to deal with the situation and how individuals and groups were
affected by policies. They use primary sources to develop a general concept of the New
Deal and its implications for America. A “fireside chat,” a song, a painting, political
cartoons, and an article from a journal provide a variety of sources for the students to
analyze.
Unit objectives:
Knowledge: students will
• understand the steps taken by President Roosevelt to combat the economic crisis
• evaluate how and why changing economic conditions affected Americans
• recognize the human toll of the Depression, in particular the Dust Bowl refugees
Skills:
• analyze, evaluate, and interpret primary source documents
• communicate effectively the results of their analysis in discussion and written
argument
• use relevant and adequate evidence to draw conclusions
Prior Knowledge Required:
Students have studied the 1920s and the economic and social conditions that preceded the
Great Depression. They should know the causes of the Depression and be familiar with
the major components of the New Deal.
Lesson Format:
Each lesson consists of two parts: a teacher page containing an introduction, objectives,
URL(s) used in the lesson, teaching strategies, wrap-up questions, and an extension
activity; and a reproducible student page with a brief introduction which sets the context
for the lesson, URL(s) used, and questions to be answered about the source.
vi
Assessment:
Based on the time available, you may want to select which answers you want to assess in
each activity. Most questions require short answers. Others will require a response of
anywhere from a paragraph to a full page (or longer if preferred).
Suggested rubrics are included in the Appendix.
Additional Sources:
The Appendix contains answer keys, evaluation rubrics, primary source documents, an
annotated list of Web sites on the Great Depression and the New Deal, and
supplementary materials available from www.socialstudies.com.
vii
OVERVIEW: IMPACT OF THE DEPRESSION
“I pledge you, I pledge myself to a new deal for the American people”
-Franklin D. Roosevelt, acceptance speech, Democratic National Convention, Chicago, 1932
The 1920s had been characterized by exceptional economic growth, the development of a
consumer society, an expansion of the middle class, and rapid social change. However,
danger signs began to emerge near the end of the decade. Too much of the economic
expansion had been based on “buying on margin” in the stock market and buying on
credit in the marketplace. As a result, people were creating enormous personal debt.
When stock prices began to fall, brokers began calling in “margin” debts, and people
responded by selling their stocks at a rapid pace. On Tuesday October 29, 1929, the stock
market experienced what has come to be called “The Great Crash.” Losses exceeded $30
billion. Many people were ruined financially. This signaled the beginning of the Great
Depression.
Not all of the impact of the Depression was the result of business and consumer
practices—weather was also a factor. The Midwest was hit by dust storms in the early
30s, then drought combined with the wind to turn these once fertile plains into what
became known as the “Dust Bowl.” Farmers watched helplessly as their crops withered
away, then found themselves unable to pay off their debts since they had nothing to sell.
Many lost their land to foreclosure and effectively became refugees in their own country.
Among the hardest hit were the farmers from Oklahoma, many of whom traveled west to
California in search of work, but often found more hardship. John Steinbeck
immortalized the plight of the “Okies” in his classic novel The Grapes of Wrath.
When Franklin Roosevelt assumed the presidency in 1933, the United States and the rest
of the western world was in a deep economic depression. He immediately began to
implement the “three R’s” that would characterize the collection of programs and
measures that came to be known as the New Deal: relief, recovery, and reform. In his
first hundred days in office, Roosevelt pushed program after program through Congress.
He closed the banks, had Congress pass the Emergency Banking Act, and established the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Federal Emergency Relief
viii
Administration (FERA). To familiarize Americans with his plans, he initiated a series of
“fireside chats” that were broadcast over the radio. These chats became one of the
hallmarks of his presidency, and helped add to his already substantial nationwide
popularity.
In 1933 Congress passed the National Industrial Recovery Act. This legislation
established the National Recovery Administration (NRA) and had the broad goal of
bringing about economic stability through business planning, such as fair practice codes
for wages, working conditions, production, and pricing. The result was mixed, as some
people felt that the reforms were not being administered fairly and were favoring certain
groups over others. Ensuing New Deal legislation moved from specifically trying to fix
problems in the economy to creating jobs for the large numbers of unemployed. In 1935
the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was established and charged with
constructing hospitals, schools, and playgrounds. In addition, the WPA provided
significant funding for the arts, helping musicians, painters, writers, actors, and historians
to produce an outpouring of creative projects.
However, not everyone was in favor of the New Deal programs. Some believed the
government had not done enough to aid the suffering; others felt it had gone too far and
imposed regulation in places where it did not belong. One of the greatest sources of
opposition was the Supreme Court, who frustrated FDR to no end by questioning the
constitutionality of and/or delaying the implementation of key pieces of legislation. To
get around the “nine old men” who he felt were keeping the country mired in the throes
of the Depression, Roosevelt proposed a constitutional amendment that would add up to
six new judges to the Supreme Court and up to 44 judges to lower federal tribunals. He
claimed that the Court was overworked and that the new justices would help the existing
ones clear the backlog of cases, but many people were skeptical. The controversy over
this “court-packing” plan (as it came to be known) was one of the largest that FDR had to
face.
ix
Ironically, America came out of the Depression primarily as the result of having to face a
larger threat: the looming specter of World War II. Preparing for war required increased
production, which provided a boost to the economy that lasted through the war and laid
the basis for the boom of the 1950s. The New Deal’s impact nonetheless was huge and
still continues to affect America today: key government programs such as Social
Security, the FDIC, the Federal Housing Administration, and others originated in the
1930s. Whether or not the New Deal was a “success” remains a matter for debate. No
definitive evidence exists proving that the New Deal pulled the country out of the
Depression; however, it did break new ground in terms of social legislation and
centralized control of the economy, and it changed the way in which people
conceptualized what the role of federal government should be—all legacies which persist
to this day.
x
1
Roosevelt’s Fireside Chat
Teacher Page
Overview:
The source is a transcript of FDR’s fireside chat of May 7, 1933. In it he discusses both
measures that have been taken already as well as those soon to be implemented as part of
the New Deal, including the bank holiday, the CCC, the TVA, the Farm Relief Bill, and
the Railroad Bill. He also spends a great deal of time providing a rationale for these
measures, taking great pains to assure the public that neither the Executive Branch nor
the government as a whole is overstepping its bounds.
Objectives:
Students will:
• understand Roosevelt’s plans to combat the main problems of the Depression
• interpret the meaning of statements used in the speech
• assess the goals, benefits, and broad implications of Roosevelt’s policies
Web Sites Used in this Lesson:
The document exists on the New Deal Network Web site at
http://newdeal.feri.org/chat/chat02.htm
Strategies:
Pose the following questions to the class: “How does the President or other top level
officials communicate with the public today? How effective do you think today’s
methods are?”
Distribute handout to students. Have students answer questions 1 and 2 only, then discuss
the answers to these questions and make comparisons to today.
Students complete the remaining questions.
Wrap-Up:
After students have completed the worksheet, discuss interpretations of the quotation in
questions 3 and 7. Come to a consensus about the meanings.
Ask students, “What do you think Roosevelt’s most important immediate goal was? What
was his most important long-term goal?”
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
2
Extension Activity:
Obtain a transcript of a present-day presidential radio address and have them identify the
central theme of the message, interpret meanings of key phrases, and assess the policy
implications and/or political goals
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
3
Roosevelt’s Fireside Chat
Student Worksheet
Introduction:
FDR’s first ten days in office had been marked by a flurry of emergency measures
designed to curb the downward spiral of the U.S. banking system and to put the nation as
a whole back on a firmer economic footing. One of those measures was the bank holiday,
which closed all the banks for five days so that the government could examine their
financial health. By March 15th, many banks had been certified as sound enough to be
reopened and the stock market had risen significantly above its mid-February low. FDR
had been president for only two months when he gave this radio address to the nation.
All Web links for this lesson can be found at: http://www.socialstudies.com/uslinks.html
Directions:
Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats
Go to http://newdeal.feri.org/chat/chat02.htm.
Answer the following questions about the primary source:
1. What do you think FDR hoped to accomplish by holding these fireside chats? Why do
you think he called them “fireside chats” instead of radio addresses or speeches?
2. Who would have been likely to listen to the fireside chats? How might have they
benefited by listening to them?
3. Roosevelt said, “The country was dying by inches.” How does he justify this opinion?
4. In part 5 of the chat, why do you think Roosevelt spent so much time talking about
Congress before focusing on his economic recovery plan?
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
4
5. Part 7 discusses the Civilian Conservation Corps. Here Roosevelt states, “we are
killing two birds with one stone” because the CCC will be both “enhancing the value
of our natural resources” and “giving opportunity of employment to one quarter of a
million of the unemployed.” Do you think these two goals were equal in importance?
Why or why not?
6. In part 8 he refers to “incident benefits” of the TVA reaching the entire nation. Was
Roosevelt just trying to convince everyone that a local project was in the national
interest? Were there specific benefits that the TVA would provide for the country as a
whole?
7. In part 18, Roosevelt states, “We cannot ballyhoo ourselves back to prosperity.” What
does he mean by this?
8. In part 29, FDR says, “…the domestic situation is inevitably and deeply tied in with
the conditions in all the other nations of the world.” Why do you think he thought it
was important to make this point?
9. Part 22 suggests a broader concern than economic recovery. “We are working toward
a definite goal, which is to prevent the return of conditions which came very close to
destroying what we call modern civilization.” What “conditions” do you think he is
referring to here? Based on your knowledge of the era, do you think most Americans
would have agreed with the president that this was the goal of the New Deal?
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
5
The New Deal and the Arts
Teacher Page
Overview:
This primary source for this lesson is a painting from an online exhibit at the National
Archives. Created for an exhibition at the 1936 Kansas State Fair, it tells the story of the
National Youth Authority (NYA). The foreground of the painting shows several types of
NYA activities; the left side shows manual occupations, while the right depicts tasks that
were more intellectual in nature. The background’s shadowy figures represent problems
and temptations faced by young people during the Depression: crime, poverty, gambling,
and homelessness. Overall, this source can show students one sort of art that was being
created under the auspices of the New Deal, and get them to think about the effect the
NYA had on the youth of America.
Objectives:
Students will:
• view a painting and make inferences from it
• speculate on an artist’s intentions
• place the painting in the context of the New Deal
• evaluate how effectively the artist communicated his message
Web Sites Used in this Lesson:
Send students directly to
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/new_deal_for_the_arts/images/work_pays_america/ima
ges/national_youth_admininistration.jpg, which shows only the painting and does not
include background information or interpretations of the painting. More information can
be found in the “Work Pays America” section of the NARA online exhibit at
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/new_deal_for_the_arts/work_pays_america.html. The
URL for the entire exhibition, “A New Deal for the Arts,” is
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/new_deal_for_the_arts/index.html.
Strategies:
Introduce the lesson with a brief discussion on what we can learn about a time period
from looking at art created in that period.
Distribute handout to students and review the introduction so that all students understand
the role of the NYA.
Student answers for questions 1–5 can be 2–3 sentences. Responses to question 6 can
range in length from a single paragraph to a maximum of one page, depending on time
available.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
6
Wrap-Up:
After students have answered questions, pose the following questions to the class:
•
Do you think that government support of the arts during the 1930s significantly
alleviated the misery of the Great Depression?
•
To what extent should government support the arts today?
Extension Activity:
Individually or in pairs, have students select a New Deal program or measure and create
their own painting or poster celebrating or criticizing it.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
7
The New Deal and the Arts
Student Worksheet
Introduction:
During the depths of the Great Depression of the 1930s and into the early years of World
War II, the federal government supported the arts in unprecedented ways. For 11 years,
between 1933 and 1943, federal tax dollars employed artists, musicians, actors, writers,
photographers, and dancers. Never before or since has our government so extensively
sponsored the arts. The National Youth Administration (NYA) provided jobs for young
adults, especially college students, many of whom found themselves without work,
direction, or hope. In 1936, Alden Krider, an NYA artist, painted the story of the NYA
for an exhibit at the Kansas State Fair.
All Web links for this lesson can be found at: http://www.socialstudies.com/uslinks.html
Directions:
Painting depicting the activities of the National Youth Administration
Go to
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/new_deal_for_the_arts/images/work_pays_america/ima
ges/national_youth_admininistration.jpg
Answer the following questions about the painting:
1. Describe the different types of activities depicted in the foreground of the painting.
2. What is notable about the use of color in the painting?
3. What do you think the figures in the background represent?
4. The quotation in the center of the painting is from FDR’s words establishing the NYA
in 1935. Why do you think the artist included it in the painting?
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
8
5. What is the difference between the activities shown in the left compared to those
shown in the right? Why might the artist have done this?
6. In your own words, describe what you think the message of this painting is and how
effectively the artist communicated the message.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
9
“An Emergency Is On”: African Americans and the NRA
Teacher Page
Overview:
This is an article written by T. Arnold Hill and published in Opportunity, Journal of
Negro Life in September, 1933. It will provide students with a point of view that is
critical of the effect the policies of the NRA were having on black workers.
Objectives:
Students will:
• understand how the NRA affected workers
• note the differences in how blacks and whites experienced the New Deal
• engage in a detailed analysis and critique of the author’s arguments.
Web Sites Used in this Lesson:
The document exists on the New Deal Network Web site at
http://newdeal.feri.org/opp/opp33280.htm. This site also has several other articles from
Opportunity that cover many different subjects.
Strategies:
One option for implementing the lesson would be to give students the worksheet and
assign questions 1–5 only. Discuss the answers to establish the context of the article.
Next, assign the remaining questions in order to assess and critique the author’s point of
view.
Questions 6–12 are meant to be answered in a paragraph or more. Omit some of the
questions if time is an issue.
Wrap-Up:
After students have completed the worksheet, have them exchange letters to Roosevelt
and peer-assess them for the quality of the argument.
Do students agree with Hill’s assertion that “forthright leadership” would be the key to
meeting this “emergency”?
Ask students if they think there is wage inequality based on race in America today.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
10
Extension Activity:
Although this piece portrays the NRA as ineffective in remedying wage inequalities
based on race, New Deal policies generally led to the improvement of blacks in American
society. Have students find examples of how this occurred and evaluate which of FDR’s
measures they think was most important in helping blacks on the road to equality.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
11
“An Emergency Is On”: African Americans and the NRA
Student Worksheet
Introduction:
The National Recovery Administration (NRA) was one of the centerpieces of the New
Deal. Its main task was to work with industries to establish codes outlining fair labor and
business practices. The main goal here was to curb production: Owners would benefit
from higher prices and the huge surplus of excess goods would start to dwindle,
hopefully setting the country back on the path to economic stability. Under the provisions
of the act establishing the NRA, workers were promised collective bargaining, and
minimum wages and maximum work hours were to be set. However, the NRA affected
white workers and black workers in very different ways, as this selection will reveal.
All Web links for this lesson can be found at: http://www.socialstudies.com/uslinks.html
Directions:
“An Emergency is On”
Go to http://newdeal.feri.org/opp/opp33280.htm and answer the following questions:
1. What type of source is it?
___ written
___ image
___audio/video
___chart/graph
Specifically describe the type of source. (i.e. letter, photo)
_______________________________
2.
Dates _________
If no date, can you tell the time period from the content? ___________________
3. Who created the source? __________________________________________
4. Why might the source have been created?
5.
a. Who in the past would have come in contact with this source?
b. How might they have been affected by the source?
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
12
6. What is the “emergency” referred to in the title?
7. For what reasons might employers have been inclined to fire black workers rather
than pay them the same wages as white workers?
8. In your own words, restate Hill’s argument why a dual wage scale would be
economically unsound.
9. Why does Hill insist that black workers should demand equal pay and risk getting
fired rather than accept lower wages than white workers?
10. In part 7, what is the “hypocrisy” to which Hill refers, and why does he believe that it
“disqualifies the government as a democracy fit to pass sentence upon other nations”?
11. Upon whom does Hill place the blame for “the failure of Negroes to rouse themselves
on behalf of their own salvation”? What does Hill see as the solution to this
“emergency”?
12. Assume the role of President Roosevelt and write two or three paragraphs responding
to Hill’s arguments.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
13
“Sunny Cal”: The Okies Head West
Teacher Page
Overview:
This primary source from the Library of Congress is a 1940 folk song composed by Jack
Bryant at a Farm Security Administration (FSA) camp in California’s Central Valley.
Students will first listen to an audio clip of the song (Bryant performs unaccompanied,
singing and playing acoustic guitar), then analyze the lyrics. This lesson should give
students an idea of what it was like to be a migrant worker in California, and should also
provide them with valuable practice in analyzing a non-written primary source.
Objectives:
Students will:
• listen to a song from the Depression era about life for Okies in California
• place the song in its historical and social context
• make inferences about what audience the author of the song was trying to reach
• evaluate how effectively the artist conveyed his message
Web Sites Used in this Lesson:
These primary sources are buried deep within the Library of Congress’s labyrinthine Web
site. There are no permanent URLs for them; instead, you will need to go to
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html, which is the home page for an
American Memory exhibit titled “Voices from the Dust Bowl: The Charles L. Todd and
Robert Sonkin Migrant Worker Collection.” From here, click on “Search by Keywords”
and type “Sunny Cal” into the box called “Search Descriptive Information.” Two links
for “Sunny Cal” should appear; the first link goes to the bibliographic record for the song,
while the second goes to a page with a link to an audio file of Bryant performing the
song. Also, from the first link students can follow other links to read a transcription of
the song and to view an image of the actual typewritten lyrics from 1940.
Strategies:
Teacher introduces lesson with a brief discussion on what the Okies encountered upon
reaching California.
Teacher distributes handout to students; make a decision as to whether the song will be
played to the whole class or students will go to the Web site individually.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
14
Wrap-Up:
After students have completed the worksheet, have a discussion focused on these issues:
•
How reliably do songs reflect the mood of a time period?
•
Do songs reflect or create attitudes?
Have students give examples of contemporary songs that they think reflect the mood of
the country.
Have students compare attitudes toward migrant workers in the 1930s with attitudes
toward illegal immigrants today.
Extension Activity:
Individually or in pairs, students read the part from The Grapes of Wrath where the
Joads, en route to California, meet up with an old acquaintance who has been living in
California, but has decided to return to the Midwest. Compare his complaints with those
voiced in “Sunny Cal.”
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
15
“Sunny Cal”: The Okies Head West
Student Worksheet
Introduction:
The economic difficulties of the Depression were exacerbated by geographic conditions
for thousands of Midwest farm families. During much of the 1930s drought and dust
storms wreaked havoc on Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and other Plains states. It is
estimated that over 400,000 people left Oklahoma and went to California to find work.
However, California did not prove to be the solution to all of their problems, as this
source will indicate.
All Web links for this lesson can be found at: http://www.socialstudies.com/uslinks.html
Directions:
“Sunny Cal”
Go to http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html, which is the home page for
an American Memory exhibit titled “Voices from the Dust Bowl: The Charles L. Todd
and Robert Sonkin Migrant Worker Collection.” From here, click on “Search by
Keywords” and type “Sunny Cal” into the box called “Search Descriptive Information.”
Two links for “Sunny Cal” should appear; click on the second. On the next page, click on
the blue button that says “Listen to this recording.”
After this selection has finished, go back to the search page and click on the first “Sunny
Cal” link, then use the information on that page to help you answer the following
questions:
1. What type of source is it?
___written ___ image ___audio/video
__chart/graph
Specifically describe the type of source. (i.e. letter, photo)
_______________________________
2. Dates_________ If no date, can you tell the time period from the content?
___________________
3. Who created the source? _________________________________
4. In one sentence summarize the story told by this source.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
16
5. Write a sentence describing the mood or emotion expressed in the source.
6. What might have motivated the author to write this source?
7. a. Who do you think was the intended audience for this source?
b. How do you think the author hoped to affect or influence his audience?
c. Write a sentence or two explaining whether or not you think the author effectively
conveyed his message.
8. In your own words, write a three- to four-sentence statement in which you express
why this source is historically important.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
17
The Court-Packing Controversy
Teacher Page
Overview:
This lesson uses two political cartoons from the FDR Cartoon Archive. Both are direct
commentaries on Roosevelt’s plan to add six additional justices to the Supreme Court.
The two cartoons offer an example of opposing viewpoints (it should be fairly clear
which one is pro-Roosevelt and which one is anti-Roosevelt). In the activity, students use
the same criteria to make inferences about and evaluate each cartoon, then conclude by
comparing the two to decide which is more effective.
Objectives:
Students will:
• understand the symbolism and meanings of two political cartoons from the 1930s
• place the cartoons within the appropriate historical context
• identify the point of view of each cartoon
• evaluate how effectively each cartoonist communicated his message
Web Sites Used in this Lesson:
Both cartoons come from the FDR Cartoon Archive at http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/.
The URL for the one titled “Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hear Ye!” is
http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/1937/37_scgifs/large/37020608.gif. The URL for the one
titled “But Captain!” is
http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/1937/37_scgifs/large/37012302.gif.
Strategies:
Introduce political cartoons by using a current example. Engage the class in a discussion
of the meaning of your chosen cartoon. Generally discuss the purpose of political
cartoons.
Distribute handout to students and review the introduction to establish the general
context.
All questions could be answered in 1-3 sentences except for the final question, for which
students should write at least one paragraph in which they defend their choice.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
18
Wrap-Up:
After students have completed the exercise, read the following statement to the class:
“Even though the court packing measure failed to pass, it was still a success for FDR.”
Ask students what this statement means, and if they agree or disagree with the statement.
Next, have a discussion focused on how to recognize a point of view.
Pose the following questions:
1. “Do you think that political cartoons are an effective means of expressing a point of
view?”
2. “What was the historical significance of the court packing controversy especially as it
was revealed through political cartoons of the time?”
Extension Activity:
Have students go to http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/1937/index.html at the FDR Cartoon
Archive and examine other cartoons about the court-packing controversy. Have them
select four cartoons that they think offer the most incisive commentary on the
controversy: one from January-March, one from April-June, one from July-September,
and one from October-December. Students should defend their choices either
individually in writing or as part of a group oral presentation.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
19
The Court-Packing Controversy
Student Worksheet
Introduction:
The Supreme Court had invalidated several of the early New Deal initiatives such as
NIRA. Frustrated by these circumstances, Roosevelt was anxious to extend his reform to
the court itself. FDR’s proposed legislation would have allowed him to appoint up to six
new justices. He was accused of trying to “pack” the court with justices who would be
favorable to the New Deal. The following primary sources indicate differing perspectives
on Roosevelt’s plan.
All Web links for this lesson can be found at: http://www.socialstudies.com/uslinks.html
Directions:
“Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hear Ye!” and “But Captain!”
Go to http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/1937/37_scgifs/large/37020608.gif
http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/1937/37_scgifs/large/37012302.gif
Answer the following questions about the primary sources
1. What type of source is this?
___written
___ image
___audio/video
__chart/graph
Specifically describe the type of source. (i.e. letter, photo)
_______________________________
2.
Dates_________
If no date, can you tell the time period from the content?
3. Why might the source have been created?
4.
a. Who in the past would have come in contact with this source?
b. How might they have been affected by the source?
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
20
Look at the source titled “Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hear Ye!”:
1. List the characters or objects shown and identify who or what they represent.
2. Describe the action taking place.
3. Explain how the words in the source clarify the symbols. Which words appear to be
the most significant? Why do you think so?
4. What is the significance of the title?
Look at the source titled “But Captain!”:
1. List the characters or objects shown and identify who or what they represent.
2. Describe the action taking place.
3. Explain how the words in the source clarify the symbols. Which words appear to be
the most significant? Why do you think so?
4. What is the significance of the title?
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
21
Compare the two sources:
1. Which people and/or groups would have agreed with the view presented in “Hear Ye!
Hear Ye! Hear Ye!”? Why?
2. Which people and/or groups would have agreed with the view presented in “But
Captain!”? Why?
3. Which of the two sources do you think makes its argument most effectively? Why?
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
22
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
23
Culminating Activities
1. Divide the class in half and engage in a formal debate about the following statement:
“The New Deal was not targeted to help all Americans, but rather a few key
groups.”
To assess this, you can use the debate rubric in Appendix.
2. Assign a formal essay using the following lead-in thesis statement:
“ The most important way in which FDR’s administration sought to remedy the
Depression was …”
A rubric for evaluating a formal essay is available in the Appendix.
3. Have students search the additional sites and locate a single primary source that they
think best exemplifies one of the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
the impact of the Depression on agriculture
the impact of the Depression on industry
How African Americans were affected by the Depression
the most controversial part of the New Deal
life in cities during the Depression
FDR’s “finest hour” during the Depression
the greatest threat the Depression posed to Americans
the changing face of labor during the Depression
If time permits, students should make a five-minute oral presentation defending their
chosen source. If the student chooses a written document, they should summarize the
content for the class before defending their selection; if the student chooses an image,
have them show it to the whole class; if they choose an audio or video clip, have them
play it for the class.
A rubric for evaluating an oral presentation is available in Appendix.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
24
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
25
APPENDIX
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
26
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
27
Answer Key
Lesson 1: Roosevelt’s Fireside Chat
1. To keep the public calm and informed about what he and his administration were
doing. By exuding an easy and confident manner he hoped to make the American
people feel better about the situation. To create an inviting atmosphere, a sense of the
president informing every citizen personally as to what he was doing.
2. The main audience would have been middle- and lower-class Americans who were
being affected by the depression. (There is the obvious given of people having access
to a radio.) Roosevelt was called “The People’s President” and these chats helped to
reassure the public that he was following through with his pledge for a “new deal.”
People could have been encouraged knowing that he was following through with his
plans.
3. “…because trade and commerce had declined to dangerously low levels; prices for
basic commodities were such as to destroy the value of the assets of national
institutions such as banks, savings banks, insurance companies, and others. These
institutions, because of their great needs, were foreclosing mortgages, calling loans,
refusing credit. Thus there was actually in process of destruction the property of
millions of people who had borrowed money on that property in terms of dollars
which had had an entirely different value from the level of March, 1933.”
4. Roosevelt was re-assuring critics that what he was doing was constitutional and was
with the support of Congress (“Congress still retained its constitutional authority and
no one has the slightest desire to change the balance of these powers”).
5. Answers will vary. Students could argue that employment was the greater issue at that
time.
6. Answers will vary. For the greater benefit it may be argued that by increasing cheap
hydroelectric output and controlling floods, farmers in the area were more productive
and as a result more food would be available.
7. Just talking and bragging about what can be or has been done will not solve the
problem. Concrete action must be taken.
8. Possible responses could include: the U.S. as an exporting nation needed markets for
its goods; necessary imports were more expensive.
9. Subject to student interpretation. Reference could be made to the collapse of
institutions, especially financial ones, violence used against protest groups such as the
Bonus Army, and a general sense of “giving up” on traditional beliefs.
Lesson 2: The New Deal and the Arts
1. Typing, sewing, scientific research, surveying, building/constructing, and weaving
2. Brighter colors in the foreground with more light (red, yellow, green, flesh tones).
3. Shadowy figures appear to depict human frailties or defects such as gambling,
idleness, drinking, stealing. What happens to people who are not using their
potential?
4. To reinforce the theme of the painting
5. Left represents more skilled manual labor while the right depicts more white-collar
intellectual skills. Both are of equal importance to society.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
28
6. Student responses may vary.
Lesson 3: An Emergency is On
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Written; Journal Of Negro Life, a magazine
September 1933
T. Arnold Hill was the author and the National Urban League was the publisher.
As a voice for African Americans at the time. Students may have other ideas.
A. Subscribers or purchasers of the publication. It was started by the National Urban
League in 1910 as a publication to enable African Americans to secure self-reliance
and civil rights, thus the majority of readers would be African Americans.
B. Readers may have been motivated to take action based on the recommendations of
the publication.
6. The emergency—African Americans were losing their jobs because white employers
would not pay them wages equal to white workers.
7. Answers will vary. Discrimination is an obvious possibility.
8. Student answers will vary based on their comprehension and ability to rephrase.
9. “There should be no wage distinction based upon race in the NRA codes. To the
extent that people are unemployed, to that same extent will those who work have to
take care of them. This fits Negroes as well as whites. If all Negroes are discharged in
the South, so that whites may work, then the employed whites will have to support
the idle Negroes. It is unfair, of course, that the race should be forced into
mendicancy, but it is better that Negro workers insist upon wages equal to those paid
whites, even if it means their ultimate discharge, than to accept smaller wages and
thereby perpetuate the class distinctions that now exist. Neither position is a
satisfactory one for the Negro, but it is fair to assume that if the burden of support for
the maintenance of Negroes were thrown upon the State, conditions would tend to
right themselves much more quickly than if Negroes submitted to a smaller wage.”
10. How can the government rush to aid foreign countries while enslaving 12,000,000 of
its own people?
11. He blames the “Negro” leadership for its reliance on ignorance and custom instead of
agreeing on a new unified course of action.
12. Assess each answer individually.
Lesson 4: Sunny Cal
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Audio, song
1940/08/17
Jack Bryant
Migrant workers experience moving to California.
Answers will vary, but could include frustration or disappointment.
Possible response—the author’s own experience and a wish to warn others.
A. Other migrant workers, government authorities
B. Answers will vary.
C. Subjective response
8. Answers will vary.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
29
Lesson 5: The Court Packing Controversy
1.
2.
3.
4.
Image, cartoon
Not on the actual cartoon, but 1937 appears in the URL.
As a commentary on FDR’s plan to make changes to the court.
a. People who read this newspaper.
b. Answers will vary. Some may have found it humorous while others may have been
annoyed.
“Hear Ye”
1. FDR (as policeman), a justice in the cart, vehicles labeled with pieces of legislation.
2. FDR as policeman is handing a citation or piece of paper to the old justice in the cart
and is telling him he has held things up long enough.
3. Answers will vary.
4. It is a phrase used to bring a court to order.
“But Captain!
1.
2.
3.
4.
FDR, “the people,” a ship and life preservers.
FDR is about to get rid of the life preservers.
Answers will vary.
Answers will vary, but suggest a warning to the captain to reconsider.
Comparison
1. Most likely people who supported FDR’s plan to reform the court. Students could
speculate on specific groups that would support FDR.
2. Most likely those who oppose FDR’s plan. Again, students could speculate on
opposition groups.
3. Answers will vary.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
30
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
31
Argumentative Paragraph/Essay Rubric
Structure-Introduction
- states thesis/main idea
- introduces main points
Weighting
Level 1 (50-59)
- simple opening statement
- limited identification of main points
SCORE
Level 2 (60-69)
- thesis stated but unclear
- main points unclear
Level 3 (70-79)
- thesis is stated but somewhat unclear
- main points introduced with moderate clarity
Level 4 (80-100)
- thesis is precisely stated
- main points clearly introduced
Structure-Conclusion
– summarizes thesis/main
idea
– summarizes main points
Weighting
Level 1 (50-59)
- abrupt ending; limited summarizing of main
points
SCORE
Level 2 (60-69)
- thesis summarized but unclear
- main point summarized but unclear
Level 3 (70-79)
- thesis summarized but somewhat unclear
- main points summarized but unclear
Level 4 (80-100)
- thesis clearly summarized
- main points clearly summarized
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
32
Supporting Reasons or
Arguments
- arguments are related to
the main idea logically
Weighting
Level 1 (50-59)
- arguments are unrelated
SCORE
Level 2 (60-69)
- arguments are unclear and not logically related
to the main idea
Level 3 (70-79)
- arguments are usually clear and logically related
to the main idea
Level 4 (80-100)
- arguments are quite clear and logically
related to the main idea
Level 1 (50-59)
Evidence and Examples
- relevant supporting evidence - limited support of points, evidence mostly
- sufficient quantity of facts
irrelevant
used
- limited or unrelated facts used
Weighting
SCORE
Level 2 (60-69)
- some points have been supported, some
evidence not relevant
- insufficient or missing some facts
Level 3 (70-79)
- most points have been supported with relevant
evidence
- sufficient use of facts
Level 4 (80-100)
- each point has been supported with relevant
evidence
- substantial facts used
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
33
Mechanics of Writing
- correct grammar and
spelling used
- use of correct citation
method
Weighting
Level 1 (50-59)
- grammar and spelling used with limited
accuracy and effectiveness
- citation method not followed or absent
SCORE
Level 2 (60-69)
- grammar and spelling used with some accuracy
and effectiveness
- citation method used but with significant errors
Level 3 (70-79)
- grammar and spelling used with considerable
accuracy and effectiveness
- minor errors in citation method
Level 4 (80-100)
- correct grammar and spelling used with
accuracy and effectiveness almost all of the time
- precise use of citation method
Additional Criteria
Weighting
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
34
Debate Rubric
Clear articulation of position
Level 1
- position is not clearly stated
SCORE
Level 2
- position is recognized, but only clarified
through prompting
Level 3
- a clear position is stated
Level 4
- a clear position is stated and fully articulated
Provides support for position
Level 1
- limited support for initial position
SCORE
Level 2
- support for initial position is present but lacks
clarity of presentation
Level 3
- support for initial position is clearly presented
and reasoned based on evidence
Level 4
- supporting arguments for position are both
reasoned and persuasively presented
Considers other positions
Level 1
- limited sensitivity to other positions
SCORE
Level 2
- other positions acknowledged but not
considered
Level 3
- other positions acknowledged and considered
Level 4
- other positions considered and effectively
incorporated or countered
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
35
Effectively critiques positions
Level 1
- limited sensitivity to other positions
SCORE
Level 2
- other positions acknowledged but not
considered
Level 3
- other positions acknowledged and considered
Level 4
- other positions considered and effectively
incorporated or countered
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
36
Oral Presentation Rubric
Your Name: ______________________
Topic:_____________________________
Criteria
Possible
Self-Assessment
Points
Provided depth in coverage of topic.
Presentation was well planned and
coherent.
Presenters were models of thoughtfulness.
Personal experience integrated where
relevant and appropriate. Explanations
and reasons given for conclusions.
Teacher
Assessment
10
10
10
Communication aids were clear and useful.
10
Bibliographic information for others was
complete.
10
Total Possible Points
50
Rate each category according to the following scale:
•
•
•
•
•
•
9–10 = excellent
7–8 = very good
5–6 = good
3–4 = satisfactory
1–2 = poor
0 = unsatisfactory
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
37
The New Deal and the Arts
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/new_deal_for_the_arts/images/work_pays_america/ima
ges/national_youth_admininistration.jpg
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
38
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
39
“Sunny Cal”: The Okies Head West
Song Lyrics
Jack Bryant
Firebaugh, 1940
You've all heard the story
Of old Sunny Cal
The place where it never rains
They say it don't know how.
They say, "Come on, you Okies,
Work is easy found
Bring along your cotton pack
You can pick the whole year round.
Get your money ever' night
Spread your blanket on the ground
It' s always bright and warm
You can sleep right on the ground."
But listen to me Okies
I came out here one day
Spent all my money getting here
Now I can't get away.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
40
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
41
Recommended Web Sites on the Great Depression and the New Deal
New Deal Network
Over 20,000 items comprise this online database of photographs, political cartoons, and
texts (speeches, letters, and other historic documents) from the New Deal period. Based
at the Institute for Learning Technologies at Columbia University, the New Deal
Network also offers several features that explore New Deal topics with accompanying
lesson plans. The illustrated features discuss letters written to Eleanor Roosevelt for aid
during the Great Depression, American slave narratives from the Federal Writers Project,
Resident Youth Centers of the National Youth Administration, the Civilian Conservation
Corps, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
http://newdeal.feri.org/
New Deal and the Arts: National Archive Exhibit
This online exhibit sponsored by the National Archives and Records Administration
examines the various federally funded programs of the New Deal that employed vast
numbers of artists, writers, photographers, and musicians. Categories of featured art
include “Rediscovering America”, “Celebrating the People”, “Work Pays America”,
“Activist Art”, “Work Pays America” and “Useful Arts”.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/new_deal_for_the_arts/index.html
Voices from the Dust Bowl: The Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin Migrant
Worker Collection, 1940-1941
The Library of Congress hosts this online presentation of a multiformat ethnographic
field collection documenting the everyday life of residents of Farm Security
Administration (FSA) migrant work camps in central California in 1940 and 1941. The
collection consists of audio recordings, photographs, manuscript materials, publications,
and ephemera generated during two separate documentation trips supported by the
Archive of American Folk Song (now the Archive of Folk Culture, American Folklife
Center).
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Museum and Library
This online counterpart to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park, New York is
devoted to fulfilling Franklin Roosevelt's dream of making the records of the past
available “for the use of men and women in the future.” Over 10,000 digitized documents
from the President's Secretary File are available as both text and in their original version
for research purposes. Photographs, audio recordings, motion pictures, and political
cartoons are also available online.
http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/index.html
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
42
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
43
Resources on the Great Depression and the New Deal
available from Social Studies School Service
To order, go to http://www.socialstudies.com/mproduct.html and enter the code
and quantity of the desired titles or call toll-free 800-421-4246.
AMERICA LOST AND FOUND: The Depression Decade. Focusing on the
profound psychological impact of the Great Depression, this award-winning PBS
compilation of rare newsreel footage chronicles events in the political and social
history of the 1930s; meanwhile, the narrator interprets the meanings behind the
events. The main focus is on the way the Depression darkened the American Dream,
and on the way the media of the time—radio with its songs and heroes, movies with
their happy endings, newsreels drumming up hope for the New Deal, even cartoons
(showing Popeye, like the nation, knocked flat on his back, but leaping back to his
feet after a swallow of spinach)—reinvented a positive self-concept for Americans.
Grades 7 and up. Black-and-white. 58 minutes. Direct Cinema Education.
DCE100V
VHS videocassette
$95.00
JACKDAW® KITS. These primary source kits contain reproductions of historic
documents, maps, engravings, diaries, paintings, newspapers, letters, and other
documents. In addition, the kits include colorful broadsheets supplying a basic
chronological overview of the material, modern interpretations, and evaluations.
Comprehensive teacher’s guides provide reproducible activities that encourage
students to discover the historical significance of primary source materials. Grades
7–12. Golden Owl.
DJ201
THE DEPRESSION
$50.00
DJ200
THE NEW DEAL
$50.00
THE DEPRESSION HITS HOME: Photo Collection. Urban and rural
photographs of the Great Depression appear on these 12 posters: worried throngs
pack Wall Street in front of the New York Stock Exchange; dust clouds loom over
the main street of a small Kansas town; men curled in fetal positions sleep on Skid
Row pavement in San Francisco; a migrant worker’s baby plays with a “toy”
shotgun shell while daddy repairs the jalopy that will carry them to the next Texas
field. Such striking black-and-white photographs (shot by Dorothea Lange, Ben
Shahn, Russell Lee, and others) are clearly reproduced and captioned on heavy card
stock. A 10-page guide with reproducible pages contains background information,
discussion questions, ideas for research and writing, and a bibliography. Grades 6–
12. 17" x 22". Jackdaw Publications. ©1997.
DJ268
12 posters, guide
$40.00
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
44
THE GREAT DEPRESSION: 1929–1939. This series of 30 photographs and
political cartoons offers a pictorial commentary of the despair which gripped the
United States during the 1930s. Photo aids depict unemployment and bread lines,
FDR, a “Hooverville,” bank closures, New Deal programs, and men desperate for
any kind of work. The captioned photographs are printed on 11"h x 14"w heavy
glossy stock. Documentary Photo Aids.
DPA73
30 photo aids, guide
$51.50
THE GREAT DEPRESSION. Narrated by Mario Cuomo. In this evocative look at
Depression-era America, hoboes recall what it was like to ride the rails, John
Kenneth Galbraith weighs in on New Deal policies, and Pretty Boy Floyd’s nephew
observes dryly, “A lot of people in Oklahoma would say ‘hooray.’ They clapped
their hands when somebody robbed a bank. My uncle made them clap their hands
too often.” Newsreel footage, classic Dorothea Lange photographs, and
contemporary interviews with eyewitnesses, authors, and historians such as James
Michener and Howard Zinn profile the stock market crash, FDR, Upton Sinclair,
Dust Bowl migration, marathon dancing, the march of WWI vets on Washington,
Huey Long, and more. Color and black-and-white. Total time: 200 minutes. History
Channel. ©1998.
FE321V
BOXED SET: 4 VHS videocassettes
$59.95
THE DEPRESSION AND NEW DEAL: A History in Documents. By Robert S.
McElvaine. Newspaper articles, letters, poetry, political cartoons, songs, fiction,
photographs and other primary source documents give vital insight into the
Depression and New Deal. An introductory essay, commentary, and sidebars
supplement the primary source material and persistent illustrations. Materials include
songs by Woody Guthrie, articles from periodicals (from Fortune magazine to the
Communist New Masses), murals and posters sponsored by the WPA, an excerpt
from The Grapes of Wrath, and selections from Eleanor Roosevelt’s “My Day”
column. Grades 7–12. Index. Timeline. Suggested readings. Illustrated. 7" x 10".
Oxford University Press. 191 p. ©2000.
OUP480
Hardback
$36.95
Paperback
1-4 copies $19.95 each
5 copies and over $17.95 each
THE GRAPES OF WRATH. Directed by John Ford. A chronicle of the injustice
and inhumanity encountered by the Joad family in their journey from the Dust Bowl
of the Depression to the “promised land” of California, where they become migrant
farm workers. Based on the novel by John Steinbeck, this classic production stars
Henry Fonda. Closed captioned. Black-and-white. 1sv129 minutes. 20th CenturyFox.
SV141V
VHS videocassette
$14.98
SV141DV
DVD
$14.98
PEN4239
Paperback
1-4 copies $15.00 each
5 copies and over $13.50 each
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com
45
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. © 2001 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246 socialstudies.com