Most important idea of whole unit Unit The Great Depression A time when the world economy collapsed & its impact on people and the world The ripple effects

Most important idea of whole unit

Unit The Great Depression

A time when the world economy collapsed & its impact on people and the world

The ripple effects of an economic depression impacts all aspects of life (attitudes toward others, social conditions, local, national, and world politics, arts & entertainment, inventions, scientific research)

Key Idea 1

ECONOMICS: Economies drive politics / politics drive economies; poorly regulated banking practices can create conditions that can lead to economic collapse

Key Idea 2

SOCIAL: “ISMs” dominate American culture (Racism, Anti-Semitism, anti-Catholicism, anti-feminism, anti-immigrants, anti-Hispanics, etc. )

Key Idea 3

Key Idea 4 Key Idea 5

SOCIAL: Poverty can be easily exploited to become a form of bondage via poor working conditions, restricted opportunities, and low pay

Key Idea 6

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT: Shift away from being centered around church/synagogue / community due to mass marketing by movie, radio, & automobile industry

Key Idea 7

POLITICS: Politicians / countries attempt control of their destinies by manipulating (positively or negatively) opportunities & resources of citizens /other countries

Key Idea 8 Key Idea 9

Key Ideas of Unit

Is about …

INVENTIONS: The US policies to combat the depression = 1st time in history government policies targeted the individual needs of citizens (e.g., Social Security)

SOCIAL: Limited opportunities economic fear need to control potential competition & exploitation diminished respect of people being manipulated erroneous beliefs @ them hate & violence

EDUCATION: Greater education = enhanced opportunity & power; (un)intentionally limiting a group’s opportunities to gain an education controls the group’s destiny

SCIENCE: Primary focus = mass communications (radio. TV); later, focus shifted to development of military-related technology (rockets, new airplanes, fire-power)

PHASE 2: IDENTIFY CORE CONCEPTS & CONNECTIONSKEY IDEA

ECONOMICS: Economies drive politics / politics drive economies; poorly regulated banking practices can create conditions that can lead to economic collapse

Reconstruction laws restricted South’s post-war economy. so business were slow to develop, few had jobs, little $$

Connection to the PAST

Auto-sell computers when stock price drops below a certain level nearly caused stock market crash in 1990s

Connection to NOW

Many want to reduce government. regulations – we have to be careful about removing too many of them

Implications on FUTURE

Critical Concept

Speculators bought stocks on margin, artificially inflating prices. When stocks would not sell, prices crashed.. Investors couldn’t repay banks. Panicked people rushed to banks to withdraw savings, but banks could not pay because they had loaned the money to investors. Money stopped circulating; people had no money to buy stuff, businesses closed.

stocks stock marketspeculator depressionbuying on margin

Vocabulary

Critical Concept

Farmers borrowed money to purchase farms, tractors, etc., but could not pay it back because cost more to grow crops than crops would sell for. Banks foreclosed on loans, took farms away to sell to someone else many farming families became jobless, homeless, & destitute

mortgageforeclosedestitute

Vocabulary

Critical Concept

Businessmen borrowed money from banks to build factories. Because few people had money to purchase things, factories couldn’t sell their products. Since they couldn’t sell their products, factories couldn’t repay their loans or even pay their employees, they had to close. Employees become jobless.

laid offVocabulary

Critical Concept

Many rich people lost their fortunes. Some had to cut way back on their life style (move to smaller houses, etc.). Some committed suicide, leaving their families to try to survive without them. Many remained rich even though they may have lost a lot of money. Some exploited people in difficult circumstances and became rich.

exploitVocabulary

KEY IDEA

EDUCATION: Greater education = enhanced opportunity & power; (un)intentionally limiting a group’s opportunities to gain an education controls the group’s destiny

Laws that prohibited slaves from learning to read were one of the ways to keep slaves under control


Huge funding differences in poverty-area schools ensures these children receive less-quality education

Connection to NOW

Lot more college scholarships for HS graduates is a good way to combat poverty


Critical Concept Vocabulary




KEY IDEA

POLITICS: Politicians / countries attempt control of their destinies by manipulating opportunities & resources of citizens /other countries

Connection to the PAST Connection to NOW Implications on FUTURE





KEY IDEA

SOCIAL: Poverty can be easily exploited to become a form of bondage via poor working conditions, restricted opportunities, and low pay

Africans captured, captured, and shipped to countries all over the world to sell as slaves


US economy indirectly supports “sweat-shops” because we prefer paying cheap prices for imported goods

Connection to NOW

Stricter regulations prohibiting sales of sweat-shop goods will result in much higher process for many things


Critical Concept

“Okees” and Hispanics travel to land of mild & honey (California) hoping to start own farms. When they get there, they find that all good land already owned by large farm corporations. They must choose to work under terrible conditions for very little pay or to starve.

OkeeVocabulary




Best part / Worst part

Life During the Depression Is about …

An interview with someone who lived during the depression

So what? What is important to understand about this?

Life during the Great Depression was very different for different people

Who is interviewed & where s/he lived then

Age-range of person during depression

What family life was like

Who in the family had jobs? What kind?

What the person did for fun

Impact of the depression on the family

What the home was like (appliances, etc.)

BIG IDEA (What is important to understand about this?)

Essential details

Main idea Main idea Main idea

Essential details Essential details

Key Topicis about... exploitation

taking advantage of something or someone

Does this help or hurt in the real world?

What are some ways this idea shows up in the real world?

Personal experiences related to this concept

Takes advantage of people in a weaker position

Bad idea that should not show up

Quality of society based on how you help, not on much you can take

Exploitation results in anger

College make millions from games, but players can’t get paid

Politicians exploiting voters

Porn & prostitution exploits poor women

Some factories exploit workers

Parents exploit me when they make me do chores.

Kids in lunch room get exploited by bullies

Used car salesmen exploit buyers (if they can)

Casinos exploit poor people who wish to get rich quick

Our world would be a lot better off if there were no exploitation in it.

Conclusion about the topic

Traits

Most of your clothes are made by your mother or grandmother

The.,;’;

You are expected to attend the college your father attended

TRellllative

Relatives often live with your family until they can afford their own home

Evlll;l;imop;’;;opoppoEverer

Very wealthy and well known people are invited to dinner at your home

Ieiiekr5yhuyuujnbnnn

;l’;l’l

Plenty of food can be found in your pantry

Only the best and most modern furniture is in your home

CodesY = Yes

N = No

S = Sometimes

X = Did not exist

Slave’s daughter

Plantation Owner’s son

Migrant Worker’s child

Banker’s daughter

Sharecropper’s nephew

Coal Miner’s son

House servant’s daughterFactory owner’s child

Mayor’s son

ConclusionSlave in the 1850’s Coal Miner

In the 1850’sMain ideas

Working Conditions

Health Care benefits

Injured on the job

Relationship with the boss

Retirement plan

Travel & Shopping

Reason #1 Reason #2

The majority of people in the south lived in poverty

The work force was majority farmers who had fewer cities to seek employment if crops failed

Is about why …

Limited opportunities for poor southerners

Poor people living in the south had it tougher than poor people living in the north

Title

Knowledge Connections

FEATURES

EXAMPLE NON-EXAMPLE

IS LIKE …

FEATURES

EXAMPLE NON-EXAMPLE

IS LIKE

Poor Southerners

Is a type or part of …

Is a member of this group …XTOPIC

Southerner living in poverty1850

Poor Northerners

Is a type or part of …

Is a member of this group …XTOPIC

Northerner living in poverty 1850

Documents

Most important idea of whole unit Unit The Great Depression A time when the world economy collapsed & its impact on people and the world The ripple effects