Warm Up• View the following video clips and list the characteristics that

you see in each clip.• Marx Brothers (Duck Soup)• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSabiG8q8-k

• Charlie Chaplin (Modern Times)• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfw0KapQ3qw

• Why do you think people in the 1930’s enjoyed watching shows like this?

Unit 6: The Great Depression

Causes and Living in the Great Depression

Cause and Culture of the Great Depression Read Along• Instructions: As we go through the Power Point presentation,

we will stop at the appropriate places and you will answer the following questions/diagrams by talking to your partner. Every question is worth 6 points each.

What is the Great Depression?• Prior to this unit, we learned about the “Roaring Twenties”

and the economic causes of the Stock Market Crash. During this unit we will study other causes of the depression, the geographic impact of the Dust Bowl, Roosevelt’s New Deal efforts, and the changes in the role of the government.

Causes of the Great Depression Review

1. Impact of tariffs on world trade – high tariffs limited foreign trade.2. Stock market speculation – buying stocks on margin led to rampant

speculation 3. Bank failures – once the stock market crashed, millions of

Americans began to withdraw their money. They put thousands of banks in peril. The more money Americans withdrew, the more banks failed, and the more banks failed, the more money Americans withdrew.

4. The monetary policy of the Federal Reserve System – the "Fed" indirectly sets interest rates because it loans money, at a base rate, to commercial banks.

Causes Leading to the Great Depression in the Lives of U.S. Citizens Review

1. People put money in banks. 2. Banks invest some of the people’s money3. Stock market crashes (October 29, 1929) 4. People make runs on banks to recover their savings5. Banks don’t have enough money on hand and must close

their doors6. People fall into poverty

Read Along Stop#1• Fill out the graphic organizers “ Causes of the Great

Depression "and “Effects of the Great Depression.

Living in the Great Depression

• Unemployment in the U.S. rose sharply from 1929 to 1933. By 1933 unemployment was at 25%.

• The U.S. government looked for ways to ease the country’s financial hardship.

• In order to make more jobs available, the government deported many people of European and Mexican heritage.

President Hoover• Elected in 1929 from the Republican Party and is conservative.

Believes that least involved the government is in the lives of the citizens the better.

• “Every time we find solutions outside of the government, we have not only strengthen character, but we have preserved our sense of real government.” Herbert Hoover

• Hoover believed in and personified that the notion that expertise and rationalization of politics would carry the day. The problem with him is that he was faced with a crisis (The Great Depression) of unprecedented proportions. Also, Hoover’s inherent caution and conservatism insured failure. He failed to recognize the severity of the crisis and formulate a plan to solve the crisis.

• The people felt that Hoover did not do enough if anything to help with the rising unemployment and economic crisis.

• Hooverizing: Hoover’s old policy to conserve and save and save especially food. The people: “Save what?! We lost everything!”

• Hooverville: the popular name for shanty towns built by homeless people during the Great Depression.

• Eventually the people turn to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was prepared to get the government involved in assisting people with the economic crisis.

Psychological and Social Effects• People were so demoralized that

they lost their will to survive. Between 1928 to 1932, the suicide rate rose 30 percent.

• People started to scrimp and save everything and that habit never went away.

• “Ever since I was twelve years old there was one major goal in my life…one thing…that was never to be poor again.”

• People showed great kindness to other people who were in need.

• These habits would shape an entire generation.

Read Along Stop #2• Answer questions # 1-7 on the Read Along.

Art and Culture in the Great DepressionPopular Movies of the Time • Gone with the Wind• Snow White and the Seven

Dwarfs• The Wizard of Oz• Monkey Business (Marx

Brothers)• Duck Soup (Marx Brothers)• ****shows were put in

time slots to take advantage of the viewers****

Read Along Stop #3• Watch the following movie clips and answer the questions #8-10

• “Somewhere over the Rainbow” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSZxmZmBfnU&list=PL2A618FA8607E9403

• “Torando!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YLW2MeZCks&list=PL2A618FA8607E9403

Radio• Orson Wells – The War of the World’s• ****He also directed classic movies

such as Citizen Kane and Touch of Evil• Bob Hope – Had a radio show on NBC

Radio before it becomes a television network. • Jack Benny – Had a comedy radio

show.

Read Along Stop #4• Answer the questions after listening to the song.• Answer #11-13

• “Blowin Down the Road” By Woody Guthrie

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMgwAE1oxdU

Literature• John Steinbeck – Captured the

plight of millions of Americans whose lives had been crushed by the dust bowl and Great Depression in the book Grapes of Wrath

• The government is paying historian to document the history of cities for pay which is why we have city histories.

• The government is paying historians to document the experiences of the last surviving individuals of slavery which is why we have their biographies.

Art• American Gothic- by Grant Wood• The government is paying artist to paint murals on buildings

for pay.

Last Read Along Stop• Answer the Summary Questions #14-17.