Ch 16: America and the Great Depression - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
About This Chapter
Who's it for?
This unit of our Middle School U.S. History Homeschool course will benefit any student who is trying to learn about events of the Great Depression. There is no faster or easier way to learn about the Great Depression in America. Among those who would benefit are:
- Students who require an efficient, self-paced course of study to learn about the New Deal, unemployment, foreign policy, the Hoover Dam and the Dust Bowl.
- Homeschool parents looking to spend less time preparing lessons and more time teaching.
- Homeschool parents who need an U.S. history curriculum that appeals to multiple learning types (visual or auditory).
- Gifted students and students with learning differences.
How it works:
- Students watch a short, fun video lesson that covers a specific unit topic.
- Students and parents can refer to the video transcripts to reinforce learning.
- Short quizzes and an America and the Great Depression unit exam confirm understanding or identify any topics that require review.
America and the Great Depression Unit Objectives:
- Review some of the causes of the Great Depression, including the 1929 Wall Street Crash.
- Learn about the major events that occurred during the Great Depression, such as high unemployment and the Dust Bowl.
- Examine how the Hoover Dam was constructed.
- See how the Great Depression affected Herbert Hoover's presidency.
- Explore how President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected and how he performed in office.
- Study how President Roosevelt enacted the First New Deal and Second New Deal during the 1930s.
- Look at the foreign policies developed by President Roosevelt before World War II.

1. The Great Depression: The Wall Street Crash of 1929 and Other Causes
The Great Depression was fueled, in large part, by the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Gain a better understanding of the factors that led to the Great Depression, including the limits of economic prosperity, the role of consumer credit, failed leadership, and a flawed banking system.

2. America During the Great Depression: The Dust Bowl, Unemployment & Cultural Issues
The Great Depression ravaged the American economy. Learn about many factors of the Great Depression, including high rates of unemployment, various labor upheavals, and cultural issues between populations.

3. The Construction of the Hoover Dam: History of Events
The construction of the Hoover Dam was one of the most expensive and ambitious public works projects in American history. Explore the events leading to the dam's creation, including its approval, construction, and legacy.

4. President Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression
To combat the Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover sought to implement a positive economic shift through several strategies. Discover his policies which included working together, the international approach, eventual government expansion and consequential opposition.

5. The Election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt: Events and Timeline
The election of Franklin D. Roosevelt realigned power in the United States for decades and transformed the country. Learn about the events and timeline of this landmark election, as well as who Roosevelt was, his politics, and how he marketed himself as the candidate for change.

6. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the First New Deal: The First 100 Days
In his first 100 days in office, President Franklin D Roosevelt expanded federal assistance by introducing the New Deal program. Examine its focus on the financial sector, efforts to save both the economy and people, and the opposition that ensued.

7. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Second New Deal
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Second New Deal introduced many influential pieces of legislation, including the Social Security Act and the National Labor Relations Act. Discover FDR's Second New Deal's proposals to stimulate a struggling economy and the oppositional viewpoints.

8. Franklin D. Roosevelt's Foreign Policy Prior to World War II
In this lesson, we will explore foreign policy prior to World War II. Be prepared to summarize the rift between interventionist and isolationist philosophies and understand how Franklin D. Roosevelt reacted.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum course
- First Contacts in the Americas - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- Settlement of North America & the Colonies: Homeschool Curriculum
- The Revolutionary War - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- Creation of the Nation after the American Revolution: Homeschool Curriculum
- The Virginia Dynasty - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- Jacksonian Democracy - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- Everyday Life in Antebellum America - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- Manifest Destiny & American Expansion - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- Buildup to the American Civil War - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- The American Civil War - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- Reconstruction After the Civil War - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- American Industrialization of the Late 19th Century - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- The Early 20th Century Progressive Era: Homeschool Curriculum
- American Imperialism & World War I - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- 1920s America - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- America and World War II - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- Post-War and the Cold War - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- Civil Rights Movements in America - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- America in the 1970s - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum
- America from 1992 to the Present - Middle School US History: Homeschool Curriculum