Causes of The Great Depression

Introduction

Hello students. Today, you are playing the role of a journalist tasked with reporting on the Great Depression. You should focus on causes of the Great Depression, including political, economic, and environmental causes. Your job is to review the resources in this lesson and follow the instructions for each activity. You will then present your findings in a Socratic discussion circle. 

Task

Your objective in this lesson is to:

  • Research the causes of the Great Depression from a political perspective. 
  • Investigate how the American economy was a contributing factor to this moment in history
  • Analyze photos of societal living during the Dust Bowl to place yourself in the shoes of the people who experienced that time period.
Process

Present your findings to the class in a Socratic circle discussion. 

  • Come prepared with an example of causes that initiated the Great Depression. 
  • Each student will be expected to share one piece of discussion to the class. 
  • Students will be limited to no more than three points of discussion shared so that all students have a chance to share.
  • Above all, respect your fellow students by giving them your undivided attention and not interrupting while discussing.
Evaluation

Students will receive up to thirty points of participation

  • Ten points will be given for discussing one key cause of the Great Depression up to three discussion points. 
Conclusion

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to identify causes of the Great Depression. Your discussion should include examples of political, economic, and environmental causes. Reporting on this topic should give you an idea of how many significant events, people, places that contributed to the causes of the Great Depression. 

Credits

PBS Learning Media. (n.d.) Dust Bowl Migrations. https://myarkansaspbs.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/5dac042c-e0c4-4cf4-9368-680db34b4eb1/5dac042c-e0c4-4cf4-9368-680db34b4eb1/

  1. Go to Site
  2. View each of the twenty-one images representing the Dust Bowl
  3. On your piece of paper, write a paragraph on what you think the individuals in the photograph were going through during this time.
  4. Ask yourself "How did they feel?" "What are their living conditions?" "How do their emotions come through on the paragraphs?"

CrashCourse. (2013). The Great Depression: Crash Course U.S. History #33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCQfMWAikyU&t=27s

  1. Go to Site
  2. Using your headphones, listen to the 15 minute video and on your piece of paper write in detail on the following economic causes of the Great Depression: Stock market crash, foreclosures, obtaining easy credit, and unemployment)