The New Deal

Dorothy Williamson was hired as a social worker, trained by the federal government, and dispatched to Southeastern Colorado. Listen to her first-person account of the experiences she had speaking with victims of the Dust Bowl. What help there was came from Washington, D.C., with programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), National Youth Administration (NYA), and Works Progress Administration (WPA). Learning Objective:  Students will: Understand how every family member was expected to help provide for the family during the Dust Bowl; Analyze and evaluate how the New Deal projects eased some of the economic burdens on families affected by the Dust Bowl.

Raymond Huff, Superintendent of Schools of Union County, hired the entire town to build the new high school gymnasium in Clayton, NM. He used the Works Progress Administration to save the county. Learning Objective: Students will analyze how local governments responded to the Dust Bowl crisis.

In the mid-1930s, the southern Plains were gripped by drought, high winds, and massive dust storms that threatened the health and safety of tens of thousands of people. To aid in the crisis, the Roosevelt administration was willing to experiment, see what worked, abandon what didn't and move on. But these solutions sometimes ran afoul with political opponents who felt government shouldn’t step in or objected to the cost, or felt the solutions didn’t go far enough. Groups affected by the Dust Bowl had varied views about how to solve the problems, but which solution provided the most effective remedy? How could different groups deliberate a common solution? In the activities contained within this media gallery, students will work in groups, representing different views on what policy to implement to address the problems of the Dust Bowl, and develop collaborative solutions to address these problems. Lesson Objectives: The student will: Analyze liberal and conservative political philosophies Describe the views of various groups regarding the causes and solutions for Dust Bowl problems Develop strategies to effectively work with persons with other views and political philosophies Develop collaboration and cooperation skills to develop effective solutions

In the mid-1930s, the southern Plains were gripped by drought, high winds, and massive dust storms that threatened the health and safety of tens of thousands of people. To aid in the crisis, the Roosevelt administration was willing to experiment, see what worked, abandon what didn't and move on. But these solutions sometimes ran afoul with political opponents who felt government shouldn’t step in or objected to the cost, or felt the solutions didn’t go far enough. Groups affected by the Dust Bowl had varied views about how to solve the problems, but which solution provided the most effective remedy? How could different groups deliberate a common solution? In this gallery, students will view four segments from Ken Burns: The Dust Bowl that explore the Dust Bowl, New Deal programs, and government relief and reform during the Great Depression. Students will answer questions and complete the corresponding activity sheets. Lesson Objectives: The student will: Analyze liberal and conservative political philosophies Describe the views of various groups regarding the causes and solutions for Dust Bowl problems Complete activity sheets related to information shared in four segments from Ken Burns: The Dust Bowl

FDR began The New Deal with an ambitious set of programs during his first 100 days in office. The New Deal was a series of programs and projects instituted during the Great Depression to restore prosperity to Americans. Never had so much transformative legislation been passed by congress in so little time. Fifteen major bills brought about significant reform in banking, real estate, public works, and the job market. The program perhaps most dear to FDR was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC rovided jobs for young, unemployed men during the Great Depression. Over its 9-year lifespan, the CCC employed about 3 million men nationwide.

The Second New Deal is the term used to describe the second stage, 1935–1936, of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's economic revitalization programs. FDR continued to champion new programs to put people back to work and improve everyday life. Programs of this second wave included the National Youth Administation, the Rural Electrification Administration, and the Works Progress Administration.

In 1933, the U.S. was in the midst of the Great Depression. Five thousand banks had failed and nine million savings accounts had evaporated. Just a week after his inauguration, Franklin D. Roosevelt turned to radio to speak to the American public. This was the first of FDR’s fireside chats. Throughought the twelve years of his presidency, FDR used radio strategically to avoid becoming frequent enough to be written-off or ignored. Sixty million Americans tuned in to this first address, and listened to their president explain how banks worked, why they had failed, and what he planned to do to lead the U.S. back to prosperity.