The National Humanities Center presents collections of primary resources compatible with the Common Core State Standards - historical documents, literary texts, and works of art - thematically organized with notes and discussion questions. Topics discussed in this unit include the following: Becoming Modern: America in the 1920s: Crash. Here we examine commentary and political cartoons that illustrate the pivotal moment in American history when the stock market crashed in 1929.

PBS' "American Experience" provides a detailed biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Content includes an overview as well as a focus on Roosevelt's early career, domestic and foreign politics, role as President, and legacy. Supplemental resources include numerous primary source documents, a teacher's guide, and more.

Stories of homeless teenagers during the Great Depression who crisscrossed the country by illegally riding on trains. Click on the sidebar for information about the film "Riding the Rails" available from PBS, including a transcript of the film. Special features include stories of some of the "rail riders," hobo songs, and obstacles faced by African Americans. There is a timeline of the Great Depression, maps of the train routes, and a teacher's guide.

PBS documentary about Seabiscuit, the thoroughbred that made history in Depression-era America. Includes a transcript of the movie, biographies of the many players in the Seabiscuit story, and primary source material from the time.

Presents a video containing information, expert interpretation, and actual footage of the Stock Market Crash of 1929, and the effects it had on America's economy. [54:24]

This site from the University of Massachusetts, Boston provides the text of Herbert Hoover's radio address to the US on October 18, 1931, regarding the unemployment situation.

The stock market crash on October 29, 1929 -- known as Black Tuesday -- was the "worst economic collapse in the history of the modern industrial world." It spread from the United States to national economies across the globe. It ended a decade known for its high-spirited free-spending, called the Roaring 20s, and began almost 10 years of financial desperation that would touch nearly every citizen of the United States. The Great Depression caused bank closures and business failures and by its end, saw "more than 15 million Americans (one-quarter of the workforce)" unemployed. Herbert Hoover, president at the time, did not acknowledge the depth of the crisis and assumed that the American characteristics of individualism and self reliance would quickly bring the nation out of the disaster without a need for federal intervention. But, layoffs and financial desperation at the personal level were growing: "an empty pocket turned inside out was called a 'Hoover flag' [and] the decrepit shanty towns springing up around the country were called 'Hoovervilles'." Three years into the financial crisis, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, running on a platform of federal recovery programs called the "New Deal," easily took the presidential election of 1932.

Austin Community College provides "A More Balanced Historical Perspective," an article that looks at Herbert Hoover's administration and his response to the Great Depression.

For upper level classes and abilities only. A very scholarly explanation of the causes of the Great Depression and steps Franklin Roosevelt to end it. An excellent source due to its thorough analysis and detail.

The rise of Adolf Hitler to dictatorial power as the leader of the NSDAP, the failed putsch of 1923, the Great Depression and its consequences for the growth of nationalistic ideas in Germany in the thirties.

Using "The Grapes of Wrath" as a backdrop, students conduct research on issues that the novel addresses, publishing their findings in a multigenre museum exhibit.

In this activity students read two letters (one from Hoover, one from FDR) to determine different political beliefs that guided the presidents in their responses to the Great Depression.

Seven-lesson collection of lessons and suggested activities for instructing early learners about the Dust Bowl using a variety of primary sources (songs, letters, photos, etc.).

The roots of contemporary American society can be traced to this era, which saw the Progressive reform movement dominate the political agenda in response to increasing industrialization, urbanization, corruption, and immigration. Theodore Roosevelt also embodies this era, serving in the Spanish-American War and then becoming President and overseeing reforms in labor and industry. The years following World War I provide opportunities to understand struggles for equality, and the circumstances leading to the Great Depression. This collection includes Media Gallery (20), Video (43), Image (2) for Grades 6-8, 9-12.

This history of the Great Depression looks at its effect on American citizens, including the changes to women's societal roles. Includes photographs.

In this activity students learn about the goals of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the opportunities it provided for young men. Students create poster presentations about different aspects of the CCC by combining photographs and quotes from primary sources. Students will need poster-making supplies (including poster board or paper, markers, scissors, and glue/markers).

This site provides a brief description of the events surrounding the 20's and the Great Depression in the United States.

What kicked off the major economic and financial crisis in the United States? Richard Sylla delivers a comprehensive presentation in an effort to educate views on the cause and effect of these breaking points throughout history. [1:29:20]

Tuning into the radio is now an integrated part of our everyday lives. We tune in while we drive, while we work, while we cook in our kitchens. Just 100 years ago, it was a novelty to turn on a radio. The radio emerged at the turn of the twentieth century, the result of decades of scientific experimentation with the theory that information could be transmitted over long distances. Radio as a medium reached its peakåÑthe so-called Radio Golden AgeåÑduring the Great Depression and World War II. This was a time when the world was rapidly changing, and for the first time Americans experienced those history-making events as they happened. The emergence and popularity of radio shifted not just the way Americans across the country experienced news and entertainment, but also the way theyåÊcommunicated. This exhibition explores the development, rise, and adaptation of the radio, and its impact on American culture.