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the american story lab · unit 05 · 1929–1941

Depression & the New Deal

When the economy collapsed, Americans renegotiated what government owed the public.

essential question

How much responsibility should the federal government take for economic security?

mission 01 · +40 XP

The 4-minute briefing

not cleared

The textbook-sized gap, closed without the textbook-sized reading.

The stock market crash did not single-handedly cause the Great Depression. Bank failures, weak demand, unequal wealth, debt, international instability, and policy mistakes turned recession into catastrophe. Unemployment and homelessness spread while drought and soil erosion devastated the Great Plains. Families survived through mutual aid, migration, improvisation, and protest.

Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal used federal power for relief, recovery, and reform. Work programs hired millions; banking rules restored confidence; Social Security created a safety net; labor law strengthened unions. Critics argued the programs went too far or not nearly far enough. The New Deal did not end the Depression by itself, but it permanently changed the relationship between citizens and the federal government.

3 ideas that unlock the unit

01

The crash was a trigger, not the whole cause

A fragile financial system and collapsing demand allowed one crisis to spread through banks, businesses, farms, and the world economy.

02

Relief, recovery, reform

New Deal agencies tried to meet immediate need, restart economic activity, and change the rules to prevent another collapse.

03

The safety net had holes

Domestic and agricultural workers were excluded from key protections at first, disproportionately affecting Black and Mexican American workers.

mission 02 · +60 XP

Chronology scramble

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Put all 4 events in order. Choose 1 for earliest and 4 for latest.

review the completed timeline
  1. 1929 · Stock market crashThe market plunges; a broader economic collapse deepens afterward.
  2. 1933 · First Hundred DaysCongress and FDR launch banking, relief, farm, and recovery programs at extraordinary speed.
  3. 1935 · Social Security ActFederal old-age pensions and unemployment insurance create a lasting safety net.
  4. 1937 · Recession within the DepressionA sharp downturn shows recovery is still fragile.
mission 03 · +40 XP

Flip deck

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Tap each term to reveal the plain-English meaning. Review all 4 cards to clear the mission.

mission 04 · +50 XP

You make the call

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scenario

In 1933, millions need help now, banks are failing, and Congress has limited time. Every program risks waste, delay, or unintended effects.

What should receive the first major push?

Choose a move to see what it reveals. Historical decisions rarely come with perfect options.
mission 05 · +100 XP

Boss battle

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Three open-practice questions. Score 2 out of 3 to clear the boss. You can retry; graded work stays in Google Classroom.

1Which event happened first?

2Which term matches this definition: “Immediate help for people in need, such as jobs, food, or cash assistance.”

3Which claim best captures this unit?

mission 06 · +30 XP

Exit ticket

not cleared
How much responsibility should the federal government take for economic security?
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