The Great Depression
Teacher Resources
Driving Question: How did an economic depression engulf the world in the interwar period?
The political and social fallout from the Great Depression shook societies across the globe. Learn how a stock-market crash in the United States spiraled into a worldwide economic disaster and set the stage for bigger conflicts ahead.
Learning Objectives
- Practice reading charts and interpreting historical data.
- Use close-reading and source-analysis skills to view the Great Depression from multiple angles to understand the depth of this international crisis.
- Use the historical thinking practice of contextualization to evaluate the circumstances that led to the global depression.
Vocab Terms:
- authoritarian
- collectivization
- dictator
- fascism
- Great Depression
- Nazi
- sterilization
Opener: The Great Depression
To teach this lesson step, refer to page 2 of the Lesson 7.2 Teaching Guide.
Openers are great for activating prior knowledge and getting students engaged in learning. Read more in the OER Project Openers and Closer Guide.
As the name implies, the Great Depression was not a ton of fun. In this quick activity, you’ll get a glimpse into a world in crisis.
Great Depression around the World
Hard Times
To teach this lesson step, refer to page 3 of the Lesson 7.2 Teaching Guide.
Use the Contextualization Feedback Form to help students reflect and improve upon their contextualization skills.
Through firsthand accounts and images, you’ll see how the Great Depression impacted people around the world. Then, you’ll use contextualization skills to analyze the broader economic and political factors that led to this global crisis.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- Why did the Great Depression spread so quickly beyond the United States?
- How did governments respond to the crisis?
- Why was the Great Depression especially devastating for Latin America and European colonies?
- How did some governments gain more power during this time?
- What brought the Great Depression to an end?
After you read
Respond to these questions: Can a crisis create unity in a community? What examples from the Great Depression support your thinking?
Closer: The Great Depression
To teach this lesson step, refer to page 8 of the Lesson 7.2 Teaching Guide.
Extra, extra, read all about it! Step into the shoes of a 1930s journalist and craft an eye-catching headline for this lesson.
Facing the Downturn
To teach this lesson step, refer to page 8 of the Lesson 7.2 Teaching Guide.
Explore how people around the world faced economic challenges during the interwar period. These sources reveal the diverse ways communities experienced and responded to the Great Depression.
