Illustrated lesson that includes stimulating student questions and activities

1. Challenges and Successes:
Part One 1920-1950
A Common Core Unit
BY DEAN BERRY, ED. D.
GREGG BERRY, B.A.

2. Part One
View, Read, and Think

3. 1920-1930
The Roaring Twenties: Social
Change, Inventions, and Prosperity

4. After World War I ended in 1918,
the United States focused on
developing a better life for its
citizens.
People were working, earning,
and spending.

5. Class Discussion
 What do you think life was like for women during the 1920’s?
 How were women treated?
 What kind of careers did most women have?
 Did women have much political influence?

6. The decade from 1920 to 1929
became known as the
“Roaring 20’s”
The economy was good and times
were booming.

7. New inventions, such as the automobile
and the telephone, had a major impact
on life in the USA.
Women gained the right to vote and the
freedom to dress up and dance with
expression.
*

8. During the twenties, automobiles replaced horse
and buggies in the streets of most cities in
America.
*

9. High income earners were able to
dress up and take their friends for a
Sunday cruise around town.

10. Many products like bread, milk, and
doughnuts were delivered directly to
homes by trucks

11. After World War l, Americans were feeling very
prosperous and social changes were helping
women gain new freedoms to dress and dance
in creative ways.

12. With the social changes of the 1920’s,
women began to wear makeup.

13. Women’s hairstyles became short and
modern looking.

14. Let’s Review
The roaring twenties began as a
prosperous, creative time of social
change. Many new innovations
made a significant impact on
people’s lives.

15. Class Discussion
 What new inventions contributed to the daily life of Americans during the
1920’s?
 Did Americans enjoy television, microwaves, or passenger jets during the
1920’s?

17. *
Prohibition of alcohol during the
twenties resulted in “speak easies”
and organized crime led by mob
bosses. It was also an era of political
corruption and scandal. Nonetheless,
it was a period of rising income for
most Americans.

18. Just when everything seemed to
be going great, a financial
disaster shocked the entire
world.

19. By 1929 U.S. businesses had over borrowed on the value
of stock.
On October 24, 1929, the stock market crashed and
companies became worthless overnight.
Some wealthy people jumped out of high rise buildings
committing suicide.
The roaring 20’s had come to an end.
*

20. Many large companies and investors lost
everything when the value of stock plummeted
in 1929. *

21. During the 1920’s, the economy continued to
climb to an all time high. But the bubble burst in
1929, and America hit bottom in 1932.

22. Class Discussion
How do you think the
average person was
affected when major
companies and investors
went broke?

23. 1920-1930
Let’s Review

25. 1930-1940
The Depression Years:
From Riches to Rags

26. The decade known as the 1930’s began a
period in American History that was so scary
for most Americans that it was called the
“ Great Depression”.
Many people could not find work and lost
everything they owned. *

27. The initial stock market decline was just the
beginning of the financial meltdown. When
people lost confidence in the banks, they pulled
out their money, and the banks failed as billions
of dollars evaporated from the economy. Many
companies went broke. *

28. When companies go out of business,
employees are laid off. New jobs become
impossible to find.

29. Long lines of desperate men and
women waited for any kind of job that
might be offered.

30. Class Discussion
 When people lost their jobs were they able to collect unemployment
insurance checks?
 Could people go to the social services department and get financial aid
and food stamps(SNAPS)?

31. Since many people had no money,
they had to get in long soup lines just
to get a meal. *

32. For many families a free loaf of bread
kept them from starvation.

33. The 1930’s was a time of sadness and
desperation for many people. The government
was not prepared to provide any kind of welfare
or assistance. Social Security for the elderly did
not exist. *

34. Discuss
 Has our economy had any problems during the
last few years?
 Do you know any one who has been unable to
find a full time job?
 What happens to people who are unemployed for
a long time?
 Do we have a safety net for people who are
having hard financial times?

35. During the early 1930’s there was no
such thing as social security or welfare
for needy families.
Hungry people found themselves in
long bread and soup lines.

36. Even children found themselves in
soup lines for their daily meals.

37. Most Americans wanted jobs not handouts. But
they had no choice. They had to find a way to
feed their families.

38. Despite the tough times, Americans
tried to enjoy what they had. Movies
cost five cents and sports heroes and
musicians could be admired.

39. As bad as times were,
people spent the little money
they had enjoying sports,
movies, and music.

41. Times were so bad that President Franklin D.
Roosevelt had to expand the power of the federal
government to help banks, businesses, farmers, and
the poor. Government public works projects helped
provide jobs for the unemployed.
By 1939 the U.S. economy was better, and a war in
Europe was imminent. *

42. Let’s Review the
1930’s and the
worst economic
collapse in history.

44. 1940-1950
Years of Global Conflict
and Destruction

45. Class Discussion
 World War ll lasted from 1939 to 1945. Which major powers were involved
in the war?
 Why did the United States enter the war?
 Which countries were the big losers in World War ll?

46. The decade of the 1940’s found the world at
war.
Germany was invading its neighbors, and
Britain and France were pushed into World
War II.
The U.S. sent money and supplies to the allies
but remained neutral for the first two years of
the war. *

47. On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the
American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor and
destroyed a large part of the American
Naval Fleet.
The U.S. quickly declared war on Japan and
Germany. *

48. A large part of the American Naval
Fleet was destroyed in the surprise
Japanese attack.

49. Thousands of Americans died during the
attack at Pearl Harbor. The United States
declared war on Japan shortly after the
attack.

50. Discuss
When was the most recent attack against
the United States here at home?
What happened? Who was responsible?
What did our government do?

51. After years of war and millions of deaths,
the United States and its allies decided to
retake France from the German Army by
invading the coast of Normandy. D-Day
became the most famous battle in World
War ll and enabled the allies to defeat
Hitler and the powerful German Army. *

52. D-Day was a critical battle to end the war in
Europe. For the next year, the U.S. was able to
concentrate its forces in the Pacific in an
effort to defeat the powerful Japanese Navy.

53. In August of 1945, after the United States dropped
two atomic bombs on Japanese cities, the Japanese
surrendered and World War ll came to an abrupt
end. *

54. Let’s Review the Challenges of
the 1940’s

56. 1950-1960
Happy Days are Here Again

57. After years of fighting a horrible war with
Germany and Japan, the United States was
ready for a decade of growth and “happy
days”.
The 1950’s was ushered in with “rock and roll”
and
“drive-in movies”. *

58. The middle and later 1950’s were calm and
prosperous for most Americans.

59. Drive- in movies were all the rage in
the 1950’s. Drive-in fast food chains
also thrived. *

60. The first freeways in the United States
were built in California during the
1950’s. *

61. The concept of building large groups of similar
looking homes began in the 1950’s. Tract homes
helped create suburbs around major cities.

62. Civil rights got a huge boost when the Supreme
Court issued Brown Verses the Board of Education
and ended school segregation in 1954. *

63. Class Discussion
 What was segregation? How did it affect African Americans?
 Do you think that the civil rights of African Americans have
changed much since 1954?

64. Let’s Review the Progress and
Promise of the 1950’s.

66. Class Check-up
and Review
RAISE YOUR GREEN CARD IF YOU BELIEVE THE
STATEMENT IS TRUE OR YOUR RED CARD IF
YOU THINK IT IS FALSE.

67. True or False-1
During the Great Depression
most families did not make
much money, but 95% of the
people were employed.

68. False-1

69. True or False-2
The 1950’s was a decade that
introduced freeways, suburbs,
drive-in movies, and fast food.

70. True-2

71. True or False-3
After the Stock Market Crash of 1929,
the country went through a very
prosperous period for the next decade.

72. False-3

73. True or False-4
The 1940’s was a decade of peace
throughout the world and was highlighted
by a festive gathering of countries at Pearl
Harbor on December 7, 1941.

74. False-4

75. True or False-5
After World War I ended, the 1920’s
became a prosperous period known
for “speakeasies,” jazz, fast dancing,
gangsters, and automobiles.

76. True-5

77. True or False-6
During the 1950’s, President
Bush was elected, cell phones
became popular, and the
internet became available.

78. False-6