Understanding the New Deal

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

About the Author:

Michael Hutchison is social studies department chairperson at Lincoln High School, Vincennes, Indiana, and has more than 30 years of teaching experience. He has written classroom lessons for several films, including The Civil War, The War, Horatio’s Drive, Prohibition, The Vietnam War and more.