Writing Work

folder-2/question.docx

For Paper #2, I'd like you to focus on the Great Depression. Here is some background before the assignment parameters:

The economic collapse of the 1930s was staggering in its dimensions. Unemployment jumped from less than 3 million in 1929 to 4 million in 1930, 8 million in 1931, and 12 1/2 million in 1932. In that year, a quarter of the nation's families did not have a single employed wage earner.  Even those fortunate enough to have jobs suffered drastic pay cuts and reductions in hours. Only one company in ten failed to cut pay, and in 1932, three-quarters of all workers were on part-time schedules, averaging just 60 percent of the normal workweek.  The economic collapse was terrifying in its scope and impact. By 1933 average family income had tumbled 40 percent, from $2,300 in 1929 to just $1,500 four years later.

We know the Great Depression had grave economic consequences but for this paper, please consider how the Great Depression impacted the lives of young people versus adults. Were the lives of young people altered more or less than adults during this time? When forming your arguments, think about what was it like to grow up during the Great Depression of the 1930s?  How did the Depression alter family roles?  Did Depression hardship strengthen or weaken family bonds?

In order to help you get started since this is an accelerated course, I'm providing you with a great website full of sources from the perspective of young people during the Great Depression:

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/active_learning/explorations/children_depression/human_meaning.cfm (Links to an external site.)

There are 3 sections of this website that contain sources you may find helpful. You may wish to go with a theme for your paper comparing/contrasting the experiences but you do not have to. The sections are:

·

1. Human Meaning of Depression.

2. Children Turn to the President.

3. Government Responds to the Young.

12 pt, Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins, Word Doc or PDF submission only.

This paper will be evaluated based on the following:

· Strong thesis that answers the question and addresses the views of both young people and adults during the Great Depression.

· Paragraphs with topic sentence, evidence, conclusion.

· Paragraphs that make an argument and are analytical.

· Understanding of the historical context and particularly how the Great Depression happened and what it was like to live at that time.

· Introduction and conclusion.

· At least THREE primary sources related to a young person's perspective and THREE primary sources from an adult's perspective, and analysis of those sources. 6 total primary sources. Also include secondary sources. 

· Minimum 1250 words.

· Chicago Manual Style Notes/Bibliography FORMAT and Citations - See Citation Libguide for more guidance:  https://library.fiu.edu/citation/chicago (Links to an external site.)

· A great opportunity to check in with the History Tutors!     https://history.fiu.edu/tutoring/preparing-for-your-appointment/ (Links to an external site.)