Analyzing Events in US History

9th GradeSocial Studies45 min

aligned to Ccss Ccss.ela-literacy.rh.9-10.3

Learning Objective

I can analyze how events developed and changed in U.S. history.

Lesson Flow

Watch Video

12 min

What Caused the 1929 Stock Market Crash?

Captivating History

Guided Notes

9 min

Key concepts students will learn:

  • The stock market crash of 1929 did not cause the Great Depression, but it was a symbolic starting point to the most significant economic disaster of the 20th century.

  • The Treaty of Versailles, which arrived on the heels of World War One, had many unintended consequences for the global economy, including Germany's inability to pay reparations to the Allied Nations.

  • U.S. President Calvin Coolidge's unforgiving stance on European debt led to a long-term stagnation of global economic growth.

  • By the end of the 1920s, there was less willingness to use credit, and high production was unsustainable in the long run.

  • On Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the market dropped nearly 12 percent, one of the largest one-day losses in the history of Wall Street.

  • By 1933, more than 9,000 banks had failed, accelerating the downward spiral of the economy.

Practice

14 min

7 questions • Multiple choice & Short answer

Exit Ticket

5 min

Describe two ways in which the Treaty of Versailles impacted the German economy, and explain how those impacts contributed to the Great Depression.

Teacher Guide

Get the complete package:

  • Answer keys for all questions
  • Differentiation strategies
  • Extension activities
  • Printable student handouts