Chapter 9: Section 4 Culture of the 1930s

1. Chapter 9: Section 4 Culture of the 1930s United States History Ms. Girbal Thursday, March 26, 2015

2. Timeline for Chapter 9 • Thursday, March 25- Section 4 • Get Chapter 9 studyguide • Monday, March 30- Review for Chapter 8 & 9 Test • Wednesday, April 1- Chapter 8 & 9 Test • Chapter 8 IDs due • Chapter 8 & 9 studyguide due • Homework for this weekend?? • IDs, studyguide and start studying!

3. Objectives • Trace the growth of radio and the movies in the 1930s and the changes in popular culture. • Describe the major themes of literature in the New Deal era.

4. Most Americans went to the movies to escape their worries. • The Wizard of Oz • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Frankenstein • Top Hat • Gone with the Wind

5. In the early 1930s, gangster films such as Public Enemy reflected the public’s distrust of government. As the New Deal restored confidence, films such as G-Men began portraying government officials as heroes. Director Frank Capra focused on the triumph of the common man over adversity in such films as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

6. Radio was a vital part of everyday life. • Radio networks such as NBC and CBS entertained millions. • People listened to comedy, drama, news, and FDR’s fireside chats. • Orson Welles’ 1938 radio drama War of the Worldswas so realistic that it caused a national panic when listeners thought that Martians were invading. • Radio disc jockeys played the latest tunes on shows like Your Hit Parade and Make Believe Ballroom.

7. Music provided a happy diversion and a serious outlet for social concerns. “Swing” music played by “big bands” topped the charts. Latin music and dances like the rumba and the samba were popular. The folk singers focused on the harsh lives of African Americans. Woodie Guthrie wrote ballads about the Dust Bowl and the Okies.

8. During the New Deal, the federal government provided funding for the arts for the first time in history. • The Federal Art Project,Federal Writers’ Project, and Federal Theater Project were all funded by the WPA. • WPA writers created a series of state guidebooks that recorded the nation’s history and folklore. • Artists painted giantmuralsin public buildings across the nation. • Photographers like Dorothea Lange created powerful images of impoverished farmers and migrant workers.

9. Depression-era writers reflected the concerns of Americans from all walks of life. • In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck told the story of an Okie family escaping the Dust Bowl. • In Native Son,Richard Wright explored racial prejudice. • Lillian Hellmanportrayed strong women in her plays. Comic strips and comic books also were very popular.

10. Mini Group Project A Popular Culture Time Capsule • Introduction: • While the economic foundations of the nation were shaken during the Great Depression, popular culture continued to evolve and grow. • Movies, radio, fashion, music, literature and sports became even greater parts of American life. • Objective: • Examine 1930s popular culture and identify ideas, people, or objects that might interest a teenager.

11. Task: • As a class we will create a time capsule of what we think would best represent the interests of a young American during the 1930s. • As a group you need to come up with ONE thing that you would want to include in the time capsule. • Process: • Using your textbook, the provided resources (handout with links can be found in our class website) and the Internet, identify ONE object that a young American living in the 1930s might have put into a time capsule. • You need to put together a 2-minute visual presentation and include the following: write a description of what it represents, its importance in the 1930s, and a justification for its inclusion in the time capsule. Make sure to include pictures! • YOU HAVE 20 MINUTES TO COMPLETE THIS!!