Directions

Welcome to the interactive viewing guide for The Century: America's Time - Stormy Weather. This documentary examines the years 1929–1936, a period defined by the economic devastation of the Great Depression and the environmental catastrophe of the Dust Bowl.

Instructions:

Complete the Identity Panel above to unlock the assignment.
Watch the documentary via the link in the sidebar.
Answer the 15 multiple-choice questions spread across three sections.
Save your progress if you need to finish later.
Submit your finished work at the end of Part III.

Part I: The Great Depression Begins

1. What specific day in October 1929 is remembered as "Black Tuesday," when the stock market crashed and billions of dollars in wealth vanished?

October 1 October 12 October 29 October 31

2. Following the crash, what event caused many Americans to lose their entire life savings almost overnight?

Sudden hyperinflation Massive "runs" on banks that led to bank failures A massive increase in income taxes The government seizing personal assets

3. What was the name given to the shantytowns built by homeless people during the Depression, mockingly named after the President?

Roosevelt Rows Wilson Villages Hoovervilles Coolidge Camps

4. In 1932, a group of WWI veterans marched on Washington D.C. to demand early payment of their military bonuses. What were they called?

The Veteran Vanguard The Bonus Army The Patriot Protest The Doughboy Legion

5. By 1932, approximately how many Americans were unemployed, representing a quarter of the workforce?

5 Million 8 Million 13 Million 25 Million

Part II: Dust & Survival

6. What environmental disaster struck the Great Plains during the 1930s, caused by severe drought and poor farming practices?

The Great Flood The Dust Bowl The Locust Plague The Silent Spring

7. To escape the "black blizzards" of the plains, thousands of families (often called "Okies") migrated toward which state?

Florida New York California Texas

8. Which communication medium became a lifeline for the American public, offering both news and escapism during the 1930s?

The Television The Radio The Newspaper The Telegraph

9. Why were movies like "The Wizard of Oz" and actors like Shirley Temple so popular during the Great Depression?

They offered a realistic look at poverty They were funded entirely by the government They provided much-needed escapism from a harsh reality They were the only movies allowed by law

10. During this period, more Americans began joining labor unions to fight for better wages. What was the name of the new industrial union group formed in the mid-30s?

The AFL The CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations) The Knights of Labor The Teamsters

Part III: The New Deal

11. In his 1933 inaugural address, Franklin D. Roosevelt famously stated that the only thing Americans had to fear was:

Economic collapse Foreign invasion "Fear itself" Technological progress

12. What was the name given to FDR's informal radio talks where he explained his policies directly to the American people?

Fireside Chats Kitchen Conversations Porch Talk The Oval Office Briefing

13. Which 1935 New Deal act established a permanent national "safety net" including pensions for the elderly and unemployment insurance?

The Wagner Act The Social Security Act The Glass-Steagall Act The Agricultural Adjustment Act

14. Who was the Louisiana politician who challenged FDR with his radical "Share Our Wealth" program before his assassination in 1935?

Charles Coughlin Huey Long Francis Townsend Alf Landon

15. By 1936, newsreels began showing the rise of a dangerous new leader in Germany. Who was he?

Benito Mussolini Joseph Stalin Adolf Hitler Neville Chamberlain