Unit 7 will take us through the middle of the 20th century as we focus on four major topics - the 20s, the Great Depression, the New Deal, and World War II. We will start the unit by quickly examining the exciting decade 1920s, determining if they were really "roaring".  We will then try to identify the causes of the Great Depression (it’s not that easy) and learn a bit about the stock market. We will look at the human side of the depression, focusing on some primary resources from the time period, and also evaluate the government’s response to the depression – FDR’s New Deal. We will make some connections between the past and present by looking at the government’s current plan of economic stimulus. Franklin D. Roosevelt will be the main individual in this unit, leading the nation through a time of economic hardship and a world war (again).

Our unit will conclude with an examination of World War II, from the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We will look at the war in both Europe and the Pacific, examine the home front, evaluate the legacy and impact of the war, and make conclusions about the necessity and ethics of the atomic bomb. During this unit, we will visit Washington D.C., where we will see the FDR Memorial, the WWII Memorial, and other historical sites appropriate to Unit 7 (as well as the rest of the school year!).