Digital History
Digital History: Slave Family Life
An extensive look at the family life of slaves and the attempts to maintain family ties under daunting circumstances. Read about slave marriages, the splitting up of families, and the ways the family kinship networks operated on the...
Digital History
Digital History: More Like the Tva? [Pdf]
Read the history of the Tennessee River Valley and the tension between private enterprise and government in the development of electricity and, surprisingly, fertilizer. Find out how the Tennessee Valley Authority was developed during...
Digital History
Digital History: Legacy of the New Deal
This is just a short article, but it includes big ideas. See the lasting legacy of the New Deal as the many of the programs begun at that time are still a large part of American government and life.
Digital History
Digital History: Hollywood During the Great Depression
One can trace the cynicism and despair at the beginning of the Great Depression to a more optimistic point of view by the end of the New Deal by looking at the movies produced by Hollywood. Read about the subject matter of the movies...
Digital History
Digital History: The Depression of 1937
Read about the "Roosevelt Recession" that resulted from the slashing of government spending because of rosy economic news in 1936. Find out how opposition to the New Deal kept it from being expanded to help the country out of recession...
Digital History
Digital History: The New Deal in Decline
The Supreme Court, in 1935 and 1936, found unconstitutional several programs that were the backbone of the New Deal. See how President Roosevelt tried to deal with these setbacks, and the results both for him personally and for the law.
Digital History
Digital History: Native Americans
Find out about how Native Americans fared during the passage of so much legislation during the New Deal. See which progams helped them, and read about the changes made in decades-old laws.
Digital History
Digital History: Wagner Act
Read about the growth of labor unions during the 1930s as the Great Depression continued, due to the passage of the Wagner Act. Find out about the strikes and the conflict between labor and management, as well as conflict within the...
Digital History
Digital History: Roosevelt's Critics
This article lays out criticism of President Roosevelt and his handling of the Great Depression and the New Deal. Read about three men who developed a great following by insisting that the New Deal did not go far enough and not enough...
Digital History
Digital History: The New Dealers
Franklin D. Roosevelt brought in many different thinkers to help find ideas to fix the Great Depression. Read about their ideas and the ways they instituted their ways of thinking.
Digital History
Digital History: President Hoover
President Herbert Hoover spent his life in public service, and was a very intelligent man, but he was not able to see the problems caused by the Great Depression. Read about his comments and presidential actions in dealing with this...
Digital History
Digital History: The Human Toll
The Great Depression took a terrible toll on individuals and families. Read about the massive unemployment, ways people tried to survive, and the subtle change in people's attitudes toward the role of government in helping its citizens.
Digital History
Digital History: Charles Ponzi
The stock market crash on October 29, 1929, was the culmination of fraudulent practices of many forms in the 1920s. Read about Charles Ponzi and his schemes to make money, stock swindles, and stock speculation.
Digital History
Digital History: America at War: World War I
A brief, but impactful look at the legacy of World War i in terms of politics, economy, and costs.
Digital History
Digital History: America at War: Road to War
Read about the convoluted European military alliances at the beginning of the 20th century, and see why those alliances were so affected by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, resulting in World War I.
Digital History
Digital History: America at War: The Guns of August
Read about the course of World War I on both the eastern and western fronts. See how the upheaval in the world brought about attempts at revolution in several countries.
Digital History
Digital History: Postwar Labor Tensions
Read about the strength of labor unions just after World War I and see how the gains were eroded throughout the 1920s.
Digital History
Digital History:the Great Migration
The Great Migration for African Americans began during World War I as blacks left the segregated south to find jobs in the north. Read about how segregation followed them into their northern neighborhoods. See also how the Harlem...
Digital History
Digital History: The Ku Klux Klan
A look at the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan after World War I in response to the agricultural depression and the migration of African Americans into northern cities. Read about its swift growth, and equally swift loss of members by the...
Digital History
Digital History: Sacco and Vanzetti
Sacco and Vanzetti were caught up in anti-immigrant, Red Scare feelings in the 1920s. Read about their arrest and controversial trial filled with prejudice and errors.
Digital History
Digital History: Leopold and Loeb
A fascinating look at the crime perpetrated by teens, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb and their subsequent trial and punishment. These two young men were defended by famous trial lawyer, Clarence Darrow. Read about his defense and the...
Digital History
Digital History: Politics During the 1920s
Read about the presidents who held office during most of the 1920s. Both were essentially unremarkable, but Warren Harding, whose administration was beset by scandal, did have some accomplishments. See why Calvin Coolidge was such a...
Digital History
Digital History: The New Woman
Although women rejoiced in gaining the right to vote in 1920, the women's movement stalled during this time. Read about the problems within the movement and opposition from outside the movement.
Digital History
Digital History: Economic and Foreign Policy Problems
The new American nation in the Confederation Era faced a host of economic and foreign policy problems. Read about the problems and why they were so serious.