American History Honors
Seminar: Effectiveness of the New Deal

In class, you will be randomly assigned “YES” or “NO.” Once you receive this assignment, you are to research the assigned answer to this question:

Was the New Deal an effective response to the Great Depression?

Use the material in your textbook and material online to help structure your argument.

In our class seminar, we will discuss the following areas in a debate-format:

· Job Creation

· Banking Recovery and Reform

· New role of government

· Economic Reform

· Economic Recovery / Recession

· Legacy of the New Deal

In the seminar, you are to debate how historians would argue yes or no to the topic question.

Once we finish discussing these arguments, based on what you were assigned, I will allow you to argue what side of the debate you are actually on.

Also, please feel free to compare these debates to current debates on the economy and government intervention.

Here is one current events article I found helpful: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/20/Newdeal.debate/