Understanding the Impact of Alphabet Agencies during the Great Depression
About This Worksheet
This worksheet explores different interpretations of the effectiveness and impact of the Alphabet Agencies created during the New Deal. Students will compare historian views, analyze reasons for differing perspectives, and evaluate which interpretation is more convincing.
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Understanding the Impact of Alphabet Agencies during the Great Depression
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Contrasting Historian Interpretations of the Alphabet Agencies
Historian A: John Doe – Economic Perspective
"Historian A argues that the Alphabet Agencies were crucial in revitalizing the American economy. He emphasizes how agencies like the CCC and WPA created millions of jobs, stimulated demand, and helped restore confidence in the economy. According to him, these programs laid the foundation for long-term economic recovery and demonstrated the federal government's commitment to intervention during economic crises. He supports his view with economic data showing improvements in employment and industrial output during the 1930s. Overall, he sees the New Deal as a vital step toward economic stabilization."
Historian B: Jane Smith – Social Perspective
"Historian B contends that the Alphabet Agencies primarily served to placate the masses and reduce social unrest rather than deliver genuine economic recovery. She highlights how many programs, such as the FERA and NRA, aimed to control labor and suppress protests. She points out that many agencies failed to address deeper social inequalities and left large sections of the population still suffering. Her analysis suggests that the Agencies' main success was political stability, not economic recovery, and criticizes their limited impact on marginalized groups."
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Details
- Created
- 1/1/2026
- Updated
- 1/1/2026
- Type
- worksheet