Think of any movie you’ve seen that you feel you know well. Record yourself explaining the movie with reference to the instructions for the Movie Pitch Project – Explain the theme, characters, setting, plot, conflict & resolution. Save your video to OneDrive and post the shared link on your blog.

Also, watch your own pitch to see if it would convince someone to want to watch the movie. You could even share it with a friend and ask them for feedback.

Describe any ideas you have thus far for your movie pitch. What primary sources could you use to help make your idea more historically accurate?

Watch Cinderella Man (same password as textbook, or you can find it on Netflix)

Other movies for the Great Depression: Dick Tracy

Choose one of the following to respond to on your blog:

• (Cause and Consequence) Do tough economic times bring forth greater racism? Use specific examples from the Great Depression and compare it to other eras.
• (Perspective/Evidence) Read over the Letters to Bennett. Which was your favourite letter to Bennett and why?
• (Cause and Consequence) In what ways did the Great Depression make Canada rethink its economic policies? How did that contribute to our identity today?
• (Continuity and Change) What similarities can you find between Canada’s reaction during the Great Depression and this Covid-19 emergency? What are the differences?

Useful sources:

Consequences of the Great Depression:

• https://tc2.ca/sourcedocs/uploads/history_docs/Interwar%20years/Consequences_Great_Depression.pdf

More Letters to Bennett:

• http://www.canadianmysteries.ca/sites/norman/background/1930s/5394en.html

On to Ottawa Trek:

• https://www.vslo.ca/about/history-victory-square/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=452&v=F0tW2kvy1z8

Vancouver during Depression:

• http://seniorsstories.vcn.bc.ca/2014/10/27/jack-burch-depression-war-career-publishing/

Respond to one of the questions below on your blog:

• (Continuity and change) Could the causes of the Great Depression happen today? Are we in any of those situations that were happening in the Roaring 20s?
• (Continuity and change) Is it inevitable that depressions/recessions happen or is there a better way to structure our economy? Explain. (you could do some Googling for other recessions to compare)

*bit of a longer one, I’d do this over 2 days.

Readings:

• Counterpoints, Chapter 4, pp 94-110
• PPT – The Great Depression

Understand the significance of the following:

• Old Age Pension Act
• Treatment of recent immigrants
• Pogey
• Riding the Rods
• Prairie Droughts (Dustbowl)
• Mackenzie King’s “Five Cent Speech”
• R.B. Bennett’s New Deal
• Bennett Buggies, Bennett Barnyards, Bennett Blankets, etc.
• Shantytowns/ the Jungle
• Communist Party of Canada
• Relief Act/ Relief Camps
• Letters to Bennett
• On to Ottawa Trek
• CCF Party
• Social Credit Party
• Maurice Duplessis & Nationalism
• Dufferin Patullo
• 1938 Vancouver Relief Demonstration (Riot)
• 1935 Mackenzie King’s Re-election
• National Employment Commission
• Rowell-Sirois Commission
• Equalization payments

Concepts to understand (test yourself):

• How would you explain Canada’s reaction to the Great Depression with reference to the political spectrum? Be able to reference specific terms as examples.

Readings:

• Counterpoints, Chapter 3, pp 85, Chapter 4, pp 90-93
• Watch Stock Market Crash Documentary (58 min)
• Watch Crash Course in the Great Depression (14min)
• PPT – Causes of the Great Depression

Understand the significance of the following:

• Bear Market vs Bull Market
• Buying on a Margin
• Overproduction (especially wheat)
• Tariffs and protectionism
• Debt
• Canadian Exports
• Bank Failures
• Stock Market Crash (Black Tuesday)

Concepts to understand (test yourself):

• How do banks work (how do they make money?)
• What is a stock and why does the prices change constantly?
• What caused the Great Depression?
• How do our perceptions affect the economy?

Choose one of the following to respond to on your blog:

• (Evidence/Perspective) How would you describe the first few years after WWI? Who was happy, who wasn’t, and why? Any primary evidence?
• (Significance) Was there any point to the Winnipeg General Strike?
• (Perspective) Why did the Liberals win the election of 1921?

Useful sources:

• https://www.nfb.ca/film/good_bright_days/ (first 10min)
• Winnipeg Strike: https://www.cpha.ca/fighting-good-fight-winnipeg-general-strike-1919
• Winnipeg Strike Primary Sources: Winipeg-general-strike.pdf
• Maritime Rights: http://thechronicleherald.ca/thenovascotian/1511355-turning-points-the-rise-and-fall-of-maritime-rights-in-the-1920s
• Progressive Party: https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/medicare/medic-1g04e.shtml
• 1921 Election: https://www.mapleleafweb.com/voter-almanac/1921-federal-election-canada.html#election