How did the cultural products of the Great Depression serve to reflect, shape, and assuage Americans’ fears and concerns during this volatile period?

You will write a 3-4 page, formal, college-level paper answering ONE (1) of the following prompts. Most of these prompts include more than one question — make sure you address every aspect of the questions.

You will need to use both of your textbooks (you may also use lectures) and may need additional, outside sources to flesh out your paper.

You MUST cite every quote, reference, paraphrase, fact or other item requiring citation. You MUST cite using the citation style known as Turabian. Using any other format will result in you receiving a zero on your paper.

If you have no citations, you will earn a zero on your paper.

If you do not have a Works Cited page, you will earn a zero on your paper (do not use a reference page or a bibliography — they have specific meanings that differ from Works Cited.

You are responsible for all of the style items in PG’s Writing Guide.

Attach your paper, here, as a Word Document (doc or docx) or a PDF.

Prompts

1. How did the cultural products of the Great Depression serve to reflect, shape, and assuage Americans’ fears and concerns during this volatile period? How do our cultural products — such as books, movies, and music — reflect and reinforce our values in our own times?
   To what extent did the Great Depression catalyze significant changes in Americans’ perceptions of themselves, their national identity, and the role of their government? What evidence of these shifts can you find in the politics and values of our own times?
2. Whom did the New Deal help the least? What hardships did these individuals continue to suffer? Why were Roosevelt’s programs unsuccessful in the alleviation of their adversities? What challenges did Roosevelt face on behalf of African Americans? What impact did the New Deal have ultimately on race relations?
3. Should the U.S. government have ordered the internment of Japanese Americans? Does the fear of espionage or sabotage justify depriving American citizens of their rights? In what ways did World War II impact the status of women, African Americans, and other non-heteronormative groups in the United States?
4. What social changes took place in the United States after World War II? What role did the war play in those changes for women and non-heteronormative groups? Some Americans turned their wartime experiences into lasting personal gains (i.e. better employment, a new home, or an education) after the war was over. Why did others miss out on these opportunities?