The Great Depression offers students a relatable look at an economic event whose effects still impact the United States today — The Great Depression of the 1930s. 

Every day, a nation’s economy directly impacts the lives of its people. Yet the complex forces that drive our economy – the availability of jobs, goods, and financial investments – can be difficult to understand.  

During The Great Depression, unemployment reached unprecedented levels, many banks closed, and people across the nation felt the burden of the nation’s struggling economy. And, while The Great Depression led to hardships for people all across the United States, it also led to multi-faceted reform that still impacts U.S. policies and citizens today.

Pop Culture Classroom’s educational comic, The Great Depression, looks at some of the:  

• Events that contributed to The Great Depression 
• Effects of The Great Depression on people across the country  
• Key — and sometimes unheralded — historical figures from the era 
• Public policies that were adopted in response to the economic crisis 

Each FREE download includes a four-page comic, discussion questions, project ideas, and sources for further reading. 

Estimated Lexile Level: 610 – 800

Projects and discussion questions aligned to Common Core standards for grades: 6-10  

Story and Art: Robin Childs
Lettering: R. Alan Brooks