Great Depression ‑ Videos

More to History: How the Hispanic New Deal Changed New Mexico

During the Great Depression, FDR offered a New Deal to revitalize the nation. And Senator Dennis Chavez ensured that Hispanic Americans were a part of the bargain.

History Shorts: Dorothea Lange Documents America in Crisis

Dorothea Lange captured the reality of the Great Depression in the faces of those who struggled most.

History Shorts: How Artists Helped End the Great Depression

By giving support to an army of creative workers, the government was able to lift the prospects of an entire nation. 

Flashback: Robots Smoked Cigarettes at the 1939 World’s Fair

Meant to exhibit the “World of Tomorrow,” the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City tried to predict what life would be like beyond the 20th century. “Elektro” is a perfect example – a humanoid robot who could enjoy a cigarette while cracking a joke.

Here’s How the Great Depression Brought on Social Security

Explore how the Great Depression of the 1930s forced America to consider having a social safety net, leading President FDR to sign the Social Security Act into law via his New Deal programs. Learn how Social Security has changed over time.

The 1930s

Learn more about the 1930s, a particularly tumultuous decade in world history that got its start with a bang – or, more accurately, a crash.

Deconstructing History: Hoover Dam

Did you know that the Hoover Dam supplies electricity to more than 20 million people? Get all the facts on this marvel of engineering.

The Stock Market Crash of 1929

Black Thursday brings the roaring twenties to a screaming halt, ushering in a world‑wide an economic depression.

Henry J. Kaiser Builds Hoover Dam and U.S. Warships

See how Henry Kaiser’s love for a young lady spurred him to build the Hoover Dam and the great military war ships.

Migrant Mother Photo

The Migrant Mother image is one of a series of photographs that Dorothea Lange made in February or March 1936 in Nipomo, California.

Artists of the New Deal

President Franklin Roosevelt creates a series of programs designed to help America cope with, and recover from the Great Depression.

This Day in History Video: What Happened on January 24