Art of the New Deal Group 6 by Course Materials

INSTRUCTIONS

coursematerialbackup — 2017-10-12 14:30:55 UTC

Make TWO posts:

ONE:

- Choose one of the pieces of art - a painting or drawing, NOT a photo or poster -

(https://content.scu.edu/digital/collection/p17268coll6/search) that you think represents some facet of American life during the Great Depression or the New Deal well.

Post:

- A screen shot of the image

- The name of the piece and the artist

- A description of why you chose it, including how you think it connects with the experience of American life during this time (tied to some kind of evidence)

- Include the topic and your name in the heading of your post (example: The 3 Rs - Wade Merrill)

TWO:
- Make a new post responding to the following:

The Great Depression was the ultimate American crisis. If government funds had to be spent on New Deal relief efforts, all of that money should have gone towards things that solved immediate emergencies or made a lasting difference: food relief, infrastructure, economic stimulus, etc. There is no reason tax payer money should have been spent on things like art and music. Tie your opnion to evidence from course materials.

- Place your post near the bottom prompt and include whether you agree or disagree in the title (example: Agree - Wade Merrill)

POST ONE

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Place your artwork post below

POST TWO

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Place your post about New Deal spending on arts projects here.

End

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" Industries of California" Abby Truman

2026-02-21 22:56:44 UTC

I chose the painting " Industries of California" by Ralph Stackpole because it reflects the experience of life during the New Deal by focusing on industrial labor, cooperation, and economic recovery. The painting shows workers operating machines in a factory setting, which connects it to the New Deal's focus on creating jobs and rebuilding industry during the Great Depression. The American Yawp, Chapter 23, explains how New Deal programs like the WPA and PWA employed millions of Americans in construction, manufacturing, and public projects to reduce unemployment and restore economic stability. This painting visually represents the goal of the New Deal by portraying productive labor and modern industry.

Abby Truman: Disagree

2026-02-21 23:08:45 UTC

I disagree with the claim that the New Deal money should not have been spent on art and music. According to the Maerican Yawp, programs like the WPA did more than provide emergency relief; they also created long-term economic and social benefits. The WPA employed artists, writers, musicians, and actors through projects like the Federal Art Project and the Federal Music Project, which provided thousands of jobs for unemployed Americans. This shows that funding the arts was not a waste of taxpayer money but a way to provide employment, preserve American culture, and help support recovery during the Great Depression.

"Bay Scene" Jessica Ward

2026-02-22 16:58:31 UTC

I chose the "Bay Scene" by Moya del Pino because it shows some aspects of the working class during the New Deal. The painting depicts the reality for some people during the new deal and we see the industrialization during this time period and economic potential of the bay. The painting represents the man-made progress of overcoming the natural disaster, the Great Depression. The PWA (Public Works Administration) is specifically seen in this painting, as said in the American Yawp Chapter 23, the PWA was designed to "restore the nation's infrastructure" While providing "industrial recovery". The recovery is seen in the painting with the working men and boats shipping in/out different products and materials, and the many factories surrounding the bay. The painting gives us a visual representation of industrial progress and recovery for the U.S after the Great depression.

Disagree - Jessica Ward

2026-02-22 22:29:51 UTC

I disagree with the claim tax payer money should not have gone to music and art during the New Deal. The Federal Art Project and Federal Music Project provided jobs for thousands of people. According to the American Yawp WPA was meant to provide work relief for "all" unemployed citizens. Painters and musicians are still considered jobs, they contribute to the society and economy just as other occupations do. Not providing funds and relief for the FAP and FMP is unfair because they deserve funding just as much as other programs do. Any job or industry contributed to the national economy so it would be unfair to just not fund one program because its didn't seem important. Overall spending tax dollars on the FAP and FMP were not waste of money but significant investments that contributed to the economy.

“California Industrial Scenes” - Ashtyn Lantz

2026-02-23 00:23:50 UTC

I Chose the “California Industrial Scenes” by John L. Howard. This painting reminds me of life during the Great Depression because of how it depicts the living conditions of that time. The beginning of Chapter 23 of the American Yawp explains that “nearly one in four Americans who wanted a job could not find one”, this depicts how little money the people had. Without work, the people would not be paid, leading to homelessness. This painting shows the type of “houses” people had, like the tent in the background. They were living with next to nothing, while also trying to make a living. The presence of the working class being depicted shows how the laborers were affected the hardest during the Great Depression.

Ashtyn Lantz - Agree

2026-02-23 00:36:07 UTC

I agree with the claim that taxpayers should not have been paying for things like art and music, but for things that made lasting differences to the economy. The American Yawp explains that people could not find jobs and were spending all of their savings, and defaulted on their debts. I believe because the people did not have extra money, they should spend it on what will be able to help the majority of people in the long run. Though, art and music can bring joy during hard times, not everyone could make money from art or music; therefore taxpayers should not spend their money on it. During the depression, the government should use their funds to better the economy and provide jobs that are more accessible for all Americans, not just the artistic ones. For example factory jobs, though less enjoyable, would be more of an option for common people to make money in.