Art of the New Deal Group 4 by Course Materials

INSTRUCTIONS

coursematerialbackup — 2017-08-21 21:28:49 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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War and Technology in the 1920s – Kaylee Owens

2026-02-18 19:21:23 UTC

This artwork connects to American life in the early 1900s, especially during and after World War I. At that time, new machines and technology were developing quickly, and industries were growing fast. While these changes helped the country modernize, they also led to more advanced and deadly weapons. The large skeletal figure in the image can symbolize how war and technology started to feel all-powerful, almost like they controlled the world. Many Americans in the 1920s were excited about progress, but they were also dealing with the fear and memories left behind by the war.

I chose this piece because it shows the mixed emotions of that time period. Even though the 1920s are often seen as a decade of growth and excitement, there was still anxiety about the future. The artwork captures that uneasy feeling, showing how progress can be both powerful and dangerous at the same time.

Should we have not funded Arts or Music? - Kaylee Owens

2026-02-18 19:25:00 UTC

I understand why some people think government money during the Great Depression should have only gone toward basic needs like food and jobs. However, programs that funded art and music also created employment for thousands of struggling Americans. Artists, musicians, and writers were able to earn a living through New Deal programs rather than remain unemployed. In addition, art and music helped lift people’s spirits during a very difficult time. The Great Depression affected more than just finances; it also hurt morale. Supporting the arts provided both economic relief and hope for the country.

Construction and growth in the 1920s - Kennedy Ayres

2026-02-19 16:01:33 UTC

I chose this image because it shows builders constructing what appears to be a dam in a deep canyon, which shows the large construction projects that occurred during the Great Depression. It relates to American history because the New Deal programs were designed to provide jobs by constructing public works projects. The American Yawp reports that the Public Works Administration, a New Deal program, was responsible for the construction of dams, bridges, and other structures to provide jobs and boost the economy.

I also observed that one side of the image is bright while the other side is dark. This is a reminder that the Great Depression began suddenly with the stock market crash; during this time country seemed to go from growth to poverty overnight. The bright side of the image may symbolize hopes and dreams through government programs, while the dark canyon symbolizes the fear and uncertainty that Americans experienced during the Great Depression.

Disagree - Kennedy Ayres

2026-02-22 15:16:20 UTC

I disagree with the statement because New Deal spending on art and music still addressed the immediate unemployment crisis during the Great Depression. In Chapter 23 of The American Yawp, it explains that the Works Progress Administration (WPA) hired millions of Americans, including artists, writers, and musicians, to provide jobs when work was scarce. By giving these individuals steady paychecks, the government helped them afford food and basic necessities, which, like infrastructure jobs, supported families. It may not have helped immediately like handing out free food, but it helped in the long run. Handing out free food is not a long-term solution, so they were thinking of out-of-the-box ways to help sustainably. This shows that funding the arts was not a waste of taxpayer money, but another way to provide relief and economic stability during a national emergency.

California Industrial Scenes (John L Howard) - Logan Herrick

2026-02-22 19:18:32 UTC

This piece of art from the 1920's does a good job showing off how fast our society was evolving at the time. It shows the use of trains, a giant dam that required modern techniques to develop, and what even looks like a newly developed car in the back. This piece does a good job showing off what was called the "roaring twenties," which puts a name on the decade of rapid modernization, new consumer culture, and urban growth. Also, if you take a deeper look, it's almost as if the people up close are stuck in there olden ways and habits of doing things, while in the background they are getting left behind by the rapid modernization taking place in front of them. Overall, I think that it does a good job at connecting the experience of American Life during the 1920's as it shows how Americans had to adjust to the new modern lifestyle evolving in front of them.

Disagree - Logan Herrick

2026-02-22 19:34:40 UTC

I disagree, as the idea that New Deal money should not have funded art or music ignores how deeply the great depression hurt people's morale and sense of identity. As the text shows, unemployment stripped people of dignity; one man even said, "A man is not a man without work" (American Yawp, 23). Cultural programs gave artists, musicians, and writers real jobs at a time when cities and charities had completely run out of resources. The document also highlights how government-funded art, like Dorothea Lange's famous Migrant Mother photograph, "made real the suffering of millions," (American Yawp, 23), helping Americans understand the crisis and support further relief. Because the depression harmed both the economy and the spirit of the nation, New Deal art programs played an essential role in providing work, rebuilding hope, and documenting the struggles of ordinary people.

Disagree- Ofori Clolinger

2026-02-22 20:40:55 UTC

The Great Depression was one of the darkest and scariest times in American history, and it is remembered as the government had to do there job and pay attention and focus on food, jobs, and the economy of the world. I disagree that the money should not have been spent on art and music.

For example, the Works Progress Administration was an act that was created to give jobs for Americans that needed it or were struggling. But it also hired artists, musicians, writers, and actors. These people were unemployed just like factory workers or construction workers. By giving them jobs, they could take care of their families and which helped the economy.

These programs left a lasting impact. Artists created murals in schools and public buildings. Writers kept journals and other things to catch important histories, including interviews with former slaves . Musicians held concerts that the public did not have to pay for. These things helped to take care and keep American history and culture. Just like how we use highways and roads today made by the New Deal are still useful today, the artwork created during this period are still important.

Children at Play 1934: Ralph Chesse- Ofori Clolinger

2026-02-22 22:16:30 UTC

I decided the go with this piece because It shows a lot of kids playing together. Enjoying each others company and all around having fun outside. This shows very much importance to me because i don't see many kids now a days having fun outside together. Most kids are on there phone or in there house playing there video games. This highlights how the past was during the great depressions how kids didn't have much more than each other. How they couldn't sit in there house they had to play with one another and enjoy each others company. This shows back when we did the discussion board if America should have gone into world war 1. This is an example of how kids had there family's being drafted in the war and it shows how they had to come together as one another to just be able to laugh for once. While they waited for there parents or siblings to come back. This shows because it wasn't easy in one of the yamp packets we read the president described how ruff time was while the war lasted many many years. While it didn't have many pluses woman and even children were b=put in different roles. Children were not just allowed to play all the day they had to make some money for there family's to put for on the table. This picture can also prolly show how different there life changed since the war was going on and the impacts of the depression.

A Beacon of Hope - Madison Woods

2026-02-23 00:00:27 UTC

I chose this mural because rather than focusing on the negatives during this time period, it depicts home life in a more positive manner while still keeping it realistic. During a time period that was defined by so many bad things like the Dust Bowl and economic instability, this piece showcases the desire than many citizens had during this time to not only survive their hardships, but to also maintain a dignified life. This mural was also created by a woman, and it highlights that while the stand for women's right took a step back during this time, efforts were still being made. New Deal programs like the PWAP gave female artists platforms to display their work alongside men's.

Disagree - Madison Woods

2026-02-23 00:16:13 UTC

If you look at it from a surface level with no context, it makes sense to want to strictly use funding on direct necessities like food. However, funding the arts and music was also a good use of government funding. One of the main reason why the Great Depression even lasted as long as it did was the extremely high unemployment rate, peaking at 25%. Funding art and music programs gave people jobs, sometimes these programs could even give struggling artists and musicians even better job opportunities than they had before the Depression. Another reason why funding the arts is important is because it worked to spread awareness as well as give people hope. As seen in the art pieces from the New Deal Era, many of them worked to show and in turn spread awareness about the bad things that were going on during the time period. However, some of the pieces also serve as inspirations and positive signs of the good and happy during this time.