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Past Tracker |

The Great Depression - Government

Pre-Statehood Era: 1700-1818

Early Statehood: 1818-1861

Civil War Era: 1861-1865

Late 19th Century: 1866-1900

Early 20th Century: 1900-1914

World War I: 1914-1918

Roaring Twenties: 1918-1929

Great Depression: 1930-1941

World War II: 1941-1945

Cold War Era: 1946-1991

Millennium: 1991-Present

Lesson Plans

Resources

The Civilian Conservation Corps

The Civilian Conservation Corp was a New Deal program that ran from 1933 to 1941. The program was designed to help unemployed, and most young, American males to gain employment after the economic desolation of the Great Depression. The program provided work for unskilled and skilled laborers in various jobs and also promoted a new awareness of the country's natural resources and heritage. The members of the CCC built national parks, reforested the country and did other important work such as paving new roads and working on soil and water conservation. More than 6,000 men were involved in CCC projects in Illinois alone. The projects of the CCC put Americans to work and lifted not only the members morale, but lifted the spirits of the communities they served. For more detailed information about CCC in general and in Illinois, see the website links at the bottom of the section.

Photo of CCC men in front of their barrack, Camp Charleston, 1940

  • Citation: Photo courtesy of Dean Ferris, compiled by Lori Henderson.

Photo of the Recreation Center, Camp Charleston, 1940

  • Citation: Photo courtesy of Dean Ferris, compiled by Lori Henderson.

Photo of the Mess Hall, Camp Charleston, 1940

  • Citation: Photo courtesy of Dean Ferris, compiled by Lori Henderson.

Photo of Camp Charleston, IL

  • Citation: Photo courtesy of Paul Moore, from the permanent collection of Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, compiled by Lori Henderson.

Palisades Echo, a Camp Newspaper, Dec. 17th, 1934

  • Most CCC camps had newsletters and newspapers, often created by the men themselves, which told about the operations at the camp, advertised various events, and shared important announcements. The front page of the Palisades Echo is presented above.

  • Citation: The Palidades Echo Vol. 1, No. 4. December 17, 1934. Newspaper courtesy of the Center for Research Libraries in Chicago, compiled by Lori Henderson.

Charleston Echo Newspaper

  • The page from the Charleston Echo paper with advertisements for a shoe store, a dairy, and other businesses. This page also briefly mentions that electricity had finally been introduced into the barracks at the camp. 

  • Citation: Charleston Echo. Newspaper courtesy of the Center for Research Libraries in Chicago, compiled by Lori Henderson.

Charleston Echo Newspaper, Dedication Day, Oct. 17th, 1935

  • This newspaper describes the day that the Charleston Camp in Illinois was officially dedicated and describes the ceremony in some detail.

  • Citation: "Camp Dedication" from the Charleston Echo, Vol II, No 1. October 17, 1935. Newspaper courtesy of the Center for Research Libraries in Chicago, compiled by Lori Henderson.

CCC Links

PBS Interactive Map of CCC Sites - This map shows the different projects across the United States in which the CCC was involved. The PBS site also has a CCC timeline and other helpful information.

Forest Army - This blog was created by a member of the SW Regional Director of the National Association of Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni (NACCCA). The blog has interesting information and pictures about the CCC.

Crime and Punishment

Letter Concerning Prosecution of an Illinois Prohibition Law Violation, June 21st, 1933

  • This letter, from a lawyer defending a client in Kane county, is written to Governor Horner of Illinois. His client was indicted for breaking the 18th Amendment, which prevented the sale and transportation of alcohol, ten days before it was repealed in IL. The letter is a request for a pardon.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 17. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc17.html

Philanthropy and Government Aid

Letter From the U.S. Secretary of State Requesting Information for the Austrian Government, October 13th, 1931

  • This letter from the United States Secretary of State to Governor Emerson of Illinois requests laws about unemployment to provide to the government of Austria. Austria was suffering from a great period of unemployment following World War I and the collapse of their economy.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 7. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc7.html

Letter From the Moweaqua Coal Corporation Concerning Operations, July 28th, 1932

  • This letter from Moeaqua Coal Company to Governor Emmerson of Illinois requested funds for the mine and the community that supported it, either through a loan or selling coal to the government.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 10. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc10.html

Letter From Concerning Library Service for Illinois Federal Transient Camps, February 28th, 1934

  • This letter discusses Transient Camps that provided for the needs of men seeking jobs during the Great Depression. These camps provided shelter, food, water, and supplies. 

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 27. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc27.html

Governor's Statement Concerning an Attack Made on Relief Workers in Chicago, January 29th, 1935

  • This statement from Governor Horner addresses an attack on relief workers that resulted in the death of two employees, (as well as  injury to two more), by a mother and son receiving benefits. Horner offers sympathy and encouragement to the workers in dealing with people under emotional strain.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 34. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc34.html

Letter Concerning the Collapse of the Chicago Housing Market, February 2nd, 1935

  • This letter to Governor Horner requests that arrangements be made to assist homeowners who could take advantage of the Federal Housing Act if defaulted taxes could be reorganized. The petitioner states that seventy-five percent of homes in Chicago at the time had defaulted on taxes.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 35. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc35.html

Illinois Emergency Relief Commission Monthly Statistics, April 1935

  • These statistics record the number of people receiving relief from the Illinois Emergency Relief Commission, which allocated federal funds to the people of Illinois until 1936, when the Works Project Administration took over allocation of funds.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 40. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc40.html

Better Illinois Communities Through W.P.A. Projects, 1936

  • This informational booklet discusses the purpose and programs that the W.P.A. was putting into place in Illinois. The W.P.A. created jobs and reduced unemployment throughout the country following the Great Depression.

  • Citation: "Better Illinois Communities Through W.P.A. Projects." Illinois: Information Service, Works Progress Administration, 1936.

Letter Requesting Relief for the Daughters of a Civil War Veteran, October 18th, 1939

  • This letter to the Governor of Illinois requests assistance seeking pension to provide for her sister. The petitioner and her sister were daughters of a Civil War veteran.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 49. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc49.html

Public Health and Safety

Letter from the U.S. Secretary of State Concerning the Graf Zeppelin, October 19th, 1933

  • This letter from the Secretary of State to the Governor of Illinois discusses the visit of the Graf Zeppelin to Chicago for the "Century of Progress" expedition. The Secretary of State asks for security from attack for the airship, which displayed the symbols of the newly formed Nazi party.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 20. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc20.html

Telegram from the U.S. Secretary of State Concerning Potential Harm to German Persons and Interests, November 12th, 1938

  • The Secretary of State sent this confidential document to the Governor of Illinois expressing concerns for German citizens following the German invasion of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, which escalated tensions between America and Germany.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 46. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc46.html

WPA Posters Collection

The Work Projects Administration (WPA) was formed during the federal New Deal of the 1930's. Many Americans suffering from unemployment during the Great Depression received work through federal and local government. Posters produced by the WPA endorsed various subjects, including the war effort, public safety, health, and social initiatives. The posters included on Past Tracker from the Library of Congress collection were all created in Illinois. For more information and images, see the WPA Posters Collection on the Library of Congress page at: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collections/wpapos/

Safety for You, For All, WPA Poster, 1936

  • This poster for the WPA Illinois Safety Division was intended to promote safety. It displays a civil defense symbol.

  • Citation: “Safety for You, for All,” Illinois: Federal Art Project, 1936, accessed through the WPA Posters Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98517824/

Save Your Eyes - Use Your Goggles, WPA Poster, 1936-37

  • This poster for the WPA Illinois Safety Division promotes safety and the use of proper eye protection. It depicts a man wearing goggles, with workers in the background.

  • Citation: “Save Your Eyes – Use Your Goggles.” Illinois: Federal Art Project, 1936-1937, accessed through WPA Posters Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98517852/

To-day is Another Day, WPA Poster, 1936-37

  • This poster for the WPA Illinois Safety Division promotes safety in the workplace. It shows silhouettes of working class men.

  • Citation: “To-day is Another Day: Make It Safe!” Illinois: Federal Art Project, 1936-1937, accessed through WPA Posters Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/93509790/

Chicago Will Control Syphilis, WPA Poster, 1936-38

  • This Chicago Board of Health poster announces free and confidential blood tests for syphilis. It depicts a hypodermic needle.

  • Citation: “Chicago Will Control Syphilis: You May Have Your Blood Test Free and Confidentially at One of the Following Stations: Chicago Board of Health, Herman N. Bundesen, Pres.” Illinois: Federal Art Project, 1936-1938, accessed through WPA Posters Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98508384/

March on to Health, WPA Poster, 1936-39

  • This poster depicts a line of boys and girls marching and encouraged young people to get tested for tuberculosis through the City of Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium.

  • Citation: “March on to Health: Get Your Test Now: City of Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium,” Chicago: WPA Federal Art Project, 1936-1939, accessed through WPA Posters collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98508416/

Keep Fit, Get Your Test Now, WPA Poster, 1936-39

  • This City of Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium poster, designed by Kreger, promoted testing for tuberculosis. It shows two athletes hurdling barriers "malnutrition" and "heart disease," with a third athlete stumbling over the barrier "tuberculosis" on the way to the finish line "good health."

  • Citation: "Keep Fit ... Get Your Test Now / Kreger," Chicago: WPA Federal Art Project, 1936-1939, accessed through WPA Posters collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98510126

A Lifelong Job, WPA Poster, 1936-41

  • Designed by E.S. Reid, this poster from The Cook County Public Health Unit depicts a woman and two children in the rain.

  • Citation: “A Lifelong Job – The Constant Protection of Their Health – The Cook County Public Health Unit / E.S. Reid,” Chicago: Illinois WPA Art Project, 1936-1941, accessed through WPA Posters collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98513455/

Vaccination Prevents Smallpox, WPA Poster, 1936-41

  • This poster for the Chicago Department of Health encourages smallpox vaccinations. It depicts a large red question mark.

  • Citation: "Is Your Child Vaccinated: Vaccination Prevents Smallpox - Chicago Department of Health," Chicago: Illinois WPA Art Project, 1936-1941, accessed through WPA Posters collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98507705/

Crusade Against Tuberculosis, WPA Poster, 1940

  • This Cook County Public Health Unit poster encourages participation in the fight against tuberculosis. It depicts a staff and holly wreath design.

  • Citation: "Take Part in America's Crusade Against Tuberculosis: Cook County Public Health Unit," Chicago: Illinois WPA Art Project, 1940, accessed through WPA Posters collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98508942/

State and Local Government

Letter From the U.S. Secretary of State Requesting Information for the Austrian Government, October 13th, 1931

  • See Philanthropy and Social Aid section

Letter from the U.S. Secretary of State Concerning the Tenth Anniversary of Fascist Italy, October 17th, 1932

  • Letter from the Secretary of State to the Governor of Illinois concerning the tenth anniversary of the creation of the fascist Italian state, and warns of possible violence that may come during the anniversary.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 14. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc14.html

Letter Concerning Prosecution of an Illinois Prohibition Law Violation, June 21st, 1933

  • See Crime and Punishment section

Executive Order Activating Selected Units of the National Guard, October 5th, 1933

  • This order provides for National Guard troops to regain order in Saline County at the Peabody Coal Mine number 43. Union workers from the Progressive Mine Workers attacked United Mine Workers in a labor dispute, causing serious injuries.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 19. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc19.html

Telegram Protesting the Omission of the Communist Part from the November Ballot, October 1st, 1934

  • This telegraph from the "United States Congress Against War and Facism" to the Governor complaining the removal of the Communist candidate from the election.

  • Citation: Bailey, Robert and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Hard Times In Illinois: 1930-1940. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 2002. Document 31. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed 10/26/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/hard_times/doc31.html

War and Military

Behind the Headlines, WPA Poster, 1939

  • This poster highlights images representing war prior to the United States entry into World War II.

  • Citation: "Behind the Headlines," Illinois: Federal Art Project, 1939, accessed through WPA Posters collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98518240/