Unit 9: Turbulent Decades, 1919-1945

FDR Library and Museum
Visit the first presidential library in America at http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu to learn about Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his wife Eleanor, and his presidential actions during some of the most turbulent times in world history. As president, FDR liked to speak to the American public each week on the radio in his "fireside chats." Ask questions that you might have asked FDR during an interview in the early spring of 1945. Ask your questions to another student playing the role of FDR, and record your interview on tape. Inquire not only about WWII, but also ask about his early life, the Great Depression, and his battle with polio. Then construct a 1940s-style radio out of cardboard, and place your tape player inside. Have your classmates gather around the radio to listen to the president, just as Americans did during that era.