The years when the world's money disappeared and millions of people lost their jobs.
Want more detail? Read this lesson at B2/C1 level →
Before we read, let's learn the important words. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.
1 = C (a boom) · 2 = F (to crash) · 3 = D (a bank) · 4 = B (unemployment)
5 = H (poverty) · 6 = G (a breadline) · 7 = E (relief) · 8 = A (recovery)
Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and talk about the last one.
In the 1920s, the United States was rich and happy. There were new cars, new radios, and lots of jobs. People called these years the "Roaring Twenties". Many people put their money into the stock market, where you can buy small parts of companies. The prices went up and up, and people thought they were going to get rich.
But there was a big problem. People borrowed money to buy more and more. They were sure the prices would never go down. They were wrong. In October 1929, the stock market crashed. In just a few days, the prices fell very fast. People lost huge amounts of money. The good times were over.
1. Why were the 1920s called the "Roaring Twenties"?
2. What happened in October 1929?
1. Because the USA was rich and happy: new cars and radios, lots of jobs, and the stock market going up and up.
2. The stock market crashed. Prices fell very fast and people lost huge amounts of money.
After the crash, people were afraid. They ran to the banks to take out their money. But the banks did not have enough money for everyone, so many banks closed. Millions of families lost all their savings.
Now there was no money. Companies closed, and people lost their jobs. Soon, about one worker in four had no job. Many families became very poor. They stood in long lines to get free bread. Some people lost their homes and built small houses from cardboard and old wood. On the farms, there was no rain for years, and big dust storms killed the crops. It was a terrible time. And it was not only in America — the problem spread to Europe and the rest of the world too.
1. Why did so many banks close?
2. What was life like for poor families in these years?
1. People were afraid and rushed to take out their money, but the banks did not have enough for everyone — so they closed.
2. Many lost their jobs and homes. They stood in long lines for free bread, and some built houses from cardboard and old wood. On the farms there was no rain and dust storms killed the crops.
In 1933, a new president started: Franklin Roosevelt. He had a plan called the "New Deal". He helped the banks, and he gave people jobs. The government paid people to build roads, bridges, schools and parks. Roosevelt also told the people not to be afraid. He said the country was going to be strong again.
The New Deal helped a lot, but it did not fix everything. Many people still had no job for years. The real end came later. When the Second World War started, the factories needed to make ships, planes and guns. Suddenly there were jobs again for everyone. At last, after more than ten years, the Great Depression was over.
1. What did President Roosevelt do to help?
2. What finally ended the Great Depression?
1. He started the "New Deal": he helped the banks and gave people jobs, paying them to build roads, bridges, schools and parks.
2. The Second World War. The factories needed to make ships, planes and guns, so there were jobs for everyone again.
This story is about big numbers and small numbers: lots of people with no jobs, very little money, not much food. We use these words to say how much or how many.
1. In 1929, banks closed. (many / much)
2. Poor families did not have money. (many / much)
3. There were only jobs in the town. (a few / a little)
1. many (we can count banks)
2. much (we cannot count money)
3. a few (we can count jobs)
Put the right word in each gap: a lot of · much · a few · a little. Then read it out loud.
After the crash, people lost their jobs. They did not have money for food. Every day, they stood in long lines to get bread. Only banks were still open.
a lot of · much · a little · a few
The right word tells us how big the problem was — "a lot of people," but "not much money."
There is a real podcast about the Great Depression. It is for native speakers, so it is fast and quite difficult — that is normal! You do not need to understand every word.
From the Noiser podcast. About 50 minutes. Listen to a few minutes now, or all of it for homework.
Listen on Spotify →Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.
Tell the story of the Great Depression in your own words. Use these steps to help you: the rich 1920s → the stock market crash in 1929 → banks close and people lose their jobs → poor families and breadlines → President Roosevelt and the New Deal → the war ends it.
Show how big it was — how many people lost their jobs, how much money was lost, how few families had work — using words of quantity, and some of the key words (boom, crash, bank, unemployment, poverty, relief, recovery).
Has your country ever had a hard time with money — a crisis, high prices, or many people with no job? What happened? How did people feel?
Tell the story of something that was very successful and then had a big fall — a company, a shop, a team, or a famous person. First it was going up, and then what happened?
Not sure what to talk about? Choose one: