Short answer: non-text source
Unemployment, output and federal spending, 1929–1941
- Unit 7
- 3 points
- About 13 minutes
You analyze a chart, table, map or image and answer three short parts about what it shows and the history behind it. Here the source is a data table. On the exam: Short-answer question 3 of 3, required; the three short-answer questions share a 40-minute section worth 20% of the score.
The question and its sources
On the exam this question's source is a chart, map or image; here it's a data table. Use the table to answer parts a, b and c. Write a few sentences for each part; you don't need a thesis.
The U.S. economy and federal spending, selected years, 1929–1941
| Year | Unemployment (percent of the civilian labor force) | Gross national product, adjusted for inflation (billions of 1958 dollars) | Federal government spending (billions of dollars) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | 3.2 | 203.6 | 3.1 |
| 1931 | 15.9 | 169.3 | 3.6 |
| 1933 | 24.9 | 141.5 | 4.6 |
| 1935 | 20.1 | 169.5 | 6.5 |
| 1936 | 16.9 | 193.0 | 8.4 |
| 1937 | 14.3 | 203.2 | 7.7 |
| 1938 | 19.0 | 192.9 | 6.8 |
| 1940 | 14.6 | 227.2 | 9.1 |
| 1941 | 9.9 | 263.7 | 13.3 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970 (1975), series D 86 (unemployment), F 3 (gross national product in 1958 prices) and Y 457 (federal outlays, administrative budget). Federal spending is for fiscal years ending June 30 and is rounded to the nearest $0.1 billion.
Suggested time: 13 minutes
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Part (a)
1 pointBriefly describe ONE pattern in the United States economy from 1929 to 1933 shown in the table.
0 / 2,500 characters
Part (b)
1 pointBriefly explain ONE way that federal government policies in the period 1933 to 1938 contributed to a change shown in the table.
0 / 2,500 characters
Part (c)
1 pointBriefly explain ONE way that developments in the period 1939 to 1945 helped bring the Great Depression to an end.
0 / 2,500 characters
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