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Debating Social Security: Understanding and Evaluating the Social Security Act of 1935
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Author: Karen Hodges, Academy for College & Career Exploration, Baltimore City Public School System
Grade Level: High
Duration: 2-3 periods
Overview:
This lesson takes students through the origins and evolution of Social Security legislation. The history of the social welfare movement, New Deal bills, and alternative proposals during the Great Depression will all be explored. Students will gain an understanding of how Social Security works, and why changing American demographics threaten the system's viability. They will debate privatization proposals and discuss the social values at stake in the fate of Social Security.
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