Summary: As part of President Harry Truman’s Fair Deal, the Housing Act of 1949 provided millions of dollars to demolish outdated, unsafe buildings and to create affordable housing in American cities. This lesson uses Newark, New Jersey, as a case study to consider the effectiveness of this effort. Students examine five documents to answer this question: Was the development of public housing in Newark after World War II a success?
Overarching questions:
- CIVICS: Have the concepts of liberty, justice and/or equality changed during the time period? If so, how and what has been the impact?
- CIVICS: How well does the government balance individual rights and the common good, including the need to maintain order, safety and a healthy environment, during this time period?
- NEW JERSEY: How have changes in New Jersey during this time period influenced U.S. history?
NJ Student Learning Standards for Social Studies:
- 6.1.12.CivicsPI.13.a: Craft an argument as to the effectiveness of the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, New Jersey Supreme Court decisions (i.e., Hedgepeth and Williams v. Trenton Board of Education), and New
Jersey’s laws in eliminating segregation and discrimination.
- 6.1.12.HistoryCC.13.c: Determine the impetus for the Civil Rights Movement and generate an evidence-based argument that evaluates the federal actions taken to ensure civil rights for African Americans.
- 6.1.12.EconEM.13.a: Explain how individuals and organizations used economic measures as weapons in the struggle for civil and human rights (e.g., the Montgomery Bus Boycott, sit downs).
Supplemental materials (links): Public Housing | Digital Inquiry Group