A Level History lesson designed for the Edexcel USA 1917–1996 specification, exploring the key enquiry question:
Why did Americans move away from “rugged individualism” to the New Deal between 1917 and 1933?

Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, this lesson examines how economic collapse, political leadership, and changing public expectations transformed the role of the federal government in the United States. Students explore why Herbert Hoover’s belief in rugged individualism lost support and how Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal reshaped American politics, society, and ideas about government responsibility.

A key strength of this resource is the paired writing activity, where students collaboratively construct an extended response by swapping plans and paragraphs. This structured approach builds confidence, sharpens argumentation, and improves exam performance.

What’s included:

-Fully resourced and editable PowerPoint - no textbook needed.

-Timeline recap of Republican decline (1921–1929) and free knowledge organiser

-Causal web and target-diagram activities

-Paired writing activity for a 20-mark Edexcel-style essay

-Essay planning using CTFL (Command, Topic, Focus, Limitation)

-Peer/self-assessment task using mark scheme criteria

How I use this resource:
I use this lesson as a synoptic or assessment-preparation lesson for A Level Edexcel students studying the interwar USA. It is particularly effective for developing causation, evaluation, and extended writing skills, while deepening understanding of how and why American politics shifted from laissez-faire individualism to state intervention.

See my shop for more A Level Edexcel History resources, including lessons on Republicanism, the Great Depression and exam-focused writing support.