Context-Based Debate

Students study background information about the Great Depression and read an excerpt from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first inaugural address. They then participate in a structured debate about whether understanding the historical context changes or deepens the meaning of the passage. Students choose a position and justify it using evidence from both the speech and the historical background provided. This worksheet strengthens analytical thinking, persuasive reasoning, and the ability to connect text to historical moments. The reflection question encourages students to consider how timeless messages can apply to modern crises.

Curriculum Matched Skills

English Language Arts – Argumentation and Debate

Social Studies – Historical Context of the Great Depression

English Language Arts – Using Evidence to Support Claims

English Language Arts – Rhetorical Analysis

Social Studies – Text-to-History Interpretation

This worksheet is part of our contextualization worksheets collection.