We focus on the economic collapse of the 1930s and the dramatic transformation of the federal government that followed. This episode explores the causes and consequences of the Great Depression, the human impact of mass unemployment and poverty, and Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal response to the crisis. We'll examine how new programs, agencies, and regulations expanded the role of government in banking, labor, and social welfare, reshaping Americans' expectations of federal responsibility. Coming late in the course, this lesson highlights a pivotal moment when the United States redefined the relationship between citizens and the state in response to unprecedented economic hardship.