History 476

Devine

Spring 2007

 

Riding The Rails: A Documentary by Michael Uys and Lexy Lovell

 

 

  1. What were some of the reasons teenagers left home to ride the rails?

 

 

  1. What steps did teens have to take to adapt to life “on the road”?

 

 

  1. How and why was the experience of riding the rails different for African-Americans?

 

 

  1. What kinds of experiences (good and bad) did teens have while riding the rails?

 

 

  1. What effects did the Great Depression have on the everyday lives of ordinary Americans, particularly young people?  What did the government do to help?

 

  1. How could riding the rails be more difficult for girls?  How did their experiences differ from boys’?

 

  1. How could life on the road inspire young people to embrace radical political views?  Overall, what kind of political response did the Depression provoke from Americans?

 

  1. How would you describe life in one of the hobo “jungles?”

 

 

  1. What effect did the CCC have on the boys who joined up?  What lessons did they learn?  What kinds of experiences did they have?

 

  1. How did their experiences riding the rails shape the worldviews of these teenagers for the rest of their lives?