The Great Depression

The Great Depression

The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, lasting from the stock market crash of 1929 to 1939.

(A mother of 7 children, March 1936)

Poll

Would you steal bread to feed your family?

• Yes

• No

Soup Kitchens

• Local charities or groups organized many early soup kitchens, but the enormous amount needed for relief prompted increased involvement from state and federal officials.

Multiple Choice

What happened when many people sold their stocks at one time?

• The stock market crashed.

• The stock market improved.

• Stock-holders bought more stocks.

• The stock market made many people rich.

The Market Crashes

Some people started getting skeptical. Prices could not keep going up forever. So they started selling their stocks while they were still at high prices. More and more people started catching on, until everyone was scrambling to sell their stocks at once. There was no one left to buy all these available stocks, so the prices dropped steeply.

Multiple Choice

The problems created by the Dust Bowl...

• encouraged many city dwellers to move to the country.

• caused people to struggle to find work.

• helped banks focus on assisting their customers.

• were the result of bank failures.

The Dust Bowl Hits

The drought brought hot, dry winds sweeping across the plains, blowing huge clouds of dust across the plains and into many peoples’ houses and lungs. Families could not stay in the area. They packed up and left the Great Plains, heading west to places like California to find work. Unfortunately, other states already had their own unemployment problems; there were not enough jobs for the

newcomers.

Multiple Choice

President Roosevelt's New Deal...

• brought more people to the White House.

• ensured that banks were always open.

• helped some people find jobs.

• gave investors more freedom.

The New Deal

To help families affected by unemployment, he created many employment programs. Groups like the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Administration (WPA) used government funds to pay young men for services like building roads and cleaning parks. This gave families some money to start buying necessities again.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following does NOT describe the entertainment industry

during the Great Depression?

• It distracted people from their troubles.

• It provided information on President Roosevelt’s policies.

• It provided Americans affordable fun at home.

• It improved the economy through movie ticket sales.

Radio became a central aspect of many people’s home lives. They could listen for free to comedy

shows like Amos ‘n’ Andy and The Jack Benny Show. President Roosevelt also made regular speeches on the radio to reassure the American people and explain his newest New Deal policies. Movies continued to grow in popularity. Viewers could escape into this world for a few hours any time they watched a movie.

Multiple Choice

When did the economy first start to improve?

• at the start of WWII

• when WWII ended

• when books were written about it

• when the Social Security Act was passed

When the United States entered World War II in 1941, things began to change. The military needed new equipment and supplies, so thousands of new manufacturing jobs opened to support the war effort. This cut down on the still-soaring unemployment rates. After the war ended, their hopes were realized as living standards rose and economic prosperity spread across the country.

Poll

Would you steal bread to feed your family?

• Yes

• No