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WorksheetsThe Depression Years: Canada in the 1930's
Total questions: 12
Worksheet time: 11mins
The 1930's is often referred to as the "Dirty Thirties" because
Many people had to forego luxury items like soap and shampoo during the 1930's due to a lack of income
There was a crippling drought in the Prairies, both in Canada and the United States as well as most of of the economy coming from raw materials (dirty jobs).
There were so many unemployed men travelling the country on trains, many people started referring to the time as 'dirty'.
There had been massive dust storms throughout Eastern Canada, forcing many people to move West and as they arrived, people started referring to the time as 'dirty'.
What were the three major ways events of the 1930's transformed Canada?
Birth of social welfare programs, rise of populist political movements, government intervention in the economy
Increase in entertainment options, population increase in urban centres and increase in social welfare programs
Loss of trade, credit from banks and jobs
Men travelled on trains, natural resources industry increased and an increase in new political movements
Economists and Economic Historians have come to a consensus that
The stock market crash was a cause of the Great Depression
Drop in commodity prices led to the stock market crash, causing the Great Depression
Drop in commodity prices, led to a decline in the demand of goods (trade) and access to credit and this led to the Depression
The stock market crash in October 1929 is the spark, not the cause, to the Great Depression
There is no consistent definition of a Depression
True- although it usually consists of a long period of unemployment and falling incomes
False- a Depression is a lack of confidence in the future of the economy
True- one key aspect however is it usually lasts a year
False- a Depression is a long period of falling commodity prices
Many immigrants to Canada were forcibly deported to their countries of origin in the 1930's due to:
Trick question, they weren't deported at all, many simply moved to different places in Canada
Trick question, they weren't forcibly deported, they chose to return
the new application of Keynesian Economics to policy
Illness and unemployment
Why were the Prairie provinces hit harder during the Depression then Ontario or Quebec?
The Prairie provinces were poorer then the central provinces prior to the Depresison, therefore any impact on the economy was felt worse
The Prairies relied on manufactured goods for most of their economics and therefore when trade stopped worldwide, their economy was hit hard
The Prairies relied primarily on the exporting of natural resources, therefore when international trade stopped, their economy was hit hard
This is a trick question, the Prairies were not hit the hardest, it was the East Coast that was hit the hardest
People during the Depression reversed the urbanization trend that was rapidly occuring prior to the 1930's and moved 'back to the land'. What would spark this?
There must have been more jobs available for people on farms and in the prairies
Urban dwellers could receive relief payments, but they were too low and people felt going back to the land would be an improvement
Culturally, being on relief was embarassing and only men with families qualified for payments
This is not correct- more people moved to cities during the Depression
PM of Canada between 1921- 1930. He did not even acknowledge that there was a Depression. Suprisingly, the voters of Canada will re-elect him in 1935
RB Bennett
Mackenzie King
Arthur Meighn
Lester Pearson
PM of Canada during the most severe depression years (1930- 1935)
Mackenzie King
Pierre Trudeau
RB Bennett
Arthur Meighen
Infer, using the cultureal context of the time period, why the government did not offer support for single, unemployed men.
Due to attitudes of the time, support should only go to men who were fulfilling their gender expectations- those with families and jobs deserved support over single, unemployed men
There were simple too many of these men to help
Single unemployed men were too easily attracted to idea like socialism and commnunism and therefore the government didn't want to be seen helping their causes
Trick question, the government DID support single, unemployed men with jobs and relief payments
Infer why the Canadian government created "Relief Camps" for single, homeless and unemployed men.
The Canadian government saw an opportunity to use a large population for almost free labour to build canals, roads and government buildings.
The Canadian government offered the best solution to their needs- the offered a place to sleep, eat and work and in this way the government believed, the Depression could be improved
The Canadian government must have feared this large group of men travelling from province to province since they could be easily attracted to communist ideas. Therefore putting them in camps far away from society was an ideal solution
Trick question- Relief Camps were for any man who wished to come to the camps
What was the Regina Riot?
A riot started by the Communist Party in Regina
A riot started by ex-Relief Camp workers after Bennett declared them criminals
The result of a protest against the conditions of the work camps, by ex- Relief Camp workers
A mining protest turned violent in Regina in 1932
