What were the factors that brought about the Great
Depression?
Slide 4
A long period of rising stock prices convinced Americans to
invest heavily in the stock market Everyone was trying to get rich
quickly
Slide 5
Fearing that the boom would end, some investors started selling
their stock Prices declined and people panicked Investors sold
millions of stocks a day for three days Black Thursday: panicked
traders sold almost 13 million shares
Slide 6
Slide 7
Overproduction caused a drop in prices Factory owners slowed
production Factory owners cut wages and laid off workers 1920s
Growing gap between the rich and the poor 75% of American families
lived in poverty or were on the edge of it
Slide 8
Slide 9
Borrowed money fueled the economy in the 1920s Many consumers
could not meet loan or credit payments Small banks collapsed Large
banks invested in the stock market Large banks collapsed
Slide 10
1932 25% of Americans out of work Those who managed to keep
their jobs often worked part time and for reduced wages Hungry
people waited in long lines to get bread, coffee or soup from soup
kitchens Families or individuals who lost their homes built
shelters out of old boxes or debris Shanty towns or Hoovervilles:
groups of homeless people who build shelters
Peggy Terry, a young girl from Oklahoma City, told how each day
after school her mother sent her to the soup kitchen: If you
happened to be one of the first ones in line, you didnt get
anything but water that was on top. So wed ask the guy that was
ladling out soup into the buckets everybody had to bring their own
bucket to get the soup hed dip the greasy, watery stuff off the
top. So wed ask him to please dip down to get some meat and
potatoes from the bottom of the kettle. But he wouldnt do it. From
Hard Times by Studs Terkel
Slide 16
Hoover believed, depression cannot be cured by legislative
action or executive pronouncement Charities, churches and
volunteers worked heroically to provide relief Eventually Hoover
recognized the government needed to take steps to combat the
Depression 1931 Authorized additional federal spending on public
works to create jobs
Slide 17
WWI veterans who marched on Washington to demand bonuses
promised by the government Camped outside Washington Police tried
to disband the camp and two people were killed Hoover called in the
army and veterans and their families fled in terror Citizens were
horrified that the government attacked its own citizens Hoover
seemed out of touch with ordinary Americans
Slide 18
Slide 19
What impact did the Great Depression have on employment? How
did Hoover respond to the economic crisis? Essential Question: What
were the factors that brought about the Great Depression?
Slide 20
Slide 21
How did Franklin Roosevelts Leadership bring about change in
the U.S. economy?
Slide 22
Democratic governor of New York Defeated Republican President
Hoover in the Election of 1932 Struck by polio in 1921 leaving his
legs paralyzed Promised the American people a new deal
Slide 23
Inaugural Address: the only thing we have to fear is fear
itself Promised to put people to work Ordered all banks closed for
4 days to help them reorganize and reopen (Emergency Banking Relief
Act) Fireside chats helped FDR gain publics confidence
Slide 24
Americans huddled around their radios on march 12, 1933 to hear
newly elected president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his first
fireside chat: Let us unite in banishing fear. We have provided the
machinery to restore our financial system, and it is up to you to
support and make it work. It is your problem my friends, your
problem no less than it is mine. Together we cannot fail. In the
fireside chats, Roosevelt calmly but confidently explained in
simple terms the nations problems.
Slide 25
Banking Laws and regulations Agriculture Stock Market Relief
for the poor Public Works Conservation of Resources industry
Slide 26
Programs Civilian Conservations Corps Acronym CCC
Characteristics Employed 3 million young people to plant trees,
reforest areas, improve national parks, etc.
Slide 27
Programs Federal Emergency Relief Administration Acronym FERA
Characteristics Gave money to the states for use in helping the
needy
Slide 28
Programs Agricultural Adjustment Act Acronym AAA
Characteristics Wanted to raise farm prices quickly and control
production
Slide 29
Programs Tennessee Valley Authority Acronym TVA Characteristics
Control flooding, advance conservation and development, bring
electricity to rural areas on the Tennessee River
Slide 30
Programs National Recovery Administration Acronym NRA
Characteristics Encouraged businesses to set minimum wage and
abolish child labor
Slide 31
Did not cure the nations ills Depression dragged on Darkest
days (1932-1933) had passed
Slide 32
Summarizing: What steps did Roosevelt take to restore
confidence in banks and in the stock exchange? Analyzing: How did
work relief programs benefit the economy? Answer the Essential
Question: How did Franklin Roosevelts Leadership bring about change
in the U.S. economy?
Slide 33
Slide 34
Slide 35
How did the Great Depression affect economic activity and
social traditions of Americans, especially minorities?
Slide 36
I am writing to you for some of your old soiled dresses if you
have anyI am in the seventh grade in school but I have to stay out
of school because I have no books or clothes to ware (wear)If you
have any soiled clothes that you dont want to ware I would be very
glad to get them. Yours Truly From Dear Mrs. Roosevelt
Slide 37
Desperation drives them into the workforce despite many men
being out of work Many families survive on a womans income Worked
harder at home Sewed their own clothes Baked their own bread Canned
their own vegetables Ran laundry businesses or turned their homes
into boarding houses Opened doors for women in public life Frances
Perkins: first female cabinet member Eleanor Roosevelt campaigned
vigorously for women and families in need
Slide 38
Slide 39
Environmental disaster on the Great Plains New farm technology
ruined grass roots that held the soil in place Drought in 1931
dried out the soil and it blew away Sand drifts as high as 6 feet
People left the Plains and became migrant workers
Slide 40
Slide 41
African Americans Less than half have jobs in the South Jobs
taken away by white people who lost theirs Many migrated to cities
NAACP helped them join unions Roosevelt appointed many to federal
posts
Slide 42
Latinos About 2 million living in the US Resentment against
Mexican Americans grows Government forces many to leave 500,000
leave in the early years of the Great Depression
Slide 43
The Depression produced two separate trends in the
entertainment and the arts Escapism: light or romantic
entertainment that helped people forget about their problems Social
Criticism: portraits of the injustice and suffering of Depression
America
Slide 44
Radio soap operas Adventure programs (Dick Tracy and Superman)
85 million went to the movies every week Snow White and the Seven
Dwarves (1937) Wizard of Oz (1939) Gone with the Wind (1939)
Slide 45
Analyzing: What was the Dust Bowl? How did advanced farming
technology contribute to it? Answer the Essential Question: How did
the Great Depression affect economic activity and social traditions
of Americans, especially minorities?
Slide 46
Slide 47
Why did some people support Roosevelts New Deal and others
oppose it?
Slide 48
FDR thought big business would help found the New Deal Big
business viewed the government expansion of power as a threat to
individual liberties Preferred laissez-faire
Slide 49
Some believed the president had not gone far enough Louisiana
Senator Huey Long Called for taxing the rich heavily Wanted to
redistribute that money to the poor Very popular Assassinated in
1935
Slide 50
Mid 1930s Economy improved slightly but the Depression was not
over FDR took bolder steps Raised taxes on the wealthy Created jobs
with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Social Security Act:
created a tax on workers and employers to provide monthly pensions
for retired people. Also launched the welfare system. Unemployment
insurance Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Banned child labor and
set minimum wage at 40 cents per hour
Slide 51
651,087 miles of highways, roads built 124,031 bridges repaired
125,110 public Buildings Erected 8,198 public parks created 853
airports built or improved 2,565 murals painted 17,744 sculptures
created
Slide 52
Second New Deal was challenged by the Supreme Court FDR
proposed increasing the number of Supreme Court Justices from 9 to
15 Planned to fill the six extra spots with supporters of the New
Deal Court Packing Plan cost Roosevelt much support but the Supreme
Court backed off the Second New Deal
Slide 53
1937 seemed an economic recovery was in full swing Roosevelt
cut spending on programs 1938 Roosevelts Recession Another economic
downturn proved the economy was not fully recovered As the 1930s
came to an end, dangerous events in Asia and Europe caused
Americans to turn their attention to foreign affairs
Slide 54
Why did some people support Roosevelts New Deal and others
oppose it?
