What was life like

in the 1930’s?

What was the Great Depression?

The worst economic crisis of the century

Over 13 million people unemployed

“Dust bowl” as a result of drought

Farmers lost crops

Many lost their homes

What caused the Great

Depression?

Unequal distribution of wealth

Stock market crash of 1929

Unequal Distribution of Wealth

No middle class

Supply not equal to demand

Credit cards created false demand

Stock Market Crash

Many stocks purchased

Stock prices fell

Huge sums of money lost

Thursday, October 24, 1929

The Results

Bank Failure

Unemployment

Loss of homes

“Hoovervilles”

Here were all these people living in old rusted-out car bodies. ... One family ... [was] living in a piano box. This wasn't just a little section, this was maybe 10 miles wide and 10 miles long. People living in whatever they could junk together. ..."

Dustbowls

A traveler noticed a nice new hat by the side of the road, and he stopped to pick it up.

Under the hat was a man, buried up to his neck in the dust! As he dug the poor fellow out,

the traveler asked if he wanted a ride into town. "No, I'll get there myself,"

the man replied, "I'm on a horse."

(Excerpt from THE DUST BOWL by Tricia Andryszewski, p. 33.)

Depression

Did everyone suffer during the

depression?

“The only thing we have to fear

is fear itself”

“Our greatest primary task is to put people to work”

Franklin D. Roosevelt

FDR’s New Deal

Relief for the needy

Jobs provided

Business and government reformed