THE GREAT DEPRESSION BEGINS
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Transcript of THE GREAT DEPRESSION BEGINS
THE GREAT DEPRESSION
BEGINS
Photos by photographer Dorothea Lange
Causes: Farmers’ Struggle
• No industry suffered as much as agriculture
• After WWI demand plummeted
• Farmers increased production, sent prices lower
Photo by Dorothea Lange
Causes: American Finances
• By the late 1920s, American consumers were buying less
• Wealthiest 1% saw income rise 75%, rest of population saw increase of 9%
• During 1920’s stock prices rising, by 1929 4 million Americans owned stocks.
Photo by Dorothea Lange
Causes: Speculation and Margin
• By late 1920s, problems with economy emerged
• Speculation: buying stocks & bonds hoping for a quick profit
• Margin: paying small percentage of stock’s price as down payment, and borrowing the rest
The Stock Market’s bubble was about to break
THE 1929 CRASH
• On October 24, the market took a plunge
• On October 29, now known as Black Tuesday, the bottom fell out
• 16.4 million shares were sold that day – prices plummeted
• People who bought on margin (credit) stuck with huge debts
Effects: The Great Depression
• Stock Market crash signaled beginning of Great Depression
• Great Depression, from 1929 – 1940, when economy plummeted and unemployment skyrocketed.Alabama family, 1938 Photo by Walter Evans
Effects: Financial Collapse
• After crash, many panicked and withdrew money from banks
• Banks had invested in the Stock Market and lost money
• By 1933 – 11,000 of the 25,000 banks nationwide had collapsed
Bank run 1929, Los Angeles
Effects: Housing Hardship
• People lost their jobs, and their homes
• Makeshifts shacks out of scrap material were called Hoovervilles
Effects: City Living
• One of common features of urban areas during Depression were soup kitchens and bread lines
Unemployed men wait in line for food – this particular soup kitchen was sponsored by Al
Capone
Effects: Country Living
• Depression difficult for everyone, farmers had one advantage: grow food for own families
• But between 1929-1932 almost ½ million farmers lost their land
FORCLOSURE
Effect: Difficult for Minorities
• Unemployment was the highest among minorities and their pay was the lowest
• Increased violence (24 lynchings in 1933 alone) marred 1930s
• Many Mexicans were “encouraged” to return to their homeland.
As conditions deteriorated, violence against blacks
increased
Effects: America’s Psyche• Suicide rate rose more
than 30% between 1928-1932
• But many people showed great kindness to strangers
• Additionally, many people developed habits of savings & thriftiness
The Dust Bowl: Intro
• Severe drought gripped Great Plains in early 1930s
• Wind scattered topsoil, exposing sand and grit
• The resulting dust traveled hundreds of miles
Kansas Farmer, 1933
Dust storm approaching Stratford, Texas - 1934
Dust buried cars and wagons in South Dakota in 1936
Photographer Dorothea Lange captures a family
headed west to escape the dust storms
Actions: Hoover Struggles
• After stock market crash, said, “Any lack of confidence in the economic future . . . Is foolish”
Herbert Hoover
Action: Philosophy
• Hoover reacts slowly to Depression
• Believed in “rugged individualism”
• People take care of selves, not depend on governmental hand-outs
Hoover believed it was the individuals job to take care of themselves, not the governments
Actions: Fought WWI Vets
• MacArthur’s 12th infantry gassed more than 1,000 marchers
• Two vets shot and scores injured• Americans outraged and once again, Hoover’s
image suffered
Hoover had little chance to be re-elected in 1932