1. Ch 17, Sec 1-3: The Great Depression & Ch 18, Sec 1-4

2. Causes of the Great Depression
Stock Market Crash of 1929
Downfall of businesses worldwide
Installment plans/overproduction of goods
Failure of banks

3. First three years 9,000 banks closed 30,000 companies closed
12 million people unemployed (1/4th of the population)
1 million farms failed

4. Shantytowns People were kicked out of their houses/apartments
Shacks on unused or public lands like streets and parks
Also known as Hoovervilles

5. Jobs/Food
People jumped on trains to move around the country for work (illegal)
Rise in soup kitchens/bread lines to get food

6. Dust Bowl Great Plains farmers took away the prairie grasses for crops
Drought caused the crops to fail
Nothing to keep the soil in place-became dust
Thicker than snow storms/covered everything in dirt
Farmers lost their land/had to move west for work

8. Entertainment to the rescue!!!
Movies/actors
Groucho Marx
Walt Disney
3 Stooges
Movies allowed people to wish for a better time
Rise in soap operas on the radio

9. Photographers
Took pictures to capture the spirit of Americans during this time
Wanted to show their struggles and outlooks at life
Ex: Dorothea Lange
Ex: Margaret Bourke-White

10. President Hoover’s Ideas
Tried to get businesses to remain open
Start public works projects ($1.5 billion)
Refused to increase gov’t spending
Had to gov’t give money to start up banks ($238 million)

11. People fought back Hunger marches in Oklahoma City
Farmers revolted by burning their crops to make prices go up (supply + demand)
WWI soldiers marched to Washington D.C. to get their bonus checks
Camped out in the city
Military called in to force
them out with tear gas/weapons

12. President Roosevelt Takes Office
March 4, 1933
Ideas were called the “New Deal”
Fireside chats
Brought in experts in every field to help make decisions/policy
Big business was to blame
Big business and gov’t needs to work together
Gov’t needs to restore competition but keep it fair

13. Emergency Banking Relief Act
All banks would be surveyed
Only banks who were financially sound could remain open
Stopped the banking problem

14. Regulations on Banks/Stock Market
SEC-created to regulate the stock market and to prevent fraud
Banks were no longer allowed to give loans for stock investments
FDIC-gov’t insurance to for bank deposits

15. Federal Agencies: Agricultural Adjustment Administration
Paid farmers to not raise certain animals and grow certain crops (prices were raised within 2 years)
Helped big farmers increase wealth
Hurt tenant farmers/African Americans (lost their jobs/homes)

16. Federal Agencies: National Recovery Administration
Helped set new rules for businesses
Set prices
Created minimum wages
Limited hours to work
Failed to help end the depression

17. Federal Agencies: Civilian Conservation Corps
Helped unemployed people get jobs
Men could plant trees, fight forest fires, and build reservoirs
Earned $30/month

18. Federal Agencies: Public Works Administration
1/3rd of unemployed worked in construction
Helped to build highways, dams, sewers, waterworks, schools, and gov’t buildings
Required companies to hire African Americans

19. Federal Agencies: Works Progress Administration
Helped build roads, parks, and buildings
Hired artists to create artwork for gov’t buildings
Hired actors to create films promoting the govt’s actions to end the depression

20. Townsend Plan Wanted people over 60 to retire Give them $200 a month
Free up jobs for the unemployed

21. Social Security Act Workers earned the right to receive benefits
Started welfare payments to:
The needy/poor
People with disabilities
Retirement benefits for people over 65

22. National Housing Act Established the National Housing Authority
Gave $500 million for loans to builders
Turned slums into low-cost housing