SS8H8 The student will analyze the important events that occurred after World War I and their impact on Georgia a. Describe the impact of the boll weevil and drought on Georgia. b. Explain economic factors that resulted in the Great Depression. c. Discuss the impact of the political career of Eugene Talmadge. d. Discuss the effect of the New Deal in terms of the impact of the Civilian Conservation Corps, Agricultural Adjustment Act, rural electrification, and Social Security.

The Destruction of King Cotton The Destruction of King Cotton a. Describe the impact of the boll weevil and drought on Georgia Boll weevil: insect which ate Georgia’s most important cash cropBoll weevil Price of cotton also dropped 1924: major drought (period with little or no rain) hit Georgia Georgia farmers did not have the “good life” that many Americans enjoyed Farms closed forcing banks and farm- related business to close

The Bottom Drops Out The Bottom Drops Out b. Explain economic factors that resulted in the Great Depression. Stock Market: Place where shares of ownership in corporations (stock) are bought and sold “Black Tuesday” – October 29, 1929: Stock market prices fall greatly; millions of people lose all their wealth Total losses by end of year: $40 billion Example: U.S. Steel was $262 per share – dropped to $22 per share Some stocks worth less than 1¢

Causes of the Depression Causes of the Depression b. Explain economic factors that resulted in the Great Depression. Many people had borrowed too much money Factories produced more goods than they could sell As people and businesses had problems making money, banks did not get paid for loans “Speculation” in the stock market: paying only a portion of the price of a stock hoping that the value will go up Runs on banks: people were afraid they would lose their money if it was left in the bank laissez-faire: attitude that the economy would fix itself if left alone

Living Through the Depression 1932: 13 million unemployed 9,000 banks closed 31 Georgia banks failed Hoovervilles: named for President Hoover – shacks where homeless people gatheredHoovervilles Soup kitchens set up by charities and governments to feed hungry Schools were often forced to close or shorten schedules Georgians were already suffering from economic problems before Black TuesdayGeorgians

Easing the Burden President Hoover’s plan: government would buy farmer’s crops to help raise the price Plan did not work, but the food and cotton were used to help the needy Another plan was to hire unemployed people to do work for the government Plan did not employ enough people to really help Click to return to Table of Contents.

Eugene Talmadge A conservative white supremacist Became governor in 1933 Disliked public welfare and tried to rid the state of the New Deal programs Elected to a second term in 1934 Elected again 1940 Softened his view on the New Deal and used modified versions of New Deal legislation Tried to interfere with integration of the University of Georgia and cost Georgia’s white colleges their accreditation

The New Deal The New Deal Discuss the effect of the New Deal 1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt elected president New Deal: Roosevelt’s plan to end the depression –Examined banks for soundness –Give jobs to unemployed workers –Tried to improve American’s lives Paved the way for recovery though all programs did not work

Georgia and the New Deal NIRA: National Industrial Recovery Act – set minimum wage Textile mill owners did not like the minimum wage Stretch out: mill owners tried to make workers work longer, faster, or more tasks TVA: Tennessee Valley Authority – Blue Ridge Lake, Lake Chatuge, Lake Nottley built CCC: Civilian Conservation Corps – built many parks, sewer systems, bridges, etc. REA: Rural Electrification Authority – brought electric power to rural areas

New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC ) 1933 Provided jobs for young single men building forest trails and roads, building parks, and planting trees to reforest the land and control flooding. Rural electrification -- The REA loaned over $300 million to farmers’ cooperatives to help them extend their own power lines and buy power wholesale. This program was one on the most important and far-reaching of the New Deal programs. By 1940, a significant percentage of farmers in Georgia and other parts of the nation had electricity. Electric water pumps, lights,milking machines, and appliances made farm life much easier.

New Deal Under the Agricultural Adjustment Act, farm subsidies (grants of money from the government) went to property owners rather than to the tenant farmers, who were predominantly black. The Social Security Act was not designed to provide an income for farm and household workers, so African Americans working at those jobs were not covered.

African Americans During the New Deal Did not benefit from many New Deal programs WPA: Works Public Administration – did employ many African Americans Roosevelt’s “Black Cabinet”: influential African Americans working with President Roosevelt: –Mary McLeod Bethune –Clark Foreman –Robert Weaver –William Hastie

Georgia’s New Deal Governors Richard B. Russell –Worked to reorganize state government like a successful business –Elected to U.S. Senate and served for 38 years Eugene Talmadge –Did not like New Deal programs in Georgia Eurith “Ed” Rivers –Worked with Roosevelt to increase New Deal spending in Georgia –Began programs for public housing –Term ended with corruption problems

Georgia’s New Deal Governors Talmadge re-elected in 1940 –Began to use some New Deal programs –Used his power as governor to remove state officials working to integrate Georgia’s state colleges Ellis Arnall –Reformed Board of Regents and state prisons –Removed poll tax –New state constitution Click to return to Table of Contents.