The Great Depression A Brief Introduction

Background Information The Great Depression occurred following the economic boom of the Roaring 20s. Herbert Hoover was elected president in 1928, and began his presidency in March 1929.

What is a depression? A depression is a time of economic decline. The Great Depression caused High unemployment and poverty rates Low profits Increase in homelessness Little growth in economy

When did the Great Depression occur? Most historians date the beginning of the Great Depression as October 29, 1929 This is the date that the stock market crashed and is often referred to as Black Tuesday. This depression lasted for many years and did not end until the late 1930’s.

Tell me more… The specific cause of the depression is still unknown, but it occurred during an unstable time in the economy. After the stock market crash, slowly it began to affect everyone. The depression affected countries all over the world.

People and Places Many people became unemployed and homeless during the depression. Cities were made where homeless families lives in cardboard boxes. These became known as “Hoovervilles.”