Mrs. Larson's Class

The Great Depression and The New Deal

SS5H3 Explain how the Great Depression and New Deal affected the lives of millions of Americans.

a. Discuss the Stock Market Crash of 1929, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, the Dust Bowl, and soup kitchens.

b. Analyze the main features of the New Deal; include the significance of the Civilian Conservation Corps, Works Progress Administration, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Vocabulary: economic instability, stock market crash, economic depression, Roaring Twenties, investments, unemployment, financial institutions, drought, windstorms, mortgage, federal government, prosperity, government assistance, inauguration, poverty, corps, natural resources, employed, infrastructure

Great Depression Brain POP Great Depression Causes Brain POP New Deal Brain POP

THE STOCK MARKET CRASH

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 ended a decade of growth in the Stock Market that occurred during the Roaring Twenties. The “crash” occurred on October 29, 1929, when 16 million shares were traded in a single day causing thousands to lose their investments and billions of dollars in loss. This period known as the Great Depression was a period of high unemployment and a lack of confidence in financial institutions. During this time, many Americans faced unemployment and lacked the financial means to support themselves. Soup kitchens served hot meals to the unemployed and homeless. Without this assistance, many Americans would have had no means of obtaining food for their families. Businesses and financial institutions struggled to recover from economic collapse, while many agricultural communities in the Great Plains experienced drought and windstorms. Poor farming practices combined with severe drought turned large swathes of fertile land into useless dust, which blew across the area in great storms. These huge dust storms labeled this part of the country the Dust Bowl. As a result, many farmers mortgaged their homes and farms. Without sell-able crops, they were unable to repay their loans. These farmers, along with many other Americans, found themselves homeless and jobless.

Stock Market Brain POP

Herbert Hoover

Although he put into place plans to tackle the economic woes, Herbert Hoover, President of the United States, was blamed for not assisting struggling Americans. He was reluctant to involve the federal government. Many Americans saw the 1932 election of Franklin Roosevelt as a turning point that would bring renewed prosperity to the country. Ultimately, it would take government assistance through the social programs of FDR’s New Deal as well as an industrial buildup during wartime to resurrect the economy.

Soup Kitchens

Soup Kitchens opened around 1929 because during the Great Depression twelve million people did not have jobs. The government could not help all of those people. So, churches and other groups would volunteer by opening soup kitchens. Soup was a food that could serve a lot of people for a very low cost to do so. Many people came and stood in long lines. People also stood in breadlines. The breadlines gave poor people free food.

Fun Fact:

A gangster by the name of Al Capone actually started a soup kitchen. He served three meals a day to anyone without a job.

Here is a picture of Al Capone's Soup Kitchen

Roosevelt and The New Deal

President Roosevelt was elected in 1932 while America was suffering from the effects of the Great Depression. Roosevelt promised American's a New Deal. The New Deal, a series of programs and legislation that was initiated by President Franklin Roosevelt, was developed to provide economic assistance to struggling Americans and to bring an end to the Great Depression. The programs revolved around three concepts. The three concepts were relief for those suffering from poverty, recovery to help the nation get back on its feet economically, and reform to prevent a similar economic situation in the future. The following programs listed in the standard were created during the New Deal: Some of the key programs he created were the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Works Progress Administration.

CCC-Established in 1933 to employ young men, the CCC worked to preserve natural resources and areas, with the goal of conservation for future generations. The CCC dug canals, restored historic battlefields, built wildlife shelters, and established more than 800 parks. The CCC employed nearly 3 million young men.

TVA--Established in 1933 to rejuvenate the Tennessee River Valley, the TVA supported farmers in investigating modern farming practices, and created a network of dams and power plants that supplied electricity to a large region that had never seen it before. Still in existence today, the TVA continues to work to provide power to the region while managing its natural resources.

WPA--Established in 1935, the largest of the New Deal programs affected the lives of millions of Americans. It provided jobs for over 8.5 million unemployed people, and simultaneously allowed for the development of the American infrastructure, especially public buildings and roads. The WPA also supported the work of artists, academics, and others in such activities as recording American history, creating public art, and sponsoring public musical performances.

Struggling Farmers and the Dust Bowl

The Depression years were very difficult ones for farmers in the mid-western United States. Before WW1, farmers had plowed up millions of acres of grassland, so they could plant wheat. A long period of drought in the Great Plains caused severe soil erosion. The dust covered everything from houses to fences! The area became know as the Dust Bowl.

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