The great depression

Section 1 lesson 3

Why did Herbert Hoover easily win the election of 1928?

The economy appeared strong and he had a reputation for humanitarian work

What economic belief guided Hoover’s view of government?

Individuals thrive when government interference is minimal

Which practice allowed investors to buy stocks using borrowed money in the 1920s?

Buying on margin

Why did the stock market become dangerously inflated by 1929?

Heavy speculation and risky borrowing

Which event marked the beginning of the stock market collapse?

Black Thursday

What happened on Black Tuesday (Oct. 29, 1929)?

The market lost billions and panic selling peaked

How much value did the stock market lose from September to November 1929?

Half its total value

Why wasn’t the stock market crash the only cause of the Great Depression?

Only a small share of Americans owned stock

Which economic issue made the Depression worse?

Narrow income distribution heavily favoring the wealthy

What effect did early

1930s business failures have on the economy?

What was Hoover’s early approach to the economic collapse?

Laissez

What was a major reason for widespread bank failures after the crash?

Banks lost money on unpaid margin loans

What was the economic effect of bank failures on ordinary Americans?

Anyone with a deposit lost their money

What happened to unemployment between 1929 and 1932?

It increased from 1.5 million to 12 million

Why did many workers accept wage cuts during the Depression?

It was better than losing their jobs entirely

Which group faced unemployment rates far higher than the national average?

Black Americans

What happened to many Mexican American workers in California during the Depression?

They were encouraged or pressured to leave the country

What environmental disaster struck Midwestern farmers in the 1930s?

The Dust Bowl

What caused the Dust Bowl’s severe dust storms?

Over

What was the Bonus Army demanding in 1932?

Early payment of promised veterans’ bonuses

How did Hoover respond to the Bonus Army encampment?

He supported using the military to remove them

What action by General MacArthur shocked the public during the Bonus March?

Ordering tanks and troops to burn their camps

Why did Hoover become even more unpopular after the Bonus Army removal?

He blamed the marchers as radicals

What was Hoover’s 1930 Hawley

Smoot Tariff intended to do?

What was the major outcome of the Hawley

Smoot Tariff?

What was the purpose of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC)?

Loans to banks, businesses, and states

Why did many Americans criticize the RFC?

It focused on corporations rather than individuals

What political message helped Franklin D. Roosevelt win the 1932 election?

A promise of a “new deal” for the American public

What made Roosevelt’s campaign more appealing than Hoover’s?

His confidence and willingness to act

What happened in the 1932 election?

Roosevelt won by a large landslide

What happened to crime rates early in the Great Depression?

Crime rose as people grew desperate

Why did many Americans avoid medical care during the Depression?

People could not afford healthcare

What happened to high school attendance during the Depression?

It increased, especially among young men unable to find work

Why did marriage rates fall during the 1930s?

Men felt unable to support households

What happened to birth rates during the Depression?

They sharply declined

What migration trend resulted from the Dust Bowl?

Thousands moved from the southern plains to the West Coast

Why did many teens leave home during the Depression?

They sought opportunity elsewhere to ease the burden on their families

What role did movies play during the Depression?

They became a major escape from daily struggles

What communication method did FDR use to connect with the public?

Fireside chats on the radio

What artistic movement captured the hardship of rural families during the Depression?

Documentary photography like Dorothea Lange’s work