The Great Depression and The New Deal Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary and key concepts from the Great Depression era and Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs.

20th Amendment

Constitutional amendment ratified in 1933 that moved presidential inaugurations from March to January to reduce the lame duck period during crises.

Bull Market

A period when stock prices rise steadily and investors are optimistic; in the 1920s, it led many Americans to invest heavily before the crash.

Stock Market

A system where shares of companies are bought and sold; its 1920s boom symbolized prosperity but its collapse triggered the Great Depression.

Buying on Margin

Purchasing stocks with borrowed money while only paying a small percentage upfront, which increased risky investing.

Stock Market Crash

The sudden collapse of stock prices in October 1929 that destroyed public confidence and marked the start of the Great Depression.

Black Tuesday

October 29, 1929, when millions of shares were sold and stock prices collapsed, becoming the symbolic start of the Great Depression.

New York Stock Exchange

The largest stock market in the United States located on Wall Street and the center of the 1929 crash.

Causes of Bank Failures

Banks failed because people rushed to withdraw money, loans were unpaid, and banks had invested in risky stocks, wiping out savings.

Causes of the Dust Bowl

Severe drought combined with poor farming practices in the Great Plains that destroyed farmland.

Results of the Dust Bowl

Massive dust storms, crop destruction, and the migration of farmers, which increased poverty and showed environmental damage.

Depression impact on farmers

Falling crop prices and drought caused many to lose their farms and move west looking for work.

Great Depression impact on people in cities

Massive unemployment, homelessness, and poverty leading to the rise of breadlines and soup kitchens.

Effects of Depression on Society

Economic hardship caused hunger and declining morale, leading Americans to demand government action.

Hawley-Smoot Tariff

A 1930 law that raised tariffs on imported goods, which hurt international trade and worsened the worldwide Depression.

Great Depression impact on the World

The crisis spread globally through trade and banking systems, increasing worldwide unemployment and political instability.

Hoover

President Herbert Hoover (1929–1933) who was criticized for not doing enough to help struggling Americans.

Hoovervilles

Shantytowns built by homeless people during the Depression that symbolized public anger toward Hoover’s response.

Bonus Army

World War I veterans who marched on Washington for early bonus payments; Hoover’s harsh response damaged his reputation.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

President elected in 1932 who created the New Deal and expanded the federal government’s role in the economy.

Brain Trust

A group of advisors who helped Roosevelt create New Deal policies and recovery programs.

New Deal

Roosevelt’s programs aimed at relief, recovery, and reform to help Americans survive the Depression.

Hundred Days

The first three months of FDR's presidency when Congress passed many New Deal laws showing fast government action.

Bank Reform

Government efforts to stabilize banks and restore trust to stop bank failures.

Fireside Chats

Radio speeches where Roosevelt spoke directly to Americans to reassure the public and increase support for the New Deal.

Emergency Banking Relief Act

Law allowing the government to inspect and reopen stable banks to restore confidence in the banking system.

Glass-Steagall Act

Law separating commercial and investment banking that reduced risky practices and created the FDIC.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Government agency that insured bank deposits to protect savings and prevent bank runs.

Federal Securities Act

Law requiring companies to provide truthful information about stocks to increase honesty in the market.

Securities and Exchange Commission

Agency created to regulate the stock market and help prevent fraud and risky speculation.

Agricultural Adjustment Act

Program paying farmers to reduce production to raise crop prices and help struggling farmers.

Tennessee Valley Authority

Government program building dams and providing electricity to improve regional development in the South.

Civilian Conservation Corps

Program employing young men in conservation projects to reduce unemployment and improve parks.

Public Works Administration

Program funding large construction projects to create jobs and improve infrastructure.

National Industrial Recovery Act

Law designed to help industry recover and protect workers through increased government regulation of business.

Civil Works Administration

Temporary program providing government jobs to quickly reduce unemployment during the Depression.

National Recovery Administration

Agency that created business codes for wages and production to stabilize industry and improve working conditions.

Federal Housing Administration

Agency providing mortgage insurance to make homeownership more affordable.

Federal Emergency Relief Act

Program giving direct aid to states to provide immediate relief for the unemployed.

Farm Security Administration

Agency helping poor farmers and migrant workers that documented Depression conditions through famous photographs.

Works Progress Administration

Massive jobs program employing millions to build roads, schools, and parks.

FDR’s Supreme Court Packing Plan

Roosevelt’s criticized attempt to add more Supreme Court justices to increase presidential power.

FDR’s Appointments to Supreme Court

Roosevelt appointed many justices who shifted the Court to support New Deal reforms.

Critics’ Opposition to New Deal

Conservatives thought it gave too much government power, while others believed it did not go far enough.

National Youth Administration

Program providing jobs and education aid for students and unemployed youth during the Depression.

Wagner Act

Law protecting workers’ rights to unionize, which strengthened labor unions.

Fair Labor Standards Act

Law establishing minimum wage and maximum work hours to improve working conditions.

National Labor Relations Board

Agency enforcing labor laws to protect workers from unfair treatment.

Social Security Act

Law that created pensions and unemployment insurance to establish a lasting social safety net.

FDR and African Americans

New Deal programs helped many African Americans, leading many to shift their political support to the Democratic Party.

Movie and Radio in 1930s

Popular forms of entertainment that helped Americans escape hardship and spread popular culture.

Art, Music and Writing of 1930s

Creative works reflecting Depression struggles that captured the experiences of ordinary Americans.

Supporter’s Views of the New Deal

Belief that the programs saved capitalism and increased government responsibility in economic crises.

Critics Views of the New Deal

Belief that the programs expanded government too much or did not do enough, creating ongoing debates about federal power.

Legacy of the New Deal

Permanent expansion of federal government programs and a change in the relationship between Americans and the government.

The End of the Great Depression

Economic recovery caused largely by World War II production, which revived industry and created jobs.