The Great Depression and The New Deal

Honors History Test

What were the main causes of the Great Depression?

Overuse of credit, Speculation and the Stock Market Crash of 1929, Overproduction and Underconsumption, Republican Policies of the 1920’s, Unequal Distribution of Wealth/Income, Unregulated Business Practices, European Recession and War Debts

What problems did farmers face during the 1920’s?

Overproduction, New technology costs, Government policies, Falling crop prices, Debt problems, Reduced foreign demand

Why did thousands of banks close after the Stock Market Crash?

Bank runs (Withdraw savings), Loans not repaid, No deposit insurance, Banks invested in the Stock Market.

Which groups of Americans were affected by the collapse of the economic system?

Workers/working class, Families/children, Mexican Americans, Farmers, Women, Elderly, African Americans

How did the people deal with lack of food during the Great Depression?

Working together, Using gardens to grow their own food, traveling in search of food, cheap meals, charities

How did the people deal with homelessness during the Great Depression?

Hoovervilles (makeshift communities), traveling (hobos), Families doubled up, Government help (eventually)

How did the people deal with unemployment during the Great Depression?

Searching everywhere for work, accepting aid, Government relief programs (the New Deal)

How did the people deal with the Dust Bowl and the loss of their farms during the Great Depression?

Abandoning their farms, Migrating, New farming methods/techniques, government aid

What was the Dust Bowl?

A severe environmental disaster in the 1930’s that hit the Great Plains during the Great Depression

What was the attitude of society towards working women during the Great Depression?

Women were criticized and blamed, many people believed men should have priority for jobs

What was the attitude of society towards African Americans during the Great Depression?

They were the first to be fired from work, severe discrimination and segregation/racism, lower wages

What was the attitude of society towards other minorites during the Great Depression?

They were blamed, pressured, deported, and did the hardest work while being lowest paid.

Why was the Great Plains region known as the “Dust Bowl?”

Drought (very little rainfall), over-farming, strong winds, severe weather patterns

What was President Hoover’s strategy for ending the Great Depression?

Encouraging private responsibility, public works projects, “trickle down” economics, banks/businesses encouraged, federal loans

What was “trickle down” economics?

“A theory suggesting that tax cuts and financial benefits for corporations and the wealthy will stimulate economic growth, ultimately benefiting everyone”

What did Franklin Roosevelt promise to the American people during the 1932 Presidential Election?

A “New Deal”, To restore the economy with government action, farmers/workers support, relief efforts

Who won the 1932 Presidential Election? Why did the people vote for him?

Franklin D. Roosevelt won: Reaction to the Great Depression, the “New Deal”, contrast with Hoover, FDR’s personal appeal.

What was the New Deal?

“The New Deal was a series of U.S. government programs, public work projects, and financial reforms enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s. Aimed at fighting the Great Depression, it focused on the "3 Rs"

What were the three goals of the New Deal?

Relief, Recovery, and Reform

What was the purpose of the New Deal’s relief goal?

To create relief for the people severely struggling just to get them by

What was the purpose of the New Deal’s recovery goal?

To create jobs, restore and recover the economy

What was the purpose of the New Deal’s reform goal?

To prevent another economic crisis from happening

What were employment programs FDR used to solve problems of the Great Depression?

Civilian Conservation Corps, Works Progress Administration, Public Works Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Emergency Relief Administration

What were Banking and Stock Market Instability programs FDR used to solve problems of the Great Depression?

Emergency Banking Relief Act, Glass Steagall Act, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, Securities Act

What were Faliing Business programs FDR used to solve problems of the Great Depression?

National Industrial Recovery Act, Reconstruction Finance Corp, Agricultural Adjustment Act

What were Farming programs FDR used to solve problems of the Great Depression?

Agricultural Adjustment Act, Farm Credit Administration, Soil Conservation Service

What were Old Age Pension programs FDR used to solve problems of the Great Depression?

Social Security Act, Old Age Insurance Program, Old Age Assistance

What were Low Wage programs FDR used to solve problems of the Great Depression?

National Industrial Recovery Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps

Why were the Conservatives (Right) critical of FDR and the New Deal?

“Socialist” accusations, High debt and spending, and too much government control

Why were the Progressives (Left) critical of FDR and the New Deal?

The poor weren’t given enough help, Racial/gender inequality, Corporate protections

What was FDR’s court packing proposal?

A law that FDR proposed: It would allow him to appoint an additional supreme court justice over the age of 70 who didn’t retire- Would have added up to 6 justices - Goal to protect unconstitutional New Deal legislation

How did the government respond to FDR’s court packing proposal?

Congress denied the law and there was strong opposition in both parties

What New Deal programs are still in existence today?

Social Security Administration, Securities and Exchange Commission, Farm Credit System, Tennessee Valley Authority

What was Overuse of Credit in the Great Depression?