Great Depression
## 📌 Content-Based Terms (14 Multiple Choice Questions)
### 1⃣ Paying for the New Deal
💡 Definition:
The New Deal was primarily funded through deficit spending, meaning the government borrowed money to finance relief and recovery programs. This approach was based on Keynesian economics, which argued that government spending during economic downturns would stimulate demand and create jobs. Critics worried that it would lead to national debt and inflation.
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### 2⃣ Impact on Health Due to Unemployment
💡 Definition:
As millions of Americans lost their jobs during the Great Depression, hunger and malnutrition increased. Many people suffered from diseases like tuberculosis due to weakened immune systems, and mental health issues (depression and suicide rates) rose significantly due to stress and financial instability. The lack of medical care and housing also led to increased infant mortality rates and homelessness.
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### 3⃣ New Deal Goals
💡 Definition:
The New Deal aimed to address the economic crisis with three main goals:
- Relief – Immediate help for struggling Americans (food, jobs, financial aid).
- Recovery – Long-term plans to rebuild industries and employment.
- Reform – Structural changes to prevent future economic disasters (regulations on banks and businesses).
These policies expanded the role of the federal government in economic affairs.
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### 4⃣ "Hundred Days"
💡 Definition:
The first 100 days of FDR’s presidency (March–June 1933) saw an unprecedented wave of new laws to combat the Great Depression. During this period, FDR worked with Congress to pass 15 major pieces of legislation, including:
- Emergency Banking Relief Act – Closed all banks for inspections.
- Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) – Helped stabilize farm prices.
- Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) – Created jobs and provided rural electricity.
This period set the tone for FDR’s active government intervention.
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### 5⃣ 3 R’s of the New Deal
💡 Definition:
The 3 R’s summarize the goals of the New Deal:
1. Relief – Immediate support (e.g., food, housing, direct government aid).
- Example: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) gave unemployed young men jobs.
2. Recovery – Economic revival to help industries and farms.
- Example: Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) raised crop prices by reducing production.
3. Reform – Long-term policies to prevent another depression.
- Example: Social Security Act provided financial security for the elderly and unemployed.
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### 6⃣ Hoovervilles
💡 Definition:
Makeshift shantytowns built by homeless Americans during the Great Depression, made of scraps like cardboard, wood, and metal. Named after President Herbert Hoover, whom many blamed for the crisis. These settlements had no sanitation, running water, or proper shelter, leading to widespread disease and poor living conditions.
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### 7⃣ Literary Themes of the Great Depression
💡 Definition:
The Great Depression influenced literature and art, highlighting poverty, struggle, and resilience.
- John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath (1939) – Focuses on Dust Bowl migrants seeking a better life in California.
- Richard Wright’s Native Son (1940) – Explores racial and economic inequality.
- Dorothea Lange’s photography documented suffering and hardships, emphasizing migrant struggles.
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### 8⃣ Stock Market Crash (1929)
💡 Definition:
On Black Tuesday (October 29, 1929), the stock market collapsed, losing billions of dollars.
Causes:
- Buying on Margin – Borrowing money to invest, leading to debt.
- Over-Speculation – Investors assumed stocks would always rise.
- Lack of Regulation – No government oversight led to risky financial behavior.
- Bank Failures – Banks collapsed due to bad loans and mass withdrawals.
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### 9⃣ Bank Holiday
💡 Definition:
On March 6, 1933, FDR closed all banks for four days to prevent further withdrawals. Banks were only allowed to reopen if financially stable. This was part of the Emergency Banking Relief Act, which restored public trust in banks.
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### 🔟 Social Security Act (1935)
💡 Definition:
One of the most important reforms of the New Deal, the Social Security Act provided:
- Retirement pensions for the elderly.
- Unemployment insurance for workers who lost jobs.
- Aid for disabled and dependent children.
Funded by payroll taxes on workers and employers.
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### 1⃣1⃣ Hoover’s Fixes for the Great Depression
💡 Definition:
Hoover believed in minimal government intervention, emphasizing Rugged Individualism (self-reliance).
Policies:
- Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) – Gave loans to banks and businesses, but did not help individuals directly.
- Public Works Projects – Built projects like Hoover Dam to create jobs.
- Refused direct aid to individuals, believing it would make people dependent on the government.
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### 1⃣2⃣ Causes of the Dust Bowl
💡 Definition:
A series of severe dust storms (1930s) that devastated farms in the Great Plains.
Causes:
- Over-farming – Removed protective grass, making soil vulnerable.
- Drought and high winds – Turned soil into dust.
- Loss of topsoil – Made farming impossible, forcing thousands to migrate (mostly to California).
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### 1⃣3⃣ Effect of the Depression on Americans
💡 Definition:
- 25% Unemployment Rate – Millions lost jobs.
- Widespread Homelessness – People lived in Hoovervilles.
- Food Shortages – People relied on soup kitchens and bread lines.
- Psychological Impact – Increased suicides and depression.
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### 1⃣4⃣ New Deal Agencies
💡 Definition:
- CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) – Provided jobs for young men in reforestation, parks, and infrastructure.
- TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) – Built dams and power plants to provide electricity and jobs in the South.
- AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Act) – Paid farmers to reduce production to stabilize prices.
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### Great Depression Unit Test: Flashcard Study Guide for Stimulus-Based MCQs
Each term below is structured in a flashcard format with an in-depth definition to help you recognize and analyze stimulus-based questions effectively.
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## 📌 Stimulus-Based Questions (16 Multiple Choice Questions)
### 1⃣ Roosevelt’s Ability to Lead (Cartoon)
💡 Definition:
- Political cartoons often portray FDR as a strong, confident leader.
- Unlike Hoover, FDR believed in direct government intervention to solve the Depression.
- "Fireside Chats" – FDR used radio to reassure Americans and explain policies.
- New Deal programs showed his commitment to immediate and long-term recovery.
- Critics feared he expanded federal power too much.
How to Identify in a Cartoon:
- FDR shown actively working, steering a ship, or holding legislation.
- Symbols of government intervention (e.g., bags of relief money, agencies like TVA).
- Compare with Hoover, who is often depicted as inactive or distant.
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### 2⃣ Bank Failures (Photo)
💡 Definition:
- After the 1929 Stock Market Crash, people rushed to withdraw their money from banks.
- Bank runs led to bank closures, as banks lacked enough cash to cover withdrawals.
- Over 9,000 banks failed between 1930–1933, wiping out savings accounts.
- FDR’s Bank Holiday (March 6, 1933) temporarily closed banks to restore confidence.
How to Identify in a Photo:
- Large crowds standing outside banks.
- "Closed" signs on bank doors.
- People looking worried or desperate, symbolizing loss of trust in financial institutions.
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### 3⃣ Dust Bowl (Map – 4 MCQs)
💡 Definition:
- A severe environmental disaster (1930s) caused by over-farming, drought, and high winds.
- Destroyed millions of acres of farmland across the Great Plains.
- Many farmers migrated west to California, especially "Okies" from Oklahoma.
How to Identify on a Map:
- States most affected: Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska.
- Arrows indicating migration westward (toward California).
- Areas marked “Dust Bowl Region” or shaded in brown to indicate severe damage.
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### 4⃣ Loss of Homes and Farms (Quote)
💡 Definition:
- Due to unemployment and Dust Bowl conditions, many families lost homes and farms.
- Foreclosures were common as people could not pay mortgages.
- Many moved to shantytowns (Hoovervilles) or became migrant workers.
- John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath describes these struggles.
How to Identify in a Quote:
- Mentions "foreclosure," "migration," "homelessness," or "migrant camps".
- Describes families being forced to move due to economic hardships.
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### 5⃣ Hoover’s Economic Policies (Quote)
💡 Definition:
- Hoover opposed direct government aid, believing in Rugged Individualism (self-reliance).
- Created the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) to give loans to banks and businesses, but did not provide direct relief to individuals.
- His public works projects, like the Hoover Dam, helped but were too limited.
- Many saw his policies as too little, too late.
How to Identify in a Quote:
- Mentions self-reliance, limited government help, trickle-down economics.
- May criticize direct government aid as making people dependent.
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### 6⃣ Opposition to the New Deal (2 Quotes)
💡 Definition:
- Critics argued that the New Deal gave too much power to the government.
- Business leaders feared overregulation and increased taxes.
- Conservatives saw New Deal policies as socialism.
- The Supreme Court struck down some New Deal programs, ruling them unconstitutional.
How to Identify in a Quote:
- Phrases like "too much government control," "threat to free enterprise," "undermining capitalism."
- Opposition from wealthy businessmen or Republicans.
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### 7⃣ Rugged Individualism (Cartoon)
💡 Definition:
- Hoover’s philosophy that people should help themselves without government aid.
- Hoover believed direct relief would make Americans too dependent on the government.
- Many Americans disagreed, as they were suffering without support.
How to Identify in a Cartoon:
- Hoover depicted refusing to help the poor.
- Might show people struggling while Hoover watches from a distance.
- Symbolism of “self-reliance” vs. government intervention.
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### 8⃣ "Court Packing" (Cartoon)
💡 Definition:
- FDR tried to add six new justices to the Supreme Court to ensure support for New Deal programs.
- This plan was called the Judiciary Reorganization Bill (1937).
- Critics said FDR was trying to control the Supreme Court and violate checks and balances.
How to Identify in a Cartoon:
- FDR shown "stuffing" the court with new justices.
- Symbols of power abuse, such as FDR holding a gavel or Supreme Court as puppets.
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### 9⃣ First 100 Days (Quote)
💡 Definition:
- FDR passed 15 major laws in his first 100 days to combat the Depression.
- Included the Bank Holiday, AAA, TVA, CCC, and FDIC.
- Focused on Relief, Recovery, and Reform.
How to Identify in a Quote:
- Mentions quick legislative action, emergency economic measures, or "FDR’s first acts in office."
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### 🔟 Eleanor Roosevelt and Equality (Quote)
💡 Definition:
- Advocated for women’s rights, African Americans, and laborers.
- Redefined the role of First Lady – actively promoted civil rights and human welfare.
- Supported anti-lynching laws and greater job opportunities for women.
How to Identify in a Quote:
- Mentions women’s rights, civil rights, racial equality, or social justice.
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### 1⃣1⃣ Farmer’s Protests (Photo)
💡 Definition:
- Many farmers destroyed crops and dumped milk to protest low prices.
- Some formed groups like the Farmers’ Holiday Association, refusing to sell goods until prices rose.
- The AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Act) paid farmers to reduce production to raise crop prices.
How to Identify in a Photo:
- Farmers pouring milk into streets or burning crops.
- Signs protesting low prices.
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### 1⃣2⃣ PWA (Public Works Administration) (Photo)
💡 Definition:
- The PWA created large-scale public works projects to generate jobs.
- Built bridges, schools, highways, and hospitals.
- Part of the New Deal’s effort to provide long-term employment.
How to Identify in a Photo:
- Large construction projects (bridges, roads, schools).
- Workers in uniforms using tools/machinery.
- Government signs mentioning public works or New Deal programs.