The Great
Depression
1929-39
Section One:
Introduction
General Overview
The New Deal marked a major turning point in American history. Never before had the federal
government become so involved in the daily lives of ordinary people. Unlike his Republican predecessor
Herbert Hoover, Roosevelt and the New Dealers tried to directly help as many people as conservatives in
Congress and the Supreme Court would permit. Much historical evidence suggest that if FDR had not
been elected, the Depression would have been much worse.
The New Deal ultimately failed to end the Depression. Hunger, homelessness, and unemployment still
affected millions of Americans even as late as December 1941, when the U.S. entered World War II.
Many historians and economists have suggested that the New Deal would have been more successful
had Roosevelt put even more money into the economy. Only after the surge in demand for war
munitions, ships, tanks, and airplanes, did the economy finally right itself and leap forward.
Factors Leading Up to the Depression
Buying on margin
Overproduction in factories/on farms
Raised tariffs
Income inequality
○ The 1% owned more than ⅓ of the nation’s wealth
● War debt & European depressions
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Section Two:
Hardships in
Everyday Life
Breadlines & Soup Kitchens
● People formed
breadlines outside of
soup kitchens, in order
to receive free meals
“If you happened to be one of the first
ones in line, you didn’t get anything
but water that was on top. So we’d
ask the guy that was ladling out soup
into the buckets-everyone had to
bring their own bucket-he’d dip the
grease, watery stuff on top. So we’d
ask him to please dip down to get
some meat and potatoes from the
bottom of the kettle. But he wouldn’t
do it.” -Peggy Terry, OK
Hoovervilles
● People were evicted from their homes
○ Belongings strewn out onto the streets
● Newly homeless formed Hoovervilles (shantytowns)
○ How does the name of these places reflect on
president Herbert Hoover?
Hoovervilles
Hoovervilles cont’d
Migrants & Riding the Rails
● Many Americans (esp. boys & young men) wander in
search of jobs and a better life.
● Wanderers (or hobos) snuck onto freight trains in order
to move from place to place.
Migrants & Riding the Rails
The Dust Bowl
● Due to drought, soil started turning to dust.
● From North Dakota to Texas, became known as the Dust
Bowl.
● Black skies
● Dust piled up like snow
○ Buried crops and livestock
● Many migrated to CA
The Dust Bowl
Section Three:
Entertainment as
an Escape from
Everyday Life
The Movies
Escaping Through Film
● Many Americans sought to escape their misery through
film
New Celebrities
Marlene Dietrich
Greta Garbo
Groucho Marx
● American comedian and actor
The Radio
Radio
● People listened to
○ The President
○ Newcasters
○ Comedians
○ Daytime radio dramas
■ Shows sponsors often made laundry soap. What
might these shows have become?
Art & Literature
Art
● American Gothic
● Rise in photojournalism
Literature
● John Steinbeck
○ The Grapes of Wrath
○ Of Mice and Men
Section Four:
Hoover’s
Response
Hoover’s Response to the Big Crash
● Stock Market crashed on 10/24/29
○ Known as Black Thursday
● Hoover’s response was:
○ “Industry is on a sound and prosperous basis...and
the effects of the crash...will have passed in the next
60 days.”
Public Works
● Hoover increased public works
○ Gov’t funded building projects
○ Roads, bridges, parks, etc.
● As a result, there was a slight increase in jobs
Gov’t Spending
● Hoover refused to increase gov’t spending
● Who would pay for public works?
○ Can’t increase taxes
○ Can’t borrow from banks
Helping Citizens
● Hoover was a Conservative
○ Gov’t should stay out of people’s lives
● Believed the state and local gov’ts should provide relief
The Public Reacts
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Looting stores
Hunger marches
Farmers burned crops
Bonus Army march
Section Five: FDR
and the New Deal
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
● Governor of NY
● Democrat
● FDR’s plan was to “experiment” or “try something”
The New Deal
● Roosevelt’s policies for ending the
Depression
● Hundred Days (March 9-June 16 1933)
○ FDR’s first 100 days in office
○ Congress passed 15 major acts to help
the economic crisis
Roosevelt’s Cabinet
● Diverse, disagreed with one another
○ Wanted various viewpoints
● Grew up during the Progressive Era
○ Wanted gov’t involvement in people’s lives
Eleanor Roosevelt
● Influential First Lady
○ Changed the A.A. and women’s
votes
○ Black Cabinet
○ First female cabinet member
○ Native American support
Section Six:
Opposition to the
New Deal
Opposition to the New Deal
Conservatives- Federal gov’t
had too much power & was
too involved in people’s
lives
Liberals-The New Deal did
not do enough.