Chapter 9 Reading Guide –The Great Depression Begins (1929

Name ________________________________________________________________________ Period _______
Chapter 9 Reading Guide –The Great Depression Begins (1929-1932)
Lesson 1, pp. 290-294 The Causes of the Great Depression
Directions:
Define or identify the following:
1.
stock market
2.
speculation
3.
margin
4.
margin call
5.
bank run
6.
installment
Directions:
Read each main idea below then use your textbook to supply the details that support or explain each
one.
Main Idea:
In 1928 the economy was strong, but the stage was set for a crash.
A.
Details:
1.
In the presidential election of 1928, the Republican candidate was ____________________________
and the Democratic candidate was ____________________________.
2.
The Democratic candidate practiced the ________________________ religion, which became a campaign issue.
3.
Rising stock prices, also called a _____________________________________, convinced many people to invest.
B.
Main Idea:
During the fall of 1929, stock prices began to decline as investors sensed danger.
Details:
1.
By mid-November of 1929, the market price of stocks had dropped about ________________________.
2.
Banks were weakened in two ways: _______________________________________________________ ,and
they had __________________________________________________ in the stock market.
3.
With less credit available, the economy went into a ____________________________________.
C.
Main Idea:
There were several other causes of the Great Depression.
Details:
1.
Many Americans in the 1920s bought high-cost items on the _____________________________________ plan.
2.
Because they had to pay off their debts, many American businesses stopped ____________________________.
Manufacturers then cut production, causing employees to ___________________________________________.
3.
The ____________________, Tariff, meant to protect American businesses, caused ____________________
American goods to be sold overseas.
4.
Low interest rates set by the Federal Reserve encouraged banks to _____________________________________
and led business leaders to believe the economy __________________________________________________.
Directions:
Summarize the main ideas of this lesson by answering the question below.
Explain how the Great Depression affected the average American by supplying the details for the following:
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1.
risky investments
2.
lost jobs
3.
stock values dropped
4.
banks closed
Lesson 2, pp. 295-298 Life in the Great Depression
Directions:
Define or identify the following:
1.
bailiff
2.
hobo
3.
soap opera
Directions:
Read the lesson in the textbook and complete the outline below.
1.
The Depression Worsens
A.
Jobless people often stood in ____________________ or lined up outside ____________________ for
free food.
B.
Homeless people put up shacks forming communities called ___________________________________.
C.
Some homeless, unemployed Americans wandered around the country. There were called __________.
D.
A terrible _________________________ on the Great Plains caused U.S. wheat fields to become a huge
_________________________.
E.
Many of the Great Plains farmers headed west to ________________________ in search of a better life.
II.
Arts and Entertainment
A.
During the 1930s, 60 million Americans went to ____________________________________ each week.
B.
During this decade _________________________ produced the first full-length animated feature called
________________________________________________________.
C.
The first African American to win an Academy Award was ______________________________________
who appeared in the movie ____________________________________________________________.
D.
Radio programs gave listeners ______________________ and ______________________ . The first
daytime dramas called ________________________ presented families confronting everyday problems.
E.
New writing techniques such as ______________________________________ were used to show what
literary characters were thinking.
F.
Margaret Bourke-White and other _________________________________ captured in pictures how the
Great Depression affected many Americans.
Directions:
Summarize the main ideas of this lesson by answering the question below:
List the ways that Americans coped with hunger and homelessness during the Great Depression?
1. hunger
2. homelessness
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3. unemployment
4. farmers
5. movies and radio
Lesson 3, pp. 300-303 Hoover’s Response to the Depression
Directions:
Define or Identify the following:
1.
public works
2.
relief
3.
foreclose
Directions:
Read each main idea below and refer to your textbook the questions:
A.
Main Idea:
President Hoover tried to promote recovery with public works projects and urging businesses
not to reduce wages.
1.
Why did Hoover believe the government should not step in to help individuals?___________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2.
What did he think contributed to Europe’s slow recovery? ____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3.
How did Hoover hope to rescue banks? ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4.
Why did Congress pass the Emergency Relief and Construction Act?____________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
B.
Main Idea:
By 1931 people were protesting against economic conditions and demanding government help.
1.
Who organized hunger marches in 1931? _________________________________________________________
2.
Why did farmers burn their crops? _______________________________________________________________
3.
What did the Bonus Army want? ________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4.
How was President Hoover’s image tarnished? _____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Directions:
Summarize the main ideas of this lesson by answering the question below.
What was the public mood concerning the economy at the beginning of the 1930s?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
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