The Great Depression

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The Great Depression

• 1929-1939

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The Boom

• During the 1920s, many were buying stocks on the
  margin in other words, paying by credit.
• They expected to pay off debts as economy kept
  booming.

See Felix the Cat
3
President Hoovers Speech

• "We in America today are nearer to the final
  triumph over poverty than ever before in the
  history of this land... We shall soon with the
  help of God be in sight of the day when poverty
  will be banished from this land."
• Herbert Hoover in his acceptance speech June, 1928

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The Bust

• Instead, the economy worsened. They lost their
  jobs.
• On Black Tuesday, (October 29, 1929), the Stock
  Market crashed.

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Black Tuesday Oct. 29, 1929
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Canadas economy in the 20s

• Canada was reliant on the U.S. to buy their
  products.
• Two areas hit worst are pulp (BC, Ont. Que.)
  and wheat (Prairies).

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Desperate Years

• Homeless are treated like criminals.
• Thousands collect pogey.
• Many rely on food stamps, bread lines.

See Somewhere Over the Rainbow
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Vagrants

• ¼ of work force is unemployed.
• They begin riding the rails hopping trains to
  find work.
• They live in Shantytowns

Modern Times 7 of 9
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A favela, or shantytown, in Brazil
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A favela, or shantytown, in Brazil
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Government Response

• King believed in laissez-faire thought the
  economy would recover in its own time.
• He was booted from office in 1930.

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Government Response

• RB Bennett also didnt believe in government
  belief.
• However, due to public pressure, he created make
  work programs.

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• Hoover Dam (USA)

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Government Response

• The economy didnt improve.
• WHY?
• Make-work jobs paid too little and separated men
  from their families and society, where they could
  spend the money to re-boost the economy.

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Racism As A Solution

• Many blamed blacks for causing the Great
  Depression.
• In the United States, the KKK became extremely
  popular (20 of whites had joined at peak
  membership period).

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Racism As A Solution

• Lynching was one way of dealing with blacks.

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Lynching

• People proudly took pictures of the blacks they
  had hung and burned.

See Strange Fruit
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Protest

• In Canada, workers leave BC work camps paying
  20cents/day to march towards Ottawa in the
  On-to-Ottawa trek.
• They ride on rail cars to get there.

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Hoboes Hopping Freight Trains
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Bennetts Response

• Bennett still believes that the government must
  let laissez-faire rule.
• He orders police to arrest the protesters.
• One is killed.

SLIM EVANS
See Modern times 3 of 9
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Forming the CCF

• In 1932, western leaders formed the Cooperative
  Commonthwealth Federation (CCF), under JS
  Woodsworth.

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Other New Political Parties

• Social Credit Party (led by William Aberhart)
  wins 1935 Alberta Election under the belief that
  capitalism was a wasteful system.
• Aberhart wanted government to give citizens a
  basic dividend to spend as they pleased.
• Remains in power until 1971.

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Other New Political Parties

• In Quebec, Maurice Duplessis forms the Union
  Nationale, a French Catholic party.
• He blames the English of Quebec for their
  problems.
• Stays in power until 1959, although he does
  little to change things.

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Dust Bowl

• Meanwhile farmers face huge drought.
• This creates the dust bowl.

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Dust Bowl

• Meanwhile farmers face huge drought.
• This creates the dust bowl.

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Citizens Re-Elect King

• Why Not?
• King was highly eccentric with his preference for
  communing with spirits, including those of
  Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, his dead
  mother, and several of his Irish Terrier dogs,
  all named Pat. He also claimed to commune with
  the spirit of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, American
  president and close friend.26 He sought
  personal reassurance from the spirit world,
  rather than seeking political advice.

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Equalization PaymentsTHE ROBIN HOOD ECONOMY

• Collect money from rich provinces and give them
  to the poor provinces.