C H A P T E R

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C H A P T E R
The Great Depression Begins
CHAPTER OBJECTIVE
INTERACT WITH HISTORY
TIME LINE
The Nations Sick Economy
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SECTION
GRAPH
Hardship and Suffering During the Depression
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SECTION
Hoover Struggles with the Depression
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SECTION
MAP
VISUAL SUMMARY
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C H A P T E R
The Great Depression Begins
To understand the causes and consequences of the
Great Depression and the futility of Hoovers
actions to limit the damage
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C H A P T E R
The Great Depression Begins
I N T E R A C T
W I T H H I S T O R Y
The year is 1929. The United States economy has
collapsed. Farms, businesses, and banks
nationwide are failing, causing massive
unemployment and poverty. You are out of work
with little prospect of finding a job.
What would you do to feed your family?
Examine the Issues
What groups of people will be most hurt by the
economic crash?
What can you do to find a paying job?
What can unemployed and impoverished people do
to help each other?
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C H A P T E R
The Great Depression Begins
The United States
The World
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GRAPH
KEY IDEA
Economic problems affecting industries, farmers,
and consumers lead to the Great Depression.
OVERVIEW
ASSESSMENT
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GRAPH
OVERVIEW
MAIN IDEA
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
The Great Depression has had lasting effects on
how Americans view themselves and their
government.
As the prosperity of the 1920s ended, severe
economic problems gripped the nation.
TERMS NAMES
ASSESSMENT
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GRAPH
1. List the causes and effects of the 1929 stock
market crash.
Buying on margin
Loss of confidence
Falling stock prices
Speculation
Stock Market Crash
High unemployment
Loss of savings
Bankrupt businesses
Bank failures
continued . . .
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GRAPH
2. How did the economic trends of the 1920s help
cause the Great Depression? Think About
what happened in industry
what happened in agriculture
what happened with consumers
ANSWER
Industries Less peacetime demand for
goods Agriculture International demand for crops
fell, farmers went bankrupt, and rural banks
failed. Consumers Credit debt proved disastrous
when the banks failed.
continued . . .
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GRAPH
3. Judging from the events of the late 1920s and
early 1930s, how important do you think public
confidence is to the health of the economy? Think
About
what happened when overconfidence in the stock
market led people to speculate and buy on margin
how confidence affects consumer borrowing
ANSWER
Too much confidence can lead to making unwise
decisions, such as taking on too much debt. Too
little can lead to money being pulled out of the
stock market and bankstriggering a panic.
End of Section 1
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KEY IDEA
The Great Depression brings suffering of many
kinds and degrees to people from all walks of
life.
OVERVIEW
ASSESSMENT
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Hardship and Suffering During the Depression
OVERVIEW
MAIN IDEA
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
During the Great Depression, Americans did what
they had to do to survive.
Since the Great Depression, many Americans have
been more cautious about saving, investing, and
borrowing.
TERMS NAMES
ASSESSMENT
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Hardship and Suffering During the Depression
1. List the effects that the Great Depression had
on farmers and city dwellers. Identify the
differences and the similarities.
Both
Farmers
City Dwellers
Lost jobs, ended up in the streets, built
shantytowns, took food from soup kitchens
Lost their jobs and homes
Lost land, grew their own food, turned to tenant
farming
continued . . .
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S E C T I O N
Hardship and Suffering During the Depression
2. How was what happened to men during the Great
Depression different from what happened to women?
children? Think About
each groups role in their families
the changes each group had to make
what help was available to them
ANSWER
Men depressed over changes in their status and
inability to provide for their families wandered
the country looking for work Women forced to
take a more active role in the survival of their
families by working outside the home Children
stopped going to school, went to work suffered
from malnutrition and diet-related diseases
continued . . .
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Hardship and Suffering During the Depression
3. How did Dust Bowl conditions in the Great
Plains affect the entire country?
ANSWER
Eastern cities were covered with dirt blown from
the plains. Hundreds of thousands of farm
families migrated to California, where
unemployment soared.
continued . . .
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Hardship and Suffering During the Depression
4. In what ways did the Great Depression affect
peoples outlook?
ANSWER
The economic problems forced people to make
compromises and sacrifices in their goal to be
financially secure.
End of Section 2
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MAP
Hoover Struggles with the Depression
KEY IDEA
President Hoover tries to restore confidence and
halt the Depression, but his actions are
ineffective.
OVERVIEW
ASSESSMENT
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MAP
Hoover Struggles with the Depression
OVERVIEW
MAIN IDEA
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
President Hoovers conservative response to the
Great Depression drew criticism from many
Americans.
Worsening conditions in the country caused the
government to become more involved in the health
and wealth of the people.
TERMS NAMES
ASSESSMENT
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MAP
1. Explain what Hoover said and did in response
to the Great Depression.
Any lack of confidence in the economic futureis
foolish
Sending of troops against Bonus Army
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
rugged individualism
Federal Home Loan Bank Act
Hoovers Responses
Federal Farm Board
Public-works programs
Boulder Dam
continued . . .
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Hoover Struggles with the Depression
2. How did Hoovers belief in rugged
individualism shape his policies during the
Great Depression? Think About
what his belief implies about his view of
people
how that translates into the role of government
Hoovers policies
ANSWER
Hoovers belief in rugged individualism implied
limited government intervention and prompted him
to take a cautious approach.
continued . .
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MAP
3. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt heard about the
attack on the Bonus Army, why was he so certain
that he would defeat Hoover? Think About
the American publics impression of Hoover
Hoovers actions to alleviate the Great
Depression
how people judged Hoover after the attack
ANSWER
The public wanted a leader who would act to
relieve its suffering. The attack made Hoover
seem uncaring and cruel. Also, the public already
blamed Hoover for its suffering, and the attack
just confirmed that negative impression of him.
End of Section 3