The Great Depression
People believed there were many causes for the Great Depression:
The main cause people believe in was that on Tuesday, October 29, 1999 the stock market crashed (black Tuesday). Another reason would be that in the 1930’s over 9,000 banks had failed. This caused many people to lose their savings, and other banks to not be able to trust that they could give loans to their clients.
In this time, people felt the need to stop buying as many items. Their wages then became less and items then seemed more expensive although prices were declining on items. This caused for less items to be produced and the companies to need less people to help produce these items. People began to lose the items they had bought through installment plans when they lost their jobs. Some time in the thirties, more than 1/4 of the people were unemployed.
America then created a Smooth-Hawley Tariff on imported goods to help the companies by raising taxes on imported goods. This caused fewer countries to trade items with America. Also, fom 1930-1936, farmers experienced the 'Dust Bowl' which was an extreme drought in the Midwest, and caused them to move to urban areas. They lost their money and when people couldn't afford houses they lived in shantytowns for protection during the winter.
The Great Depression started in 1929, and ended in 1941. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected President in 1932. He signed into law the "New Deal" which was his attempt to help the nation recover, and prevent another depression from happening. It created new agencies that were made to help people create new jobs and provide unemployment insurance. Although it helped us greatly, it was not enough until 1941 when the U.S. entered WW2. WW2 created new jobs for the people to help manufacture war goods. Many men were deported, and women gained jobs by taking their place in work.
It's a very sad thing the we once had to go through a time like this. Seeing America now, it's hard to believe that people were once starving and only twenty five percent of us made an income. I wouldn't like to this happen again, but it helped us be more weary of our money, and keep a closer eye on our situations.
Democrats Win 1930 Congressional Election
In 1930 the congressional elections were held (re-voting of the Senate or House of Representatives). The Americans were gradually growing tired of President Hoover and the depression. Democrats took advantage of this and became anti-Hoover, which turned the Americans against the Republicans and won the the Democrats well over the majority of seats in the Senate, and took over the House of Representatives. The Republicans then only had one vote in the Senate.
(this picture represents the two houses at this time)
Many Americans were getting frustrated with the depression that many blamed their troubles on the President. Farmers would give up working when they couldn't sell their crops, and American's named many things such as empty pockets, shantytowns, and newspaper blankets after the President to disgrace him. Although everybody was pointing their finger towards Hoover for their problems, he remained compressed to his principles.
It's terrible to see a country turn on their own President. Also, when one party dominates over another, it might be hard for America to remain stable and have more than one point of view on something. I bet if the Democrats didn't overtake the Republicans, we may have been able to get through this easier.
Sources:
http://americanhistory.about.com/od/greatdepression/tp/greatdepress...
http://www.thegreatdepressioncauses.com/
http://useconomy.about.com/od/grossdomesticproduct/p/1929_Depression.htm
https://mrbruns.ning.com/group/ushistory/forum/topics/2242951:Topic:84
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