We started our presentations. I went first.
1. What were the causes of the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression? Stock Market Crash - 1929, bank failures, American Economic Policy w/ Europe: Smoot-Howley Fariff Helped protect American companies. Drought conditions. Over production, farm crisis.
2. What impact did the stock market crash and Great Depression have on the lives of people in the United States?Unemployment, bankruptcy, in 25% of families, no one was employed. Hoovervilles. Starvation/Illness. 110 starvation deaths in 1934. Neglected dental and medical care. Hoover said, "Nobody is actually starving. The hobos are better fed than ever." Children - 20% were hungry without proper clothing. Malnourished children reached as high as 90%. 25,000 young people were homeless. Farming - Popultaion change, 750,000 farms were lost due to fore closure. the dust bowl. Speeds above 60 mph, major part of Great Depression. Suicide/Crime rates - suicides are more common during economic 100,000. Crime rate went up.
3. What did the United States government do to help alleviate the problems the Great Depression brought to our country?
(President Hoover) - 31st pres born in Iowa. August 10th, 1874- October 20th, 1964. West Branch IA. Served as head of US Food Administration, Secretary of commerce. Blamed for Great Depression, didn't recognized the severity, his philosophy. RFC gave loans to banks, state and local govt's and business to create projects/jobs for people, gave states loans for emergency relief needs, stared under Hoover, not as successful as hoover had hoped, dissolved in 1946.
Roosevelt-New Deal-Goals/1st and 2nd)- 1st 1933-1934, 2nd 1935-1936, stabilize banks, clean up financial mess from 1928 crash, help farmers. Roosevelt plan to get the country in the right direction. create agencies to make jobs, recognized the rights of workers to form unions. Helped every state, town, and community. Inspired a civic, cultural, and economic renaissance. Built roads, highways bridges schools theaters, libraries, city halls, homes, parks post offices, and airports. The 3 r's: Relief, recovery, reform. 2nd new deal, still apart of original new deal, it just starts the second half of the new deal, improved use of national resources, security against old age, unemployment and illness, slum clearance.
unemployed - Unemployment went up during Hoover's presidency, then went down when FDR came up with his new deal. Agencies, Projects built, Built over 900,000 Public Buildings, Reasons for Building. Public Works Administration Worked on Large-Scale projects such as skyscrapers. Works Progress Administration: Coordination public work schemes, contained 4 separate agencies, FMP, FAP, FWP. Civilian conservation Corps: Sent men 18-25 years old to the forest.
young people - Young people had to take care of their family. Riding the rails.
factory workers - Wagner Act: Official name was the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. It guarantees basic rights of private sector employees to organize into trade unions. Engage in collective bargaining. Allowed employees to stride if they thing it is necessary. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). Also known as the Wages and Hours Bill, it introduced maximum 44 hour seven-day workweek. Established minimum wage, time and a half overtime for certain jobs, Prohibited most child labor. FDR called it the most important piece of New Deal legislation passed since the Social Security Act of 1935. Children under 18 cannot do certain dangerous jobs and children under 16 could no work during school hours. National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA). Law that authorized the president to regulate industry in attempt to raise prices. Established the Public Works Administration (PWA). The PWA was a large-scale public works on construction agency, built dams, bridges, hospitals, and schools, purpose was to provide employment and revive the economy.
labor unions - An organization of workers, often in a trade of profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests. In 1933 there were only 3 million labor union members.
farmers - AAA- agricultural adjustment act, paid farmers to produce less crops, also called the farm relief bill. FFB- Federal Farm Board. FSA- Farm Security administration. If you had main crops the aaa would pay you to produce less. Price had doubled in 3 years. Crops were ploughed back.. 2.5 million men left. Incomes doubled for farmers. Left many unemployed. Some people lost farms. Dorothea Lange, got a job from FSA to bring attention to the problems farmers had
elderly - Social security Act - A fiscal year is a tax year. Age 65 or January 1st 1942. Old age assistance are payments to aged individuals. They live in poorhouses. If you died when you are under the age of 65 your family got your money. The account - Old-age reserve. After the crash, the retired or almost retired had no savings, they depended on their family. Children went to orphanages and the elderly went to poor houses or charities.
poor - breadlines, soup kitchens, operated in churches, charities. Hoover - leather, blankets, flags, wagons.
homeowners - Home ownership rates fell and housing prices plummeted. Nation Housing Act (Capehart Act) created on June 28, 1934. Designed to stop bank foreclosures on family homes. Created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC). FHA made housing and home mortgages more affordable. FSLIC insured deposits in savings and loans. USHA (United States Housing Authority) Designed to lend money to the states or communities for low-cost construction. HLC (Homeowners' Loan Corporation) Its purpose was to refinance homes.
artists/musicians - time of exploration. Artist were paid by the government to make art for government events. Hard time getting money. Federal Art Project was "The visual Arts Arm" of the Great Depression era. Came from the New Deal Works Progress Administration Project called Federal One. Went from August 29, 1935, until June 30, 1943. Notable artists include Grant Wood (American Gothic). Musicians - Federal Music Project. The government hired musicians, conductors, and composers to get out and have concerts, festivals, and have music lessons. The objectives of the FMP was to get people interested and get them happy.
Women/African-Americans - Only boys got educated. FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration) Eleanor Roosevelt supported FERA, brought families together and provided work and loans. WPA (Works Progress Administration). Women worked gardening and canning during the subbers, school luchrooms during the school year, 31 cents and hour. More than a thousand women were employed as housekeepers. Sponsors would provide money. Rent and utilities of sork sites, provide material like the library boos. Working conditions - Wages for working women in the 1930's was only $5 per week, they supported the family.
Native Americans - A social worker named John Collier became head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Collier used the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 to help Native American Indians to preserve their culture. He had worked on Indian issues for ten years prior to his appointment, particularly with the Native Americans. Not much value for Indian land which left them in a poor class. Indian New Deal. Reversal of the Dawes Act.
banks - Withdrawal Restrictions, Closings/Failures, Three-day Periods - bank vacations/holidays where the banks close for a few days to see what would happen and to take a break. FDIC/FRS - limists, lost funds, federal deposit insurance corporation
stock market - Buying on Margin (Credit) Not enough money to buy stocks, if the price of stock fell lower than the loan amount, there could be a "margin call". In 1932, fell 90% from 1929. It took 22 years for the stock to be above levels in 1929. Securities Act of 1933, Require that investors receive financial and other significant information concerning securities being offered for public sale. Prohibit deceit, misrepresentations, and other fraud in the sale of securities. Enables investors to make judgments about buying securities, Investors who have losses can try to prove there was inaccurate information. Little support for federal regulation of securities market before the crash of 1929. Created form the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. US Securities and Exchange commission, Interpret and enforce laws, New rules, Oversee inspections of securities firms, brokers, investment advisers, and rating agencies.
energy- Farmers moved to cities which made cities overpopulated. REA (Rural Electric Administration) was started in 1935. Farmers in the Tennessee Valley received the electricity. TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) was created May 18, 1933. Helped 7 states. The TVA mad immediate impact and built many dams to help slow down erosion. They also developed fertilizers. EHFA (Electric Home and Farm Authority) helped buy farmers appliances, they had a better standard of living.
What long lasting impact did the Great Depression have on Shelby County, Iowa, the US and world?
US, - Many businesses perished during this time period but many flourished with Mass Migration. Brought a rapid change in crime rate, suicide, prostitution, alcoholism.
Iowa - Crops were destroyed.
Shelby County - Kids helped parents around the farm, banks closed, money in bank was gone. grew gardens and shocked corn. They used food stamps. IOU's started in Earling. Shelby County's average farm value was $149 per acre. Corn prices skyrocketed in 1934.
World - France was a major tourist country and when Americans couldn't pay to travel to France, they lost money. Impacted Germany and Japan as well. It pushed Germany to start WWII. Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor by the president. He is a lying, cheating dirt bag. Japan didn't have natural resources so they invaded China, and they joined Germany and Italy in WWII. The Soviet Union was not affected by the depression because they were a communist country. Joseph Stalin was leader of the Soviet Union and was very awful to his people. Concentration camps, execution. Great Britain couldn't sell us their exports because we couldn't buy them, they lost money and had high unemployment.
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