Week of Jan. 29- Feb. 2

1/29- The Great Depression (1929-1940)

Key Terms

  • Buying on credit
  • Republican Philosophy- Harding, Coolidge, Hoover
    • Laissez-faire, rugged individualism, trickle down theory.
  • Stock
  • Stock market
    • New York Stock Exchange
  • Dow Jones Industrial Average
    • The Dow Jones Industrial Average(DJIA) is one of several stock market indicators created by Charles Dow in 1896.
    • The Dow Jones consists of 30 of the largest companies in the US.
      • Apple, Intel, ExxonMobil, Coca-Cola, General Electric, The Home Depot, Walmart, Verizon, Nike, Walt Disney
    • The Dow is an overall indicator for how the stock market is doing.

1/30- watched video on Dow Jones

  • Buying on margin- buying stocks on credit.
  • Watered stock
  • Stock pooling
  • Speculation-with stocks
  • Income inequality
  • Federal Reserve Board-
    • Federal Reserve System
      • Created in 1913 under President Woodrow Wilson.
      • Major goal was to stop banking panics(runs).
      • Broke the country into 12 districts each with a Federal Reserve Bank.
    • Federal Reserve's Powers
      • Banker's Bank-stop bank runs.
      • Controls the amount of money in circulation.- Controlling inflation and deflation.
      • Controls interests rates for borrowing money.- Encourages people to borrow money for big purchases-homes, cars, etc.

1/31- no school

2/1- Causes of the Stock Market Crash- 1929

  • Stock prices were grossly inflated, did not have real value-watered stock prices.
  • Over Speculation during the 1920's.
    • Led to overpriced stock.
  • "Buying on margin"
    • Led to people being in debt and watered stock prices.
  • Overproduction of goods.
  • Uneven distribution of wealth.
  • Too much borrowing from banks.
  • Federal Reserve increased interest rates.
  • Lack of government regulation.

Effects of the Stock Market Crash

  • Investors and businesses lost millions.
  • Businesses cut production-laid off workers.
  • Unemployment rose-people quit spending money.
  • Great Depression started.
  • Depression spread to Europe and other parts of the world.

Causes of the Great Depression

  • Overproduction of goods.
  • Underconsumption of goods by consumers.
  • Agricultural slump in 1920's due to overproduction.
  • High protective tariff policies of the 1920's.
  • Taxes benefiting the rich- Trickle-down.
  • Stock market crash.
  • Banks closing.

Effects of the Great Depression

  • New Deal programs start-makes the US government much larger.
  • Deficit spending starts.
  • The New Deal created many organizations that are still around today-social security, welfare.
  • Fascist, military, and communist dictators come to power throughout the world.

The Vicious Cycle of the Great Depression

  • Companies lose $$ so they lay people off.
  • Unemployment rate goes up and less people buy goods as income has dropped.
  • Companies profits fall so they have to lay more people off or close.
  • Cycle repeats itself.

2/2- Hoover struggles with the Great Depression.

  • Herbert Hoover
    • He struggled because people didn't like that the government wasn't helping them.
    • He encouraged people to be patient, stay positive and volunteer to help each other.
    • Federal Farm Board
      • Stabilized prices and to promote the sale of agricultural products.
    • Norris-La Guardia Act
      • Strengthened labor unions.
    • Hoover Moratorium
      • One year halt on German war payments to France.
      • One year halt on war payments from Great Britain and France to the US.
    • Mexican Repatriation
      • Mexican immigrants were encouraged/forced to go back to Mexico.
    • Revenue Act of 1932
      • Increased taxes so US government had $$.
    • Hawley-Smoot Tariff
      • Raised tariffs to record levels.
  • President's organization for Unemployment Relief- 1931
    • Help US citizens who lost their jobs due to the Great Depression.
    • Its purpose was to coordinate local welfare agencies, without spending government money.
    • THe program ended on June 30, 1932 because the government was not willing to help the agencies by giving them money.
    • Local agencies became overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem of the Great Depression.
  • Boulder(Hoover) Dam
    • Boulder Dam (now Hoover Dam) is located near Las Vegas.
    • The Hoover Dam project including the dam, the All-American Canal, the town of Boulder City, highways, railroads and various other works, cost $165 million to build.
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