Farmers grow more than people need. Crop prices drop. Farmers have no money and lose farms (Foreclosure.) Factories have goods left over. Factories decrease.

Farmers grow more than people

need. Crop Crop prices prices drop.drop.

Farmers have no money and lose farms

(Foreclosure.)

Factories have goods left over.

Factories decrease

production.

Unemployment increases.

Workers have less money to

spend.

People People buy less.buy less.

American farmers overproduced and lost farms.

American economy weakened in the 1920’s as well as became unbalanced, carried by housing and auto industry.

Poor distribution of purchasing power.

Enormous amount of debt at home and abroad. Everyone borrowed, nobody paid it back.

The Dust Bowl was a natural disaster that struck the nations midsection. Drought (lack of

rain,) along with poor farming practices, caused plant life to die

and then the winds came and blew away the rich top soil

causing dust storms.

OKIES and ARKIES

Okies and Arkies were people who fled due to the Dust Bowl

and moved to California for work. They were greeted with

hostility because jobs were scarce everywhere.

People believed that if People believed that if you worked hard you you worked hard you were successful. The were successful. The

Great Depression Great Depression destroyed that myth. destroyed that myth.

People however did not People however did not want handouts, they want handouts, they wanted a hand up.wanted a hand up.

Dorothea was a photographer whose pictures captured the plight of the

average American in a

way that words cannot express.

Dorothea LangeDorothea Lange

1. Instead of buying new clothes, you sew up old clothes.

2. Instead of buying veggies, you start a garden.

3. You started a home business (laundry / selling baked goods.)

4. Rent out an empty room in your house.

Families try to get by on their own

Families try to get by on their own

Having always faced racism, prejudice and discrimination, things only get worse for African Americans. The national unemployment rate was at 25%. For African Americans 75%. Lynching also rose in the 1930’s. Here are some figures:

1932 - 8

1933 - 28

1934 - 15

1935 - 20

Mexican Americans faced a unique crisis. Some were sent to Mexico

even though they were U.S. citizens. This practice was called repatriation. Mexican Americans

also lost jobs to whites.

Women

• The number of women with high paying jobs actually increased.

• Men still received first priority

WW I vets were to get a government bonus in 1945.

They want bonus in 1932. Hoover

accused them of being agitators and

communists. Congress said no to early bonus. The

Bonus Army stayed to peacefully

protest.

President Hoover sends in US Army

under General MacArthur to kick

the Bonus Army out of D.C. The army uses tanks, rifles,

tear gas and bayonets to get rid of

Bonus Army. This ruins Hoover’s chance for re-

election.

Hoover was a laissez - faire president. He did

try to get the government involved with the

Agricultural Marketing Act, Hawley-Smoot Tariff

and finally the Reconstruction Finance Corporation however.

The people blamed him for the depression.

Shantytowns on the outskirts of cities were given the name “Hoovervilles.” Homeless people who used newspapers to

cover themselves for warmth called the newspapers “Hoover blankets.” Empty pockets turned inside out were called

“Hoover flags.”

FDR defeats Hoover in 1932 and promises the people a New Deal. He will use the government to get the economy going again and people back to work.

Not everyone will favor Not everyone will favor FDR’s New Deals. The FDR’s New Deals. The

Supreme Court and rich Supreme Court and rich business owners will business owners will challenge him all the challenge him all the

way.way.

Any new program designed to give financial aid or jobs to those in DIRE need fall into

this category

Any New Deal Program Any New Deal Program designed to change the way designed to change the way things used to operate like a things used to operate like a

bank or financial institution. bank or financial institution.

Any New Deal Program Any New Deal Program designed to change the way designed to change the way things used to operate like a things used to operate like a

bank or financial institution. bank or financial institution.

Any New Deal Program Any New Deal Program designed to get people back to designed to get people back to work and put money back into work and put money back into

the economy.the economy.

Any New Deal Program Any New Deal Program designed to get people back to designed to get people back to work and put money back into work and put money back into

the economy.the economy.

The use of public/government The use of public/government spending to stimulate private spending to stimulate private

industry.industry.

The use of public/government The use of public/government spending to stimulate private spending to stimulate private

industry.industry.

• The governor of and a U.S. senator for Louisiana though FDR wasn’t doing enough to help the needy. So he started a program entitled “ Share our Wealth”

• He though that the RICH should give up their $ and share with everyone.

ROBINHOOD!!!!

• He came up with the idea to help the elderly have a monthly income.

• Dr. Francis Townsend came up with social security!

You pay for it through a separate tax that is deducted

from your pay check. You will pay for it, but it

may not be around for you to collect when you retire.

A Roman Catholic priest who tells his 30 million

radio listeners that FDR is not doing enough to help those in need. He blames Jews and big bankers for

all the problems caused by the Depression. His hatred of Jews makes him an anti-

Semite.

A system of dams and power plants are built in the southeast to provide electricity and tourism to

improve life in the south.

Young men work in national parks and in the wilderness. They send a portion

of their checks home so parents can spend the money.

FDR’s plan to name more liberals (people who want change) to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court was loaded with conservatives (people who want things to be the way they are). The Supreme Court

continued to declare unconstitutional a great number of FDR’s New Deal

programs.

FDR’s plan to name more liberals (people who want change) to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court was loaded with conservatives (people who want things to be the way they are). The Supreme Court

continued to declare unconstitutional a great number of FDR’s New Deal

programs.