The Great Depression 5 th Grade Social Studies

For this PowerPoint… Only copy down the notes you find in blue text

Stock Market Crash of 1929 The stock market is a place where people buy and sell shares of businesses. If more people want to buy a share, the price goes up. If more people want to sell a share, the price goes down. In the 20s, prices in the stock market kept getting higher and higher.

Stock Market Crash of 1929 Fall 1929 – people started taking money out of the stock market In October 1929, the stock market crashed, meaning the prices fell very low Almost everyone who owned stock lost money in the stock market

The Great Depression A depression is a time when businesses close or lose money, and many people lose their jobs. People often have a lot less money. The Great Depression was the worst depression we’ve had so far. It ended the good times of the Roaring 20s.

The Great Depression Businesses could not sell what they made Workers lost their jobs because businesses couldn’t pay them People lost their homes because they didn’t have money to pay for them Banks began to fail because people couldn’t pay their loans back to the banks

Hoovervilles “Hoovervilles” were named for the president during that time, Herbert Hoover He did not cause the Depression, but he didn’t do much to make it better They were towns of shacks made from wood, tin, and paper.

Hoovervilles

President Roosevelt (FDR) In 1932, FDR was elected President He promised a “New Deal” to end the Great Depression His famous quote is: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

New Deal Programs FDR created many new programs to help end the Great Depression. Created thousands of jobs Social Security Act – provides $ for workers after they retire TVA – created dams to prevent flooding in the TN area CCC – planted trees and took care of natural parks and areas WPA – built roads, hospitals, and schools

Famous People from the 1930s Duke Ellington – Jazz Musician Margaret Mitchell – author of Gone with the Wind Jesse Owens – African-American athlete who was the first to compete in the Olympics

What ended the Great Depression? The government programs created by the New Deal were supposed to end the Great Depression. They did help businesses, families, and individuals, but by themselves, the New Deal programs were NOT able to end the Great Depression. So what ended the Great Depression?

WWII When WWII came about, the United States entered a wartime economy. Remember the wartime economy from WWI? Factories in the US began manufacturing weapons, planes, ships, ammunition, uniforms, etc. for soldiers in other countries. Later, when we entered WWII, we began making those same items for our soldiers.

Wartime Economy How does a wartime economy help pull a country out of a depression? Factories make money when other countries buy their products! More people get jobs because there are so many weapons (and other items) to produce! Americans begin saving and using less to save for the war! All of this = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$