Chapter 25, Section 3 “Americans Face Hard Times”

Dust Bowl (19:00-29:30) Massive dust storms that swept through the Great Plains caused by severe droughts in the early 1930s The top soil literally blew away which destroyed farms Farmers already struggling with low crop prices often lost their farms to the banks

Efforts to Help Dust Bowl Farmers New Deal programs tried to help them by offering them low-interest loans (FCA) and by stabilizing crop prices (AAA) Efforts to prevent future Dust Bowls by growing grass and planting trees near fields to prevent wind erosion

“Okies” and “Arkies” Head West 2.5 million people left the Great Plains after they lost their farms Most headed west looking for work, particularly in California They struggled when they got there as there were too many looking for work and too few jobs

Great Depression Hit Some Groups Harder Than Others Children – many dropped out of school to work to help support their families, and many left home to fend for themselves Hispanics – had a harder time getting jobs and many were deported back to Mexico African Americans – faced discrimination and many lost jobs to whites

Mary McLeod Bethune Started a school for African American girls in Daytona Beach, Florida (a school that started with 6 girls, but eventually grew to become Bethune-Cookman University) She was appointed Director of the Division of Negro Affairs (with-in the National Youth Admin.) which trained young African Americans for jobs This made her the first African-American female federal agency head

The “Black Cabinet” A group of African American leaders (such as Mary McLeod Bethune) who were appointed to positions within the FDR’s administration They advised the president on issues relating to race Why was FDR unwilling to sign a bill outlawing lynching? Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune

John Steinbeck Famous author who described life in the Great Depression in many of his novels “Grapes of Wrath” described the struggles of Dust Bowl farmers who moved to California looking for work

Woodie Guthrie Oklahoma-born folk singer who crossed the country singing his songs about loss and struggle “Dust Bowl Blues” From 1976 movie “Bound for Glory” about Woody Guthrie

Entertainment in the Depression Era Swing Music – fast-paced rhythms that young people could dance to Radio – shows like Little Orphan Annie and the Lone Ranger entertained Movies – comedies, dramas, and musicals entertained and were very inexpensive to see Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in “Follow the Fleet”

Full Recovery from the Depression After the U.S. enters WWII When govt. begins buying massive amounts of war supplies the problem of unemployment finally subsides Pearl Harbor attacked by Japan

Effects of the Great Depression and the New Deal Provided hope and relief to many Americans during the depression Expanded the role of the federal govt. Created major programs such as Social Security, FDIC, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which monitors the stock exchange Created belief that the federal govt. is responsible for people’s well-being