1. Effects of the Great Depression
Lecture 2
and Dust Bowl
Standard

2. Standard
Discuss the human toll of the Depression, natural disasters, unwise agricultural practices and their effect on the depopulation of rural regions and on political movements of the left and right with particular attention to the Dust Bowl refugees and their social and economic impacts in California
Essential Question: How did people cope with the Depression? What was Hoover’s response to the Depression?

3. The Depression Toilet Unemployment and Bankruptcy
Business and banks closed
1929 and 1932
unemployment skyrocketed up to 25% by 1933
Ford fired 75,000 workers
income dropped %
debts remained the same
thousands searched the country for jobs
Bread Lines
Hoovervilles
11.6.3

4. The Great Depression
The Human Toll

5. Arkansas

7. Oklahoma

10. California

11. Tennessee
Texas

13. Washington D.C.

14. New York City

15. Human Toll of the Depression
The Dustbowl
a long drought dried out the Midwest
strong winds carried away millions of tons of topsoil from North Dakota to Texas
led to government-funded irrigation projects
11.6.3

18. Grapes of Wrath Farmers and Migrant Workers
farmers couldn’t make money because prices fell
banks seized and sold farms and equipment
350,000 Okies and Arkies went to CA for migrant labor
John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath
11.6.3

19. Families of the Depression
Impact on Families
some fled the cities to go back to the country
men worked at lower pay
women tried to find ways to earn money
children dropped out of school
11.6.3

20. Minorities Impact on Minorities
tensions between ethnic groups increased
unemployment among blacks was 50% in 1932
100,000s of Hispanics were repatriated to Mexico
11.6.3

21. Escapism Novels, Radio, and Movies
Americans tried to escape the despair of the time
Shirley Temple, the Three Stooges, the Marx Brothers
The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Snow White
Monopoly
Jazz and Swing music
11.6.3

22. Partner B
How does escapism during the Depression differ from escapism today? Give examples.

23. Hoover’s Response Rugged Individualism
didn’t believe he legally could give direct aid
it’s not in the Constitution
gave money to local and state governments and businesses instead
encouraged businesses to voluntarily help
tried to get local communities and states to fix depression
11.6.2

24. RFC Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), 1932
Hoover loaned billions to private businesses to jump start the economy
banks, railroads, insurance companies, and local governments
from 1932 – 1941 the RFC loaned $9.5 billion
FDR continued this program
it was too late, voters dumped Hoover for FDR in 1932
11.6.2

25. Bonus Army
Bonus Army, 1932
a large assembly of WWI veterans marched on DC to demand the money they’d been promised…Sound Familiar???
the Adjusted Compensation Act was like the GI Bill
Congress refused so they set up Hoovervilles outside the city
the army chased them out
Hoover looked really bad
the veterans did not get their money
11.6.2

27. Communist / Fascist Solutions
communists argued that the government should seize all property
the government would control all businesses
the depression in the USSR was less severe
fascists wanted a dictator to control every aspect of society
11.6.3

28. 1932 D Franklin Roosevelt 22,809,638 472 R Herbert C. Hoover
531 D
Franklin Roosevelt
22,809,638
472 R
Herbert C. Hoover
15,758,901 59 S
Norman Thomas
881,951 --