1. The 1930s

2. Causes of the Great Depression

3. Supply was higher than demand
1. Overproduction
Supply was higher than demand
Industries increased their production during WWI
This Created a surplus of Goods after war was over
Europe wasn’t buying U.S. goods

4. 2. Consumer OverSpending
Consumers spent too much money after WW1 and Bought many items on credit
After Stock Market Crash consumers only bought necessities

5. 3. “Get Rich Quick” Attitudes
People took huge risks in the stock market
Buyers borrowed money to buy stocks
When stock market fell, borrowers could not afford to pay off what they owed

6. There was Unequal distribution of wealth
4. Disparity in Wealth
There was Unequal distribution of wealth
(1% owned 40%)

7. 5. Stock Market Crash of 1929 Confidence in the stock market wavered
Investors started selling stocks quickly
No demand for stocks= stock values go down
Black Tuesday
Shareholders frantically sold stocks before prices went even lower
People who had bought stocks on credit were stuck with huge debts
People who did not sell stocks fast enough lost most of their savings

9. ($319 billion today) was lost in the 1929 crash
tock transactions in those days were printed on ticker tape, which could only produce 285 words a minute.
$25 billion
($319 billion today) was lost in the 1929 crash

10. Long lines to withdraw savings at banks

11. Businesses could no longer afford to pay workers so many were laid off and became jobless

12. Soup Kitchens and help centers became overwhelmed with people.

13. Period of great economic turmoil
The Great Depression
Period of great economic turmoil
High unemployment rates
34 million people belonged to families with no regular, full-time wage earner
Homelessness increased significantly
People lost everything-homes, automobiles, etc.

14. Social Impact of Great Depression
Women and minorities especially hard hit
Women often fired because businesses thought jobs should go to men first
African Americans laid off to give jobs to white workers
Men abandoned families to find jobs
When they failed, they often did not return home out of shame

15. President Herbert Hoover’s Attempts to Help
tried to create work relief programs
Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover Dam
Asked Federal government to guarantee home loans
Appeared as too little, too late
People blamed Hoover for the Depression

16. Hoovervilles
Homeless families, lacking shelter, used cardboard and packing crates to create encampments called Hoovervilles
The name was meant to cast criticism on President Hoover and his handling of the economic crisis

17. The Dust Bowl: Causes
Southern Plains (Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico)
Worst drought in U.S. history
Farmers continued to plant despite crop failures which killed prairie grasses necessary to hold top soil

18. The Dust Bowl: Effects Winds began blowing topsoil away
Dust clouds thousands of feet high and miles wide formed
Destroyed farms
1/3 of Farm families left the region
Ended in 1938

19. Route 66
Families who left took this highway
Headed west to California

20. Election of 1932

21. The New Deal Series of bills designed to address the nation’s problems
Created many new works programs

22. The first New Deal
FDR’s First 100 Days
13 laws passed

23. Prohibition Ended

24. Still in effect today! Social Security Act
Passed during Roosevelt’s second term as President
Most seniors did not have pensions and those who did saw them wiped out
First New deal had left out groups of people like the elderly and disabled
Social Security Act provided for old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, and aid to the disableD
Still in effect today!

25. Eleanor Roosevelt First lady
urged FDR to create reforms to help minorities and the poor
traveled the U.S. to observe social conditions so she could keep the president informed as to the state of the nation
vocal advocate for both women and Blacks and instrumental in ending discriminatory practices associated with New Deal legislation
credited with changing the role of First Ladies from passive spouses to women who use their position of influence to address societal issues

26. Criticism of the New Deal
Some conservatives thought FDR had made the government too large and too powerful.
some liberals thought FDR had not gone far enough to socialize the economy and eliminate inequality in the United States

27. Criticism of the New Deal
biggest critic was Senator Huey P. Long of Louisiana
believed the New Deal had not gone far enough to help society
proposed "Share Our Wealth" program
Would guarantee a household income for each family in the U.S., which would be paid for by high taxes on the wealthiest Americans

28. Criticism of the New Deal
1936- the Supreme Court declared two pieces of the First New Deal unconstitutional
The Court struck down these two programs because they were perceived as Federal overreach into the operations of private businesses

29. Criticism of the New Deal
FDR grew frustrated with the Supreme Court, which was composed of 9 men, all over 60 years old and conservative
Roosevelt proposed a reorganization of the federal judiciary system by adding judges to all levels of the federal courts for every justice who refused to retire after the age of 70
This would allow FDR to appoint enough justices to uphold his New Deal programs
FDR was criticized for wanting to "pack the court“
His opponents believed he was attacking the independence of the judicial branch
Many of his supporters split from him on the decision and some began to question the new deal altogether

31. The effects of the New Deal
Shift in political party platforms
African Americans voted democratic
Unemployment decreased
Government had more power and say in social and economic issues
No longer “should the government get involved?” now “when will the government get involved?”