1. Analyze the extent of prosperity for different segments of society during this period.

2. Macro Concepts  Markets-areas where goods and services are bought and sold.  Change-the concept of transformation from one phase to another. Micro Concepts  Urbanization-the process of citizens moving to a city and living in densely populated areas.  Business cycle-the process of businesses rising and shrinking due to economic factors.

3. Some economic causes of the Great Depression  Easy Credit-During the “roaring 20s” many banks and financial institutions gave credit and loans to people who were not really able to pay it back. These loans were very risky.  Overproduction-Many companies were manufacturing an over supply of goods that inevitably forced prices to plunge.  Installment Plan-People who bought goods on credit paid their loans in installments [separate payments over time ]. The problem with this was that people had no money to buy other goods. Therefore, businesses suffered and laid off workers.

4. The Misery of the Great Depression  Hoovervilles-Towns where entire villages of shacks were built by people who lost their homes.  Soup Kitchens-Locations where poor, hungry people could receive free hot soup from churches and relief agencies.  Bread lines-Locations where poor, hungry people could receive bread that was often hard and stale. The lines were usually very long.

5. The Bonus Army  Discharged World War I veterans were also suffering from the effects of the Great Depression.  They were promised cash bonuses by 1945 after WWI but they wanted them early.  In the summer of 1932 43,000 men [17,000 veterans] marched on Washington, D.C. and camped out until they received pay.  The protestors were forced to leave but given jobs in the C.C.C. and given early payments in 1936 by President Roosevelt.

6. The Dust Bowl  During the 1930s there were prolonged droughts that devastated farmers’ crops on the Midwest.  Farmers were unable to repay their loans and most of them had land foreclosed.  Farmers were forced to move elsewhere for better opportunities.  The suffering was described in John Steinbeck’s novel about the Dust Bowl the Grapes of Wrath.

7. Image Sources  http://www.elite-credit-repair.com/images/credit-card-debt.jpg http://www.elite-credit-repair.com/images/credit-card-debt.jpg  http://img.tfd.com/wn/D1/6C0C4-installment-plan.jpg http://img.tfd.com/wn/D1/6C0C4-installment-plan.jpg  http://0.tqn.com/d/history1900s/1/0/b/1/gd41.gif http://0.tqn.com/d/history1900s/1/0/b/1/gd41.gif  http://www.lewrockwell.com/tucker/bread-line.jpg http://www.lewrockwell.com/tucker/bread-line.jpg  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USA-Cinderella-Stamp-1932_Pay_the_Bonus.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USA-Cinderella-Stamp-1932_Pay_the_Bonus.jpg