Life During the Great Depression

1. Life During the Great Depression SSUSH17 The student will analyze the causes and consequences of the Great Depression. b. Explain factors (include over-farming and climate) that led to the Dust Bowl and the resulting movement and migration west. c. Explain the social and political impact of widespread unemployment that resulted in developments such as Hoovervilles.

2. Causes of the Great Depression • Farmers’ crisis/ Over production (surplus of goods, falling prices) • Credit purchasing • Tariffs (stopped foreign goods from coming into the U.S., but also slowed down foreign trade) • Lower Wages • Under consumption (b/c people were in debt) • Credit buying- too much access to easy money

3. Stock Market Crash • October 24th- Black Thursday, when stock prices plunged and people panicked and pulled out their investments (sold their shares) • Oct. 29th- Black Tuesday- when the “bottom fell out of the market”- prices dropped to an all time low • As the prices dropped, people panicked and continued to sell, causing the prices to drop even further • People who bought stock on margin could not pay back the investors

4. Stock Market Crash • Banks who had loaned all of the money to buy on margin could not get their money back • Resulted in bank failures • While the crash of the stock market was NOT the only cause of the Great Depression, it was a major blow to the economy, and it made it impossible for the American and world economy to revive itself

5. Brother Can You Spare a Dime • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4yT0KAMyo Listen to the song and make a list of things that you learned about the life of the singer before and after the Great Depression.

6. "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime," lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Jay Gorney (1931) They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob, When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job. They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead, Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread? Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time. Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime? Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime; Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime? Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell, Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum, Half a million boots went slogging through Hell, And I was the kid with the drum! Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time. Why don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime? Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell, Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum, Half a million boots went slogging through Hell, And I was the kid with the drum! Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time. Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime? DISCUSS YOUR FINDINGS!

7. Causes of the Great Depression

8. Herbert Hoover’s “hands off” policies caused the GD? • Landslide victory in 1928 • Conservative Republican • “General Prosperity” • Keep tariffs high • Pay down govt. debt • Balance the budget • Keep inflation low • Keep govt. out of economy

9. Herbert Hoover’s “hands off” policies caused the Great Depression? http://www.tribbleagency.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/the-great-depression.jpg

10. Herbert Hoover’s “hands off” policies Caused the GD? • Kept promising recovery is here! • Believed in hands-off govt • But did more than any previous president • Too little, too late!

11. Hoovervilles • As more workers lost their jobs, they were unable to pay their rent or mortgage and were evicted • This new class of homeless began to build shacks on the outskirts of cities called shantytowns, or Hoovervilles.

12. Hoover Blankets http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whQ5SLfnGoQ ---”We’d Like to Thankyou Mr. Hoover”

13. 2 million migrants and “hobos” • 13 million out of work by 1933

14. Great Depression Numbers • 1929-1931 over 1.5 million mortgages failed

15. Great Depression Numbers • 1929-1933 over 8,000 banks failed

16. Great Depression Numbers • 1933 over 13 million out of work (over 25%)

17. Great Depression Numbers • 1929-1932 Stock Market lost 90%

18. The Dust Bowl • When farmers were unable to pay back their loans, many stopped planting crops • In 1932 a drought hit the Great Plains, turning much of the top soil into dust-with the lack of rain and crops, wind blew the dried soil for hundreds of miles

19. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2CiDaUYr90

20. Closing: Now and Then Compare and contrast the Great Depression and the recent recession. How is the situation we live in today alike, and how is it different? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz8LXq1q6iI ---Bushvilles (modern day Hoovervilles) 2min