SS5H5

THE GREAT
DEPRESSION,
New Deal, and Cultural Elements of the
1930s in the United States
 STANDARD (ELEMENTS/SUB-
STANDARDS)
SS5H5: Explain how the Great Depression and
New Deal affected the lives of millions of
Americans.
a. Discuss the Stock Market Crash of 1929, Herbert
Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, the Dust Bowl, and soup
kitchens.
b. Analyze the main features of the New Deal;
include the significance of the Civilian Conservation
Corps, Works Progress Administration, and the
Tennessee Valley Authority.
c. Discuss important cultural elements of the 1930s;
include Duke Ellington, Margaret Mitchell, and Jesse
Owens
Georgia Professional Standards
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON
THE U.S.A.
31st President HERBERT HOOVER 1929-1933
He was president when the Great Depression
(GD) began
He believed that private charities and local
communities should assist the needy; it
WASNT the governments place to do so
Many believed he DID NOT do enough to
assist Americans during the GD
IDO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE POWER AND DUTY OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT
OUGHT TO BE EXTENDED TO THE RELIEF OF INDIVIDUAL SUFFERINGTHOUGH PEOPLE
SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT SUPPORT THE PEOPLE.
--HERBERT HOOVER, 1930

Whitehouse.gov
 UNDERSTANDING THE GREAT
DEPRESSION
The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn
in the history of the Western industrialized world. It began
after the Stock Market Crash of October 1929, which sent
Wall Street into a panic and wiped out millions of
investors. Over the next several years, consumer spending
and investment dropped, causing steep declines in
industrial output and employment as failing companies
laid off workers. By 1933, when the Great Depression
reached its lowest point, some 15 million Americans were
unemployed and nearly half the countrys banks had
failed. The measures enacted by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt (32nd)helped lessen the effects of the Great
Depression, but the economy would not fully recover until
1939, when World War II reinvigorated American industry.
www.history.com
 WHAT EVENT LED TO THE START OF THE GREAT
DEPRESSION?
Stock Market Crash

In the 1920s, millions of Americans bought

stocks based on speculation.
They hoped the price of shares in companies
would GO UP!
This sent the price of stocks UP more than
they were really worth.
 BLACK TUESDAY
When stock began to drop to their true
worth, Americans became nervous and sold
their stocks for cheaper (and cheaper)
prices.
This caused stock prices to drop at a rapid
pace.
October 29, 1929 the stock market crashed
= Black Tuesday
 EFFECTS OF STOCK MARKET
CRASH OF 1929
Many banks went out of business
Unemployment rose sky high
Thousands of people lost their life savings,
couldnt pay mortgage, and lost their homes
Many forced to live in cardboard shacks (built
in public parks = HOOVERVILLES
Empty pockets = Hoover Flags
Newspapers = Hoover blankets
HOOVER WAS THE BLAME
 SOUP KITCHEN

Millions of Americans were out of work and could not provide food for their
families. Thousands of people lined up for food at soup kitchens that were
run by charities. After waiting in line for hours, they received bread and a
bowl of soup. This was usually the only meal that they would eat all day.
 DUST BOWL
During the Depression, more than 750,000
farmers lost their farms.
On top of that, farmers in the Great Plains (flat
land/plain/known for supporting extensive cattle
ranching and dry farming) were hit with severe
droughts.
Without rain, crops could not grow or hold the
fertile topsoil in place.
Much of it blew away in powerful dust storm
DUST BOWL
This part of the nation became known as the
Dust Bowl because dust literally covered
everything.
The skies would turn black with dry, blowing
dust.
Oklahoma and Kansas were especially hard
hit.
Many farm families packed all they owned
into their cars and headed west to California
to make a new start
DUST BOWL
ELECTION OF 1932 FDR
32ND PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A.
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT, WAS ELECTED IN 1932. HE PROMISED A
NEW DEAL FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. HOOVER BELIEVED THAT THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THE ECONOMY, BUT
ROOSEVELT FELT THE OPPOSITE. FDRS GOVERNMENT TOOK AN ACTIVE
ROLE IN TRYING TO HELP THE ECONOMY RECOVER.
 NEW DEAL
The New Deal was Roosevelts plan to use
government programs to help the nation
recover from the Depression.
He began by pumping money into the
economy and he sent federal money to
states to help the needy
Roosevelt, along with his advisors, came
up with many programs that would help
to get the nation back on its feet.
CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) gave
jobs to men between the ages of 18 to 25.
The CCC built roads, planted forests, and
worked on irrigation and national park
projects.
Projects in Georgia included planting trees in
the Chattahoochee National Forest and
working on the Appalachian Trail.
By 1941, more than 2 million young men had
worked for the CCC
CCC POSTER
 WORKS PROGRESS
ADMINISTRATION
Roosevelt set up the Works Progress
Administration (WPA).
This programs purpose was to provide jobs to
the unemployed.
People who worked in the WPA built bridges,
airports, buildings, parks, and roads.
The WPA also paid artists to paint murals and
create sculptures to decorate buildings across
the country.
W.P.A. WORKERS BUILDING A ROAD
W.P.A. ARTISTS
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) built
dams and electric power stations in the
Tennessee River Valley.
The TVA built dams throughout 7 states to
help control flooding and to generate
electricity.
The dams provided irrigation and electricity
to people living in the area and they still
work today.
Today, TVA is the nations biggest power
provider!!!
T 480 FT., FONTANA DAM IS THE TALLEST CONCRETE DAM EAST OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. THE DAM
IMPOUNDS THE LITTLE TENNESSEE RIVER FORMING FONTANA LAKE AND PRODUCES HYDROELECTRIC
POWER. RESERVOIR SIZE IS APPROXIMATELY 11,700 ACRES. THERE IS A SHORELINE OF ABOUT 240
MILES. YOU WILL ENJOY BEAUTIFUL SCENERY IN THE AREA. FONTANA DAM IS LOCATED NEAR FONTANA
VILLAGE, NORTH CAROLINA.

Fontana Dam
FONTANA DAM
 NEW DEAL
Roosevelt also set up many other program such
as the Social Securities Act, the Public Works
Administration (PWA), and many more
The New Deal did not fully restore our nation
to the way it was before the GD, but it did
help the nation get back on track.
The Depression wasnt truly over until 1942
when America entered WW2
 POSITIVITY
Although the USA suffered a terrible lost
during the 1930s, some positivity was
recognized throughout that time...

The GD was a very difficult time period

for most Americans. People looked for
ways to forget about their difficulty.
They went to movies, watched sports,
read books, and listened to new music
These were popular ways for people to
forget about their suffering for awhile.
CULTURAL ELEMENTS OF THE
1930S DUKE ELLINGTON
Ellington was a composer and
was one of the most famous
swing musicians ever.
Swing was a type of dance
music which was very popular
during the Great Depression.
Ellington and his band
traveled all over the world.

SWING MUSIC - Rooted in

1920s but known as music
of 1930s and 1940s
CULTURAL ELEMENTS OF THE
1930S MARGARET MITCHELL
Famous author during
the Great Depression
Wrote Gone With the
Wind-sold a million
copies in six months.
Made into a movie 1939
A story about a Georgia
family who overcame
hardships before,
during, and after the
Civil War (1861-65).
Mitchell Atlanta native
CULTURAL ELEMENTS OF THE
1930S JESSE OWENS
Owens was a track star
during the Great
Depression
In 1936 he went to
Germany for the Olympics
and won four Gold Medals
Germany was run by Adolf
Hitler, who believed that
Germans were superior
over everyone else
Owens inspired Americans
by showing the world that
the Germans were not a
superior group.
 Questions???

THE END