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Chapter 40

Chapter 40. Hard Times: The Great Depression 1930–1933. The Face of the Creature. The Great Depression Engulfed nation by end of 1930, lasts through 1939 Morally jarring to Americans Surviving gives sense of pride 25% of workforce unemployed Average weekly income falls

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Chapter 40

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  1. Chapter 40 Hard Times: The Great Depression 1930–1933

  2. The Face of the Creature • The Great Depression • Engulfed nation by end of 1930, lasts through 1939 • Morally jarring to Americans • Surviving gives sense of pride • 25% of workforce unemployed • Average weekly income falls • Banks fail at rate of 200/month in 1932 • Thousands lose homes, farms, businesses • What depression looked like • Many people line up for few jobs • Charitable groups exhaust resources • Homeless build shantytowns • Desertion, divorce rise; birth rate declines • Dust storms destroy farmers

  3. The Failure of the Old Order • No plague or famine in United States • Factories could still produce • Country blessed with plenty • People simply had no money to buy • Massive underconsumption • Herbert Hoover • Hoover receives blames for depression • Hoover: the great humanitarian • Americans see crisis as paralyzing Hoover • Hoover uses federal government to direct economy • Cuts regressive consumer taxes • Spends $500 million/year on public works • Creates Reconstruction Finance Corporation • Hoover’s programs inadequate and unpopular

  4. Failure of the Old Order (cont.’d) • Hoover’s limitations • U.S. needs massive relief to poor • Hoover believes “rugged individuals“ built U.S. • Believes relief will destroy American spirit • Hoover committed to balanced budget, gold standard • Economy improves some in 1931 • Major European bank goes under • Rest of world follows U.S. into Depression • Hoover blames Depression on foreigners

  5. Not-So-Red Decade • Hoover unable to cope with Depression • Critics of capitalism believe crisis will put them in charge • Critics have no more answers than Hoover • Socialists, Communists gain members • Radicals still tiny percentage of Americans • Communists do help unions to grow • Communists do not convert rank-and-file members • Norman Thomas and Socialists were anti-Communist but did not attract voters

  6. Popular Response • Episodes of violence • Violent episodes isolated • Bonus Army • Veterans come to Washington to get bonus • Hoover decides veterans are threat • MacArthur leads army to attack veterans • Thugs and gangsters • Americans ridicule businessmen • Americans turn bank robbers into folk heroes • Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Capone, Pretty Boy Floyd

  7. Popular Response (cont’d) • Movies Depression proof • Favorite themes are escapists • Some depict average Americans versus evil business • Tickets were cheap • Features changed often • 2 movies and a serial • Music • Popular music business hurts at beginning • Hillbilly and “race” labels suffer cuts • 78-rpm record, jukebox revive industry • “Big Bands,” jitterbugging popular

  8. The Election of 1932 • Republican nominate Hoover; Democrats nominate Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) • Roosevelt promises Americans “New Deal” • Hoover has to defend unsuccessful policies • Roosevelt offers few specifics • Roosevelt creates sense of confidence, hope • Roosevelt: “Happy Days Are Here Again” • Roosevelt wins in a landslide • Roosevelt still has no New Deal specifics • Roosevelt gets “brains trust” together • Begins plans for New Deal

  9. Discussion Questions • What were the causes of the Great Depression? Was it avoidable? • What was Hoover’s philosophy on how to deal with the Depression? What were some of his programs and how effective were they? • How did ordinary Americans cope with the depression? In what ways did they find relief? • Why did FDR win the 1932 election? Was he prepared to deal with the problems Hoover had been unable to cope with? What did he do?

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