Causes & Early Effects
What major event in 1929 triggered the Great Depression?
Stock Market Crash
What were “Hoovervilles”?
Shantytowns built by homeless people
Who was president during the New Deal?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
What did the CCC provide?
Jobs, food, and housing
What environmental disaster hit the Great Plains?
Dust Bowl
What was an immediate effect of the crash on Americans?
Loss of confidence, reduced spending, panic
Who did many Americans blame for the Depression?
President Hoover
What was the goal of the New Deal?
Help Americans recover from the Depression
What was Social Security designed to do?
Support elderly and unemployed
What was one effect of the Dust Bowl?
Health problems, lack of food, people forced to move
What is a “bank run”?
When people rush to withdraw money from banks
What was the Bonus Army?
WWI veterans demanding early payment
What was the purpose of the bank holiday?
Stop bank runs and restore confidence
What was the main goal of New Deal job programs?
Reduce unemployment
Why was the FDIC created?
To insure bank deposits
Why were bank runs dangerous to the economy?
Banks ran out of money and failed
Why did the government’s treatment of the Bonus Army hurt Hoover?
It caused public outrage for using force on veterans
Why were Fireside Chats important?
Explained policies and reassured the public
How did Social Security help Americans?
Provided regular financial support
What was the purpose of the FDIC?
Restore trust in banks
Explain how fear and panic made the economic crisis worse.
People stopped spending and withdrew money, causing more failures
Explain how Hoovervilles reflected public opinion of the government.
People blamed Hoover and believed the government failed them
How did FDR expand the role of the federal government?
Government took active role in economy and relief programs
Explain how New Deal programs changed government responsibility.
Government became responsible for economic security
Why was FDR’s court-packing plan controversial?
It threatened checks and balances. (Democracy)