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How Did The Great Depression Affect The Economy Of The 1930s

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The 1930s was a decade in the history of the United States marked by a great deal of suffering of the general public. A failing economy, an anthropogenically-induced disaster in the Midwest and persecution of colored people resulted in a total meltdown of American society. Meanwhile, ordinary people sought escape from this cycle of depression through entertainment such as radio, film and music. "The Great Depression (1929-39) was the deepest and longest-lasting economic downturn in the history of the Western industrialized world" (History.com). In the summer of 1929, the economy entered a recession. While consumer spending dropped and goods stagnated at factories and stores, stock prices rose to an unjustifiable point. In October of 1929, investors panicked, and began dumping millions of shares onto the market. “... On ‘Black …show more content…

Consumer spending came to a grinding halt due to a lack of confidence in the economy, and businesses were forced to slow down production and construction. Companies were not getting enough profit, and could not pay a high number of employees. By the end of 1932, 25% of Americans were out of a job. As the crisis deepened, investors lost confidence in the banking system as well. Panic ensued, and when record numbers of people sought to withdraw deposits, banks had insufficient reserves and were forced to close. In the 1932 presidential election, Franklin D. Roosevelt won a landslide victory. His administration immediately set to work to fix America's problems. The collective reforms of Roosevelt’s administration were called the New Deal. In the first years of his presidency, FDR: created government entities that oversaw stock trading, got Congress to pass legislation that reorganized banks, ended Prohibition, signed several bills that improved conditions for workers and more. Despite great efforts, the Great Depression persisted. In

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