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The Great Depression : The Longest Lasting Economic Fall Essay

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The Great Depression was the longest-lasting economic fall in the history of the Western industrialized world. The Great Depression affected many countries, for it was something the United States never thought would happen. In the United States, the Great Depression began after the stock market crashed in October 1929. The crash put Wall Street into a panic and wiped out millions of investors. Over the next several years, consumer purchases and investment dropped, causing declines in industrial output and rising levels in unemployment as falling companies laid off workers. By 1933, the Great Depression had reached its peak. By this time over 14 million Americans were unemployed and almost half of the country’s banks had failed. The Great Depression left a mark on many people 's lives. The Great Depression did not just affect one group of people but many. It affected everyone from women, men, to blacks, and whites. It was a disaster for everyone. Although the Great Depression was a hard time, Americans used different forms of media to distract themselves as much as possible. Radio and television played major parts in this distraction.
During the Great Depression, Hollywood’s role in the country was providing a sense of security during a difficult time. Even throughout the Depression’s most difficult times, 60 to 80 million Americans attended the movies each week, and in the face of doubt and despair, films helped sustain national morale. To keep up theater attendance,

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