Week 9 Discussion
Sunday, January 26, 2025, 8:46 AM
Number of replies: 1
Please review the content and share your thoughts about any connections or throughlines that resonate with you between the 1930s and our current environment.
The Great Depression was a significant economic crisis in American history, lasting from 1929 to the late 1930s. It began with a severe stock market crash in October 1929 and led to extremely high unemployment, which reached 25 percent by 1933. During this time, industrial production dropped by 50 percent, international trade fell by 30 percent, and investment decreased significantly. While the stock market crash triggered the Depression, several other factors, including a weak banking system and high tariffs, made it worse. Key issues included the declining purchasing power of the middle and working classes, falling prices for essential crops and goods, and the stock market's risky reliance on borrowed money. Government actions, like high tariffs, hurt trade and reduced the money supply, worsening the economy. As Americans faced the hardships of the Depression, their perception of the federal government changed. They began to see it as a necessary support for reform and a protector of citizens. This period tested important American values of self-sufficiency and limited government involvement, leading to a reexamination of national identity. In the 1930s, Texas and the Great Plains suffered severe droughts known as the Dust Bowl. This environmental disaster, together with the economic crisis, caused widespread unemployment and reinforced the link between land and community. President Hoover's response to the economy did not help much, but Franklin Roosevelt’s election in November 1932 introduced the New Deal, a bold plan to address the crisis. Despite these efforts, unemployment rose, affecting nearly 13 million people by early 1933. Many Americans fell into poverty, often seen waiting in long lines for food or selling apples on street corners. The banking system also collapsed, with more than one-third of banks failing and people losing their savings. Farmers faced severe struggles with falling crop prices and droughts that caused damaging dust storms during the Dust Bowl. Sharecroppers, regardless of race, experienced extreme poverty, highlighting the harsh realities of this time.
Both economic periods were fueled by speculation—housing values were a crucial factor in the current recession, just as stock market speculation sparked the devastating crash of 1929. In both periods, irresponsible financial behavior thrived; during the Great Depression, investors heavily relied on margin trading, whereas today, many have overextended their finances to buy homes far beyond their means. Bank insolvencies were common in both times, driven by panic and irresponsible lending. This climate of fear significantly reduced consumer spending, soaring unemployment by 25% during the Great Depression and as high as 15% during the 2008 recession. While Hoover’s passive response left many in distress, Roosevelt enacted bold policies designed for economic recovery, similar to the proactive measures implemented by Obama through various economic stimulus programs. The government's quick response to the 2008 crisis sharply contrasts with the slow response observed after the 1929 crash. Notably, the Great Depression was worsened by environmental catastrophes, a situation we currently experienced when Covid hit us. Moreover, wartime efforts played a significant role in ending the Great Depression by generating employment, indicating that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has pertinent implications for our current economic situation.
2. How did the New Deal programs impacted people differently based upon class, gender, race, heritage, and disability.
The New Deal aimed to help marginalized and racialized Americans join society and promote racial justice and gender equality. It focused on eight groups: older adults, women, people with disabilities, Jewish refugees, and four main racial groups: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans.
Dorothea Lange was a famous photographer for her images during the Great Depression. In 1932, she began photographing labor protests near her studio in San Francisco. Before this, in the 1920s, Lange had taken portraits of wealthy families. As the Great Depression worsened, she started capturing images of needy people, like those waiting for food. In 1935, Lange married economist Paul Taylor, and they documented the living conditions of farm workers in California with help from the Farm Security Administration. Lange often said, “A camera is a tool for learning to see without a camera.” It’s interesting to think about what she would see if she were alive today.
The term "New Deal" comes from Roosevelt's speech in 1932 when he accepted the Democratic nomination for president. In that speech, he promised a “new deal for the American people.” While he didn’t detail specific policies then, the "New Deal" became linked to various programs meant to help the country. The New Deal started many federal programs that impacted economic relief, industry regulation, and job creation through measures like unemployment relief and new social welfare initiatives. It significantly grew the size and influence of the federal government. Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, many African Americans supported New Deal programs. However, he was hesitant to promote civil rights or an anti-lynching law to avoid upsetting Southern white voters. When World War II began, Roosevelt tried to gain African American support and address racial issues in the U.S. He directed the Justice Department to enforce anti-lynching laws and tackle forced labor in the South. The New Deal included various programs by Roosevelt to respond to the Great Depression. It increased the federal government’s role in the economy. Historians divide the New Deal into the First New Deal (1933-1934), known for relief, recovery, and reform initiatives, and the Second New Deal (1935-1938), which added more reforms and set the groundwork for today’s social welfare system. Ultimately, military spending during World War II, not the New Deal, ended the Great Depression. Before the 1930s, people debated whether the federal government should get involved in the economy. After the New Deal, the discussion shifted to how the government should intervene.
Works Cited:
McNeil, S. (2018), Mintz, S.,. “Overview of the Great Depression.” Digital History, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?eraid=14&smtid=1. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.
“The Dust Bowl and the Depression.” YouTube, NBC News Learn, 30 Apr. 2020, .
“A New Deal for Many.” Living New Deal, 7 Apr. 2024, livingnewdeal.org/racism-and-beyond/new-deal-inclusion/.
Taylor, Tess. “Following Dorothea Lange’s Notebooks.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Feb. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/02/29/opinion/dorothea-lange-photos.html.
“FDR & the New Deal.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/tpt/slavery-by-another-name/themes/fdr/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.
Sunday, January 26, 2025, 8:46 AM
Number of replies: 1
Please review the content and share your thoughts about any connections or throughlines that resonate with you between the 1930s and our current environment.
The Great Depression was a significant economic crisis in American history, lasting from 1929 to the late 1930s. It began with a severe stock market crash in October 1929 and led to extremely high unemployment, which reached 25 percent by 1933. During this time, industrial production dropped by 50 percent, international trade fell by 30 percent, and investment decreased significantly. While the stock market crash triggered the Depression, several other factors, including a weak banking system and high tariffs, made it worse. Key issues included the declining purchasing power of the middle and working classes, falling prices for essential crops and goods, and the stock market's risky reliance on borrowed money. Government actions, like high tariffs, hurt trade and reduced the money supply, worsening the economy. As Americans faced the hardships of the Depression, their perception of the federal government changed. They began to see it as a necessary support for reform and a protector of citizens. This period tested important American values of self-sufficiency and limited government involvement, leading to a reexamination of national identity. In the 1930s, Texas and the Great Plains suffered severe droughts known as the Dust Bowl. This environmental disaster, together with the economic crisis, caused widespread unemployment and reinforced the link between land and community. President Hoover's response to the economy did not help much, but Franklin Roosevelt’s election in November 1932 introduced the New Deal, a bold plan to address the crisis. Despite these efforts, unemployment rose, affecting nearly 13 million people by early 1933. Many Americans fell into poverty, often seen waiting in long lines for food or selling apples on street corners. The banking system also collapsed, with more than one-third of banks failing and people losing their savings. Farmers faced severe struggles with falling crop prices and droughts that caused damaging dust storms during the Dust Bowl. Sharecroppers, regardless of race, experienced extreme poverty, highlighting the harsh realities of this time.
Both economic periods were fueled by speculation—housing values were a crucial factor in the current recession, just as stock market speculation sparked the devastating crash of 1929. In both periods, irresponsible financial behavior thrived; during the Great Depression, investors heavily relied on margin trading, whereas today, many have overextended their finances to buy homes far beyond their means. Bank insolvencies were common in both times, driven by panic and irresponsible lending. This climate of fear significantly reduced consumer spending, soaring unemployment by 25% during the Great Depression and as high as 15% during the 2008 recession. While Hoover’s passive response left many in distress, Roosevelt enacted bold policies designed for economic recovery, similar to the proactive measures implemented by Obama through various economic stimulus programs. The government's quick response to the 2008 crisis sharply contrasts with the slow response observed after the 1929 crash. Notably, the Great Depression was worsened by environmental catastrophes, a situation we currently experienced when Covid hit us. Moreover, wartime efforts played a significant role in ending the Great Depression by generating employment, indicating that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has pertinent implications for our current economic situation.
2. How did the New Deal programs impacted people differently based upon class, gender, race, heritage, and disability.
The New Deal aimed to help marginalized and racialized Americans join society and promote racial justice and gender equality. It focused on eight groups: older adults, women, people with disabilities, Jewish refugees, and four main racial groups: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans.
Dorothea Lange was a famous photographer for her images during the Great Depression. In 1932, she began photographing labor protests near her studio in San Francisco. Before this, in the 1920s, Lange had taken portraits of wealthy families. As the Great Depression worsened, she started capturing images of needy people, like those waiting for food. In 1935, Lange married economist Paul Taylor, and they documented the living conditions of farm workers in California with help from the Farm Security Administration. Lange often said, “A camera is a tool for learning to see without a camera.” It’s interesting to think about what she would see if she were alive today.
The term "New Deal" comes from Roosevelt's speech in 1932 when he accepted the Democratic nomination for president. In that speech, he promised a “new deal for the American people.” While he didn’t detail specific policies then, the "New Deal" became linked to various programs meant to help the country. The New Deal started many federal programs that impacted economic relief, industry regulation, and job creation through measures like unemployment relief and new social welfare initiatives. It significantly grew the size and influence of the federal government. Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, many African Americans supported New Deal programs. However, he was hesitant to promote civil rights or an anti-lynching law to avoid upsetting Southern white voters. When World War II began, Roosevelt tried to gain African American support and address racial issues in the U.S. He directed the Justice Department to enforce anti-lynching laws and tackle forced labor in the South. The New Deal included various programs by Roosevelt to respond to the Great Depression. It increased the federal government’s role in the economy. Historians divide the New Deal into the First New Deal (1933-1934), known for relief, recovery, and reform initiatives, and the Second New Deal (1935-1938), which added more reforms and set the groundwork for today’s social welfare system. Ultimately, military spending during World War II, not the New Deal, ended the Great Depression. Before the 1930s, people debated whether the federal government should get involved in the economy. After the New Deal, the discussion shifted to how the government should intervene.
Works Cited:
McNeil, S. (2018), Mintz, S.,. “Overview of the Great Depression.” Digital History, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?eraid=14&smtid=1. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.
“The Dust Bowl and the Depression.” YouTube, NBC News Learn, 30 Apr. 2020, .
“A New Deal for Many.” Living New Deal, 7 Apr. 2024, livingnewdeal.org/racism-and-beyond/new-deal-inclusion/.
Taylor, Tess. “Following Dorothea Lange’s Notebooks.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Feb. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/02/29/opinion/dorothea-lange-photos.html.
“FDR & the New Deal.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/tpt/slavery-by-another-name/themes/fdr/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.