The Great Depression

The Great Depression began on October 1929 with the crash of the stock market. There was a high rate of joblessness, poverty, and low wages Thousands of investors lost large amounts of money most. Some lost all they had during this time period. This period was marked as the worst time period in United States. Millions of Americans were left homeless, jobless, and basically broke. Many people were depending on the government for finical aid. But the government could provide it.

The depression affected all nations across the world. This depression caused a decrease in World Trade. Many nations increased taxes on imported good. Others reformed their government and changed their national leaders. In the United President Hoover was in term during the Great Depression. During his term the economy dropped monthly. When Franklin D. Roosevelt came to term he issued his Reform plan to the United States which gradually improved the economy. The Beginning of the 1930 was a prosperous time for farmers.

Many areas of the United States flourished. But the most prosperous states were regions of Texas and Oklahoma. Into 1933 horrible droughts began arising affecting all farm land in the United States. The droughts were so dry that giant dust storms began to arise. The Dust Bowl got its name after Black Sunday, April 14, 1933. In 1933, there were 38 storms. By 1934, it was estimated that 100 million acres of farmland had lost their entire crop due to winds and dust.

The government provided aid in the form of the Soil Conservation Service, established in 1935. Farm practices that had damaged the soil had intensified the severity of the storms, and the Service taught farmers measures to reduce erosion. In addition, almost 30,000 kilometers of trees were planted to break the force of winds.

By the late 1940`s nearly 6 million farmers were receiving aid under the farm-relief act. This act made the government make payments to farmers who reduced plantings of soil-depleting crops.