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Question 1

Q: Which groups experienced higher unemployment rates during the Great Depression?

Answer 1

A: Blacks and Latinos had higher unemployment rates, with African Americans experiencing 25% to 40% unemployment rates, which were sometimes higher than the national average.

Question 2

Q: What economic struggles did farmers face during the Great Depression?

Answer 2

A: Farmers were unable to pay mortgages due to falling crop prices and many lost their farms to creditors (banks).

Question 3

Q: How were tenant farmers affected during the Great Depression?

Answer 3

A: Tenant farmers, who were hired laborers often for crops like cotton, were especially hurt by falling crop prices and many lost their jobs.

Question 4

Q: What was the impact of the Great Depression on Latinos/Mexicans in the U.S.?

Answer 4

A: Latinos, mostly Mexicans, were asked to leave the U.S. due to high unemployment and economic pressures.

Question 5

Q: In what ways did women and children suffer during the Great Depression?

Answer 5

A: Women and children suffered from malnutrition and diseases like Rickets; children often left home at young ages to help their parents.

Question 6

Q: How did popular culture serve as escapism during the Great Depression?

Answer 6

A: Movies, baseball, musicals, radio programs, magazines, and comics provided a diversion from the economic hardship of the depression.

Question 7

Q: What were some popular radio programs during the Great Depression?

Answer 7

A: Popular radio programs included the Lone Ranger, Little Orphan Annie, and the Shadow.

Question 8

Q: What was the Dust Bowl and what caused it?

Answer 8

A: The Dust Bowl was a severe dust storm that damaged the Great Plains, caused by overproduction of crops and drought.

Question 9

Q: What was the migration trend during the Dust Bowl?

Answer 9

A: Okies, or people from Oklahoma and the surrounding Dust Bowl states, took to railroads or Route 66 to find work, often heading to California.

Question 10

Q: How did the Great Depression affect American families?

Answer 10

A: Families lived together to share living expenses, divorce rates went up, and some men left families to look for work and never returned. Additionally, there was an increase in suicides, with over 20,000 people committing suicide in 1932.

Question 11

Q: What lessons were learned by farmers due to the Dust Bowl?

Answer 11

A: Farmers learned the importance of crop rotation, letting fields lie fallow, and not always plowing in a straight line to prevent wind erosion.

Question 12

Q: How did the federal government respond to the Dust Bowl?

Answer 12

A: The federal government attempted to ameliorate the effects of the Dust Bowl through various measures, but recovery took years.

Question 13

Q: Where did most economic aid come from during the Great Depression?

Answer 13

A: Most economic aid came from local and state governments as well as private organizations since the Constitution did not allocate much authority for economic aid to the federal government at that time.

Question 14

Q: What were shantytowns, also known as Hoovervilles, and why did they develop?

Answer 14

A: Shantytowns, or Hoovervilles, were makeshift homes on the outskirts of cities built by unemployed or impoverished people during the Great Depression. They were named after President Herbert Hoover, whom many blamed for the economic crisis.

Question 15

Q: What role did Route 66 play during the Great Depression?

Answer 15

A: Route 66 was a major path for people migrating west, especially those from the Dust Bowl states seeking work and better living conditions in places like California.

Question 16

Q: What was the employment trend for women during the Great Depression?

Answer 16

A: Unlike men, women actually saw an uptick in employment rates during the Great Depression because they were paid less than men and employers sought to reduce labor costs.

Question 17

Q: How did the role of the federal government change as a result of the Great Depression?

Answer 17

A: The role of the federal government expanded as it began to provide more economic aid directly, a shift from the traditional reliance on local, state, and private assistance.

Question 18

Q: What forms of entertainment provided escapism during the Great Depression?

Answer 18

A: Talking pictures (movies), baseball, musicals, radio programs like the Lone Ranger, Little Orphan Annie, and the Shadow, as well as magazines and comics like Reader’s Digest, Superman, and Tarzan.

Question 19

Q: How did President Hoover view the role of the government in supporting the people?

Answer 19

A: Hoover, a Rugged Individualist, believed in minimal government intervention and held the view that “people should support the government; the government shouldn’t support the people.” He thought handouts would weaken people’s self-respect and moral fiber.

Question 20

Q: What approach did Hoover encourage to combat the Great Depression?

Answer 20

A: Hoover encouraged businesses and labor unions to work together, suggesting they avoid layoffs and wage demands to maintain economic stability.

Question 21

Q: What measures did Hoover take to alleviate the economic problems during the Great Depression?

Answer 21

A: Hoover implemented several policies, such as the Agricultural Marketing Act, the Federal Home Loan Bank Act, the National Credit Corporation, and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. He also oversaw the construction of the Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam).

Question 22

Q: What political shifts occurred due to the economic discontent during Hoover’s presidency?

Answer 22

A: The Democrats won the House of Representatives in the 1930 election, Hoover was blamed for the economy, and ideologies such as socialism and communism gained traction as alternatives to capitalism.

Question 23

Q: What significant events occurred leading up to the election of 1932?

Answer 23

A: Protests erupted at a Ford plant and by farmers (farm holiday), and in Washington D.C. with the Bonus Army - WWI vets. Hoover was renominated but lost decisively to F.D.R., who proposed direct federal relief for those in need.

Question 24

Q: What was the Bonus Army, and what happened to them?

Answer 24

A: The Bonus Army was a group of WWI veterans who protested in Washington D.C. to receive promised payment earlier due to the Depression. The protest was forcefully dispersed by the military under the command of General Douglas MacArthur and Major Dwight Eisenhower.

Question 25

Q: How did Herbert Hoover’s personal background influence his policies during the Great Depression?

Answer 25

A: Herbert Hoover, having been orphaned at a young age and succeeding through self-reliance, naturally espoused Rugged Individualism and was hesitant to involve the federal government in direct economic relief.

Question 26

Q: What was the significance of Hoover Dam during Hoover’s presidency?

Answer 26

A: Originally called Boulder Dam
Significant infrastructure project initiated under Hoover’s administration.
Major success, providing jobs, hydroelectric power, and flood control, showcasing the potential of government-led projects.

Question 27

Q: What were the societal attitudes toward capitalism and alternative economic systems during the Great Depression?

Answer 27

A: The failure of the capitalist market economy during the Great Depression led to a questioning of capitalism and an interest in Marxism, socialism, and communism, with the Soviet Union often cited as a model for full employment.

Question 28

Q: How did the Scottsboro Case reflect the racial and social tensions of the time?

Answer 28

A: The Scottsboro Case involved African American youths falsely accused of raping two white women. The case highlighted issues of racial injustice and the lack of a fair trial, which led to international attention and controversy.

Question 29

Q: What role did World War II play in the recovery from the Great Depression?

Answer 29

A: World War II was instrumental in ending the Great Depression by creating massive demand for war materials and labor, leading to full employment and increased industrial production.

Question 30

Q: What was the outcome of the 1932 election, and what did it signify for the future of the Republican Party?

Answer 30

A: Franklin D. Roosevelt won the 1932 election, and the Republican Party would not regain the presidency until 1952 with Dwight Eisenhower. Roosevelt’s victory marked a significant shift in federal policy towards direct relief and intervention in the economy.