UNIT 3 (USA 1918-41) 3-4 Flashcards
Unemployment and Hoovervilles - The Bonus Marchers
Why did people lose their jobs and savings
The industry struggled, over 9000 banks closed from 1930-33, and 9 million Americans lost their savings, $2.5 billion was lost in savings
What happened to the farming industry
Farming income fell to $2 billion in 1932 (a third of what it was in 1929)
What was a main cause of the downfall of the farming industry
The Dust Bowl, a severe environmental disaster in the 1930s, affected the Great Plains region in the USA. It was caused by a combination of over-farming, drought, and strong winds
What did farmers do in response to the Dust Bowl
Migrated having lost their land
What states was the Dust Bowl in
Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas, especially California (OTKC)
How much did wages fall in the industry
They fell by 50% in 1933, and even Ford was making workers redundant (not needed)
What were Hoovervilles
They were shanty towns named after the President Hoover for doing little to help
How much of the workforce was unemployed in 1933
24.9% of the workforce were unemployed and couldn’t afford rent
Who were most likely to lose jobs
Immigrants/black people
Who helped set up Hoovervilles
Those who couldn’t pay rent set up shanty towns in NYC, Washington, etc. With help from charities and there was migration towards these towns
Who were the Bonus Marchers
They were First World War veterans who had been promised bonuses
How much money were the veterans promised
$625 bonus payable in 1945
Why did they want their bonus immediately
Many were unemployed and lost their savings in the Depression, and so wanted the bonus immediately to feed their families
Where did they march
To Washington
How many Bonus Marchers marched in 1932
20,000 marched in order to pressure Hoover (after Congress rejected their proposal, they set up camp in Washington)
What did Hoover do in response to the Bonus Marchers
Called the US army, who teargassed the marchers, with 100 being injured and some even dying
Why was Hoover’s reputation lost
He had set police against war veterans
