Week 9: Great Depression and Dust Bowl Flashcards
What 3 things did municipal governments promise in their “Municipal Assistance” program?
- Food vouchers for the people
- The municipal government would pay back the grocery stores after
- Train tickets are given to businessmen
In what years was the Communist Party of Canada banned?
1931-1936
Which Prime Minister established the Relief Camp system?
R. B. Bennet
Who was sent to the relief camps?
Single unemployed men (aka the Army of the Unemployed)
What are the 5 causes for the Canadian recession?
- Commodity prices drop
- Demand drops
- Global trade drops
- Credit is evaporating
- Unemployment rises
The GPD fell ___% from 1929-1932.
15%
Which 4 provinces go officially bankrupt?
- B.C
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
Why do the western provinces suffer the most?
Because the western economy depended on exports and global trade, both of which collapsed.
Why did the economies of Ontario and Québec survive better?
Because Ontario and Quebec had more diversified economies.
In what year do the Relief Camp strikes begin?
1934
What were the Relief Camp Striker’s 5 demands?
- Pay increase to 50c/hour
- 20 hours of work per month minimum
- First aid in camps
- No Military control of camps
- Recognition of democratically elected workers assemblies at each camp
What were the 4 interconnected aspects of the Great Depression?
- Stock market peaked
- People bought stocks on margin
- Overproduction of goods
- People rushed the banks
Who planned a revolution in 1934?
The Army of the Unemployed
Who started the On-To Ottawa Trek?
Workers in Vancouver
How many men initially participated in the On to Ottawa Trek?
1500
How do the trekkers get to Ottawa?
By hopping on trains
True or False:
The Trekkers never made it to Ottawa.
TRUE
They made it as far as Regina
How many representatives are the trekkers permitted to send to Ottawa?
8
What happened in the Regina Riot?
- The RCMP beat protesting crowds with batons
- Then, RCMP uses tear gas
- In a final panic, RCMP fired into the crowd, killing 1
What was the result of the negotiations with the trekkers representatives in Ottawa?
Horrible.
- The 8 representatives are escorted out
- The RCMP were now tasked with stopping the trekkers from getting on trains
What was the impact of the Regina Riot in Parliament?
Bennet’s Conservatives will lose horribly to William Lyon Mackenzie King’s Liberals in the next federal election.
Before European contact, how many bison were there in the Prairies?
60 million
In 1900, how many bison were there in the Prairies?
2000 (almost all in the U.S.)
True or False:
The Bison were essentially extinct in Canada by 1890.
TRUE
Which farming method eventually caused drought in the prairies?
Deep Plowing
(It took all the natural grass and moisture from the soil, which usually anchored the dirt during the extreme wind seasons)
What 2 things worsened the drought during the dust bowl?
- Dust storms
- Grasshopper infestations in the fields
What were the 2 worst years for the Dust-Bowl?
1934 & 1936
What solution did many families come to in order to stop dust from bursting inside the house?
They hung wet blankets and sheets over their windows.
How were the dust-storms dangerous to children?
- The dust would cut the inside of children’s lungs and often causing fatal pneumonia
- Also, many children got lost in the storms
On what railway did the On-To Ottawa Trekkers hop in their attempt to make it to Ottawa?
Canadian Pacific
(freight lines)
