USA Blog
“What steps did Franklin Roosevelt take to try and involve the U.S. government in the Great Depression? Did these work?”
The Great Depression created an enviroment where Franklin Roosevelt was able to accept the challenge of helping a wide variety of society's downfalls because of individuals, states, and local governments. When Franklin Roosevelt began governing the USA he introduced many new policies within his first 100 days. His first introduction was the New Deal. The New Deal involved the US government in the Great Depression because it created make work jobs and the alphabet agencies. These make work jobs were funded by the government, giving thousands of people jobs. The jobs included projects such as building interstates and the Hoover Dam. As part of the New Deal, he also created the alphabet agencies. The alphabet agencies were established to provide relief for the unemployed and prevent another stock market crash. It provided even more jobs for the people who lost everything in th stock market crash. The New Deal also provided a program intended to boost both industries and working Americans. FDR's New Deal was successful. As a result of his New Deal unemployment percentages dropped from 35% to 20% circa 5 years.
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“In your opinion, what were the main causes for the stock market crash in 1929? What did it feel like when you were making money in the stock market game? How did it feel when the stock market crashed?”
In my opinion the main reasons for the stock market crash was the overextended credit that the banks were giving out and uncontrolled spending. Everybody in the 1920's was buying on margin. Buying on margin means that you borrow money from the bank or individual to buy the stock in hope that it will go up and you will be able to repay the loan, plus keep the difference. This was a problem becasue once the market crashed everybody was in debt and were not able to pay back their loans. The other reason, uncontrolled spending, was becasue of buying on margin. When people got these loans, they were able to invest in more and more different stocks. They felt good about this and just kept buying and buying becasue it is a nice feeling to be making money. Finally, all this build up led to the crash. Today, in class, we played the stock market game. When you were making money in it, it felt good. You knew you would be able to pay back your loans, plus keep the difference you made as well. As soon as the market crashed, it was not so nice of a feeling. You saw all the money you were loaned disappear and you were overtaken in a horrible feeling knowing that you now have money you owe people and no extra money to buy food to feed your family and coal to heat your house. We can't even imagine the real feelings that poeple had when they heard that the stock market had crashed. “Describe the social changes that came about in the 1920s. What political and economic factors caused these changes?”
At the beginning of the 1920's the Economy in the USA was booming. The stock market was hot and everybody had a job. There were many new social changes in this era. These included women being allowed to vote, entertainment becoming more important in peoples lives and the style of American life shifting from an agricultural/industrial society to a consumer society. Women rights were brought forward and women are now allowed to vote. The factors that started to make entertainment become more promient in peoples lives was tied closely in with the consumer society. People liked the idea of money and objects, so much that their houses were full of clutter. People liked to spend money in the 1920's becasue they had it. They would attend silent films in the "Movie Palace," go to see "flappers" in the Dance halls and attend baseball games. People would take lesiure drives on Sunday in their cars. Cars and planes were popularized in this era and every house had a radio. People loved spending money. Cinderella Man is a movie based on the boom and bust of the USA in the 1920's and 30's. The movie focuses mainly on thr bust part of the 1930's. We are shown the change in how the lives of ordinary people chnaged after the stock market through a character named James J. Braddock. James was an ex-prise fighter, which were shown in the first 10 minutes of the film. The film then fast forwards 5 years and into the depression we go. James and his family were beaten down, he was unable to pay the bills for electricity and heating and they were all starving. Nothing was look up for the Braddock family, James's boxing career appeared over and he could't get any shifts at the docks. James was so desperate that he was forced to go on Public Relief so that he could get his kids back after his wife sent them away. He had one last chance to help his family when he ws offered one last chance in the ring. No one thought he would be able to beat his opponent, but he did. He rocked through the ranks after his victory, until he chose to do the unthinkable: take on the heavyweight champ of the world, Max Baer, known for having killed two men in the ring. Again no one thought he would be able to do, his wife even begged him not to go into the ring, but he did anyways. The fight lasted 15 rounds of intense fighting. In the end James J. Braddock a.k.a the Cinderella Man comes out on top, regaining the heavyweight champion title.
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