Farmers During The Great Depression

The Great Depression was a time of great loss and devastation that left a mark on American history forever. The Great Depression was a economic downfall that affected many lives and businesses but after years of struggle and programs the depression concluded.

A time in America’s history was made dark by an economic downfall. The Great Depression made life almost unbearable for most people living in the 1930’s. The stock market crash started on Tuesday October 29, 1929, it is also known as “Black Tuesday”. The stock market crash is known as the worst economic collapse in the history of the modern industrial world (“The Great Depression”). The Great Depression was a deep economic crisis that began in 1929 and lasted until the nation’s entry

into World War II (“The Great Depression” Gale). The Great Depression was a time of devastation and uncertainty (McCabe).
The cause of The Great Depression was the stock market crash. The stock market crash of 1929 was a sharp and sudden decline in the price of shares on the New York Stock Exchange. The optimism began to falter in mid-1929 after the federal government implemented a series of destabilizing economic policies and, investors began to become nervous about the sustainability of the nation’s economic growth (“Stock Market Crash of 1929”). Although hardly anyone realized it at the time, the economic contraction that became the depression had already begun in the summer of 1929, when the economy started to slow considerably (MCELVAINE). The stock market occasionally rebounded only to fall again. People’s confidence faded so they held their money instead of investing it, because of this the economy underwent deflation (“The Great Depression” Gale). The stock market crash was a devastating economic downfall that affected many people and their livelihoods.
The Great Depression did not just affect business but it also affected the people and the way they lived.

Farmers were greatly affected by The Great Depression. In the early 1930’s prices dropped so low that many farmers went bankrupt and lost their farms (“The Great Depression hits farms and cities in the 1930’s”). The stock market crash prevented the farmers from being able to sell their produce (McCabe). Through the depression farmers were still producing more food than consumers were buy, and now the consumers could buy even less. Farm produce prices fell even lower (“The Depression for Farmers”). Some farm families started burning corn rather than coal in their stoves because the corn was cheaper (“The Great Depression hits farms and cities in the 1930s”). Non-farmers had also been hit hard by the depression. With the banks failing and businesses closing, over fifteen million people became unemployed (“The Great Depression”). The unemployment rate skyrocketed from three percent to nearly twenty five percent (McCabe). The Great Depression brought a rapid rise in the crime rate as many unemployed workers restored to petty theft to put food on the table. Suicide rates rose greatly as did recorded cases of malnutrition (“Social and Cultural Effects of the Depression”). More and more people were found standing in bread lines, hungry and homeless (McCabe). The depression affected people and businesses but many programs later America pulled out of their

depression.
Many people lost hope that things were never going to get better, but the government was trying to come up with solutions to fixing the issues.

President Hoover tried to fix what the Great Depression has caused but he was not extremely successful. Hoover had only been in office for seven months when the stock market crashed; he believed in a limited a role for government and worried that excessive federal intervention posed a threat to capitalism and individualism (“Herbert Hoover”). Hoover tried a variety of measures he adjusted taxes, asked industries not to cut wages, and pushed for public works projects, but as the depression deepened people began to blame Hoover. They even made shantytowns that were called “Hoovervilles” (“The Great Depression” Gale). President Hoover quickly became the nation’s scapegoat for the severe economic crisis that followed the stock market crash (“The New Deal”). A few of Hoover’s programs that he introduced became key components of later relief efforts (“Herbert Hoover”). Franklin Delano Roosevelt soon was elected and became the president; he came up with the New Deal that was a major key in the conclusion of The Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected as president in the 1932 election (“Franklin Delano Roosevelt”). Roosevelt initiated a variety of programs to revive the economy with various levels of success (“The Great Depression” Gale). Although Roosevelt gave few details about his plan, he indicated that he would focus on

relieving the suffering of Americans, recovery of farms and businesses, and reform of the stock market and banking industry. Dozens of new agencies were created to oversee the administration and funding of New Deal programs (“The New Deal”). Roosevelt’s New Deal greatly expanded the size and scope of the government with more than a dozen new federal agencies influencing the nations social and economic systems (“The Great Depression” Gale). Some of the New Deal programs were successful. The works progress administration (WPA) for instance, put people to working building highways, streets, parks, and other vital infrastructure (McCabe). One of Roosevelt’s first acts under the New Deal was to increase confidence in the nations banks. Other New Deal provided farm mortgage holders with easier credit terms; lent money to farmers so they could recover foreclosed property, and allowed farmers to reduce their debts to avoid bankruptcy (“The New Deal”). Roosevelt’s actions and his radio broadcasts known as “Fireside Chats” gave people hope and helped them to survive (McCabe).
The Great Depression was a terrible downfall that caused struggles for businesses and livelihoods, but after multiple trail and errors the depression lifted. The Great Depression is still remembered today as one of the most darkest times in American history.