The Stock Market Crash caused a Great Depression. Many factories and businesses closed. People were out of work.
Many cities set up kitchens where out-of-work people could get hot soup, coffee and doughnuts.
Young men and teenage boys went looking for work in other cities.
Farmers were also hard hit by the Depression. By the 1920's few American products were needed in Europe. Many farmers could not sell all they produced. They began to lose money.
At about this time the central United States had a drought. Some of the Plain states were called it the Dust Bowl because they had so little rain. Many farmers had to borrow money to buy land and equipment. They could not pay the bank back. Auctions were held by the banks. They sold the farmers' land and equipment to get their money back. |
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Veterans had been promised a bonus for fighting in World War I. Each veteran would be paid $1.00 for each day stationed in the United States and $1.25 for each day served overseas. The bonus would be paid in 1945. Fifteen thousand veterans gathered in Washington, D. C. to complain to the government. Because of the depression, they wanted their bonuses early. They built a city of shacks. After two months the army moved in with tanks to force the men to leave. |
Some people became violent. They broke into grocery stores. Some people thought the government should help them out. When it didn't they spoke of overthrowing it.
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President Hoover was worried about the Depression. Hoover fought the bill passed in Congress to make jobs for the people. He felt the states should help the needy people. Hoover did agree to give money to the states if they would use it to help the people. He lent money to banks and farms. Congress passed this plan. The small amount of money did not help the needy people enough. |
Near some cities people built tar paper and tin shacks. These shack towns were called Hoovervilles because the people felt that President Hoover had not helped them.
