...Poverty and climate problems negatively affected people in the 1930s. The dust bowl forced people to fix their bad farming habits and forced many others to have to move locations. In Steinback’s novel, he displays the poverty of the 1930s through George and Lennie’s journey. The Dust Bowl ruined American lives. The traveling homesteaders moved to the Dust Bowl 30 years before World War 1. Once the farmers harvested their crops, they left the soil exposed, which resulted in dust storms. “The organic matter, clay, and silt in the soil were carried great distances by the winds, in some cases darkening the sky as far as the Atlantic coast,” (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia) The dust got into every crevice of homes and everyone was breathing it in. People began to develop health problems as a...
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...very little rain accompanied by high winds causing a dust storm called the dust bowl. This affected the agriculture in the United States during the 20th century. Both the government and farmers tried to address the situation with farmer loans and smaller crops. The dust bowl lasted 10 long years and it could very well happen again. Overall the Great Depression majorly affected the people in the southern plains. During the 20th century the United States agriculture changed from good to bad. Before the dust bowl the agriculture was successful, there was enough rain and the...
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...Name Professor Course Date The Dust Bowl The Dust Bowl refers to the 1930 period when adverse storms resulted in socio-economic and ecological destruction to the Canadian and American economies. The disaster lasted for six years, from 1930 to 1936, but in some areas, it lasted till 1940. The extent of Dust Bowl’s impacts intensified in North America following the event’s concurrence with the Great American Depression. States affected by the weather adversities included the Canadian South, South Eastern region of Montana, South Western parts of North Dakota, and Texas, North Eastern regions of Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico, and major regions of South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. The causative factors for the development of the Dust Bowl were attributed to two main factors; drought and famine condition in existing in Central America and poor farming methods on the vast dry lands from the Canadian prairies in the South to the US, acreage of over 400,000 km2 (Langston-George, 2015). Based on Dust Bowl’s historical naure, it is imperative to understand the causes, characteristics, impact and draw future lessons to mitigate such occurrences in the human and physical environment. Characteristics of the Dust Bowl The Dust bowl region lies on the west side of the 100th meridian. The elevation of the plains was estimated to be 760m on the east side and 1800m to the west. The erosion and drought affected a geographical coverage of about 100,000,000acres. The climatic...
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...Maycomb, Alabama was a “tired old town...there was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see...” During the nineteen twenties and thirties America took a big down hill slide. The stock market crashed, people lost their jobs, and most middle class families were in poverty. When the stock market crashed on October 28, 1929 America went rampant. All the citizens who had shares in corporations were trying to sell them back all at once. This led to factories and corporations to close down. Since the factories and corporations were closed, people had no source of income. There was also a glitch in the banking system so everyone who had a bank or savings account lost everything in their account. When people got word of this situation they went to the banks to try to cash out all of their money. This caused a big interruption in the banks counting systems. During this time there was also a drought so farmers income also went away and people now had no source of food....
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...The Nile River is one of the greatest contributing factors to the development of the ancient civilization of Egypt (Smith, 2014). Civilization is defined as, “the society, culture, and way of life of a particular area” (The Free Dictionary,n.d.). At over 4,000 miles long, the Nile is the longest known river in the world, and runs through eleven countries, including Egypt. Villages were located near to its life giving waters, and along its banks, and they were able to thrive because of the Nile and the agricultural abilities that the Nile provided. During the rainy season the Nile River deposited its silt-enriched waters when its banks flooded. The ancient Egyptian farmers knew they needed those waters to grow their crops, and also needed a way to store water because of Egypt’s long dry season – it is essentially a vast desert, so they constructed devices, including catch basins and dikes, so they could catch the water for various purposes, and stored it so they could irrigate their crops the rest of the year. Not only did the Nile River allow the farmers to grow and nourish their crops, but it also gave them a means to sell any overage, and also other goods, as they could travel along the river to other villages. Agriculture and the sale of goods was not the only exchange made by the early people of the Nile. Culture was also exchanged. People from different villages and communities along the Nile came together for commerce, and as a natural consequence they would share their...
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...his book, Steinbeck said that the attainment of the American dream was nearly impossible due to the economic instability and constant government interference. The Joads found unpredictable jobs in California (Ownby 73). They failed to achieve the American dream and so they did not succeed in California. Before they migrated from Oklahoma, the Joads had a good life. They had land, a home and money. Their migration was fuelled by their hopes of finding success and a better life in California. The Grapes of Wrath is set during the great depression. The great depression was a result of the inaction by the federal government which led to failing of the financial institutions. Many people were out of work since jobs were scarce hence a rise in poverty and economic hardships. It basically focuses on the Joads family who move to America in pursuit of the American dream. The economic hardships, drought, changes in financial and agricultural industries forced them to abandon their Oklahoma home for California. In...
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...Abstract There were many causes of the Great Depression, some of which include “The Great Crash” of the stock market, lack of spending by the average person, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act and a massive drought in the Mississippi Valley. From this nation-wide crisis came Social Security as we know it, the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act, the creation of the SEC and stricter banking and stock market regulations. Overall the Great Depression had a large impact on The United States that can still be seen today. Causes of the Great Depression In January of 1929 an editorial (Encyclopedia of American Studies, 2010) said “It has been twelve months of unprecedented advance, of wonderful prosperity. If there is any way of judging the future by the past, this new year will be one of felicitation and hopefulness.” This was obviously not the case. When the stock market crashed on October 29, 1929, it was possibly the greatest contributing factor to the depression. Some believe, though incorrectly, that the “Great Crash” is the same as the great depression. The stock market crash had people scared to spend money. People no longer bought nearly as many products which led to a drop in production, which in turn led to layoffs in the work force. Coupled with these layoffs, were huge debts being defaulted on by stock holders; this all inevitably to the failure or closing of many banks. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was passed in June 1930 to protect...
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...MATA HOLA Period 6 4/1/13 Quotes of David Kennedy 1. One of the most surprising things that I discovered about Depression was the degree of passivity or docility with which people greeted it. 2. There were tens of millions of people living in poverty even before the great crash of 1929 3. Second, I think, is that we see here, you might say, the flip side of the famous American value of individualism, that if we congratulate ourselves for our success and give ourselves a pat on the back for boot-strapping ourselves up the ladder of social mobility, it follows naturally that if we don’t do that or slip down that ladder, we have nobody but ourselves to blame. 4. There had been an agricultural depression that, by 1929, was already a decade old. 5. Nearly half the American people still live in the countryside in the 1920s, and they lived in the grip of a chronic depression. 6. If you were black, if you were a famer, or if you were a recent immigrant living in America in the 1920’s you did not share, generally speaking, in that so-called 1920s prosperity. 7. From the onset of the American industrial revolution in the early nineteenth century right down to the 1930s, the American economy was essentially on a roller coaster ride, where they’d have these periodic boom and bust cycles-depressions in the 1830s, the 1850s, the 1870s, the 1890s; right after World War I was another one-on a scale that we have not seen for the last half century. 8. Insofar...
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...United States History 2 Final Review Guide Part I: Multiple Choice Chapter 20 ● Results of the Treaty of Versailles: - The Treaty of Versailles was signed after WWI in the palace of Versailles on June 28, 1919. Its goals were to "clean up the mess" after the war. The Treaty reestablished many boundaries and borders. Colonies, namely Germany's, were split among the Allied nations. Germany was disarmed since they were considered to be a threat by the rest of the world. Germany was also forced to take full responsibility for WWI, and were charged billions of dollars, which destroyed their economy. In the long run, the Treaty did more harm than good. Due to all the problems the Treaty caused for Germany, the country was left in a bad mood and was definitely looking at the rest of the world with a vengeful eye. In a way, it could be said that the Treaty of Versailles indirectly led to WWII. ● Explain the policy of Imperialism: - Simply put, imperialism is the quest for colonial empires. Countries go to other places in the world and claim them as their own. Countries imperialized for many reasons. Some countries wanted to establish military bases. An example of this is Hawaii, which the United States took over and used as a naval base. Other reasons countries imperialized were to gain global prestige, as well as to expand their territory. ● President Wilson's rules for peace after WWI: - After the war, President Woodrow Wilson sought to repair...
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...and farmer, adding considerable strain to the international economic climate of the Great Depression. 6. Okies- a migrant agricultural worker from Oklahoma who had been forced to leave during the depression of the 1930’s. 7. Breadline- a group of needy persons waiting in the line for free food to be distributed by a government agency or charitable organization. 8. Hooverville- a shantytown built by unemployed and destitute people during the depression of the early 1930’s. 9. Dust bowl- An area of Oklahoma, Kansas, and northern Texas affected by severe sell erosion caused by windstorms in the early 1930s, which obliged many people to move. 10. migration-movement from one part of something to another. 11. Bonus Army- was the popular name of assemblage of some 43,000 marchers-17,000 ww1 veterans, their families, and affiliated groups. 12. Reconstruction finance corporation-RFC was a government corporation in the United States that berated between 1932 and last which provided financial support to state and local government and made loans to banks, railroads, mortgage association and other business. Chp.13. 1. New deal- programs and legislation enacted by...
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...an essay discussing the problems created by the Great Depression and actions taken by the federal government to solve these problems The Great Depression was the period of worldwide economic depression which happened from 1929 to about 1941. Although it was a global event, the United States was the country attracting the most attention of people all around the world, which resulted in its great influence to the global economy. Some people said that the Great Depression created problems which weakened the U.S, while others argued that thanks to it, the nation had opportunity to fix itself and experienced a following long prosperous period. My essay will discuss the problems caused by the Great Depression and actions taken by the Federal government and the President to solve these problems. After years by years of optimism, development and prosperity, it was on Tuesday, October 29th,1929 , called “Black Tuesday” when the U.S officially faced the despair of the Great Depression with the Crash of the Stock Market. Though the Falling of the Stock Market was not the only cause of the Great Depression, it was the starting point of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement. The main effect was a sudden and loss of confidence in the economic future. What were the problems created by the Great Depression? Years by years from that time, not...
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...education reforms. Latinos lacked influence in the national political arena before the 1960s. That changed when John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960, this established Latinos as a significant voting bloc. After Kennedy was sworn into office, he appointed Hispanics to posts in his administration but he also considered the concerns of the Hispanic community. Mexican Americans began demanding that reforms be made in labor, education, and other sectors to meet their needs. Chicano radicals began demanding that the land is given to Mexican Americans during the civil rights era. They believed that it constituted their ancestral homeland, Aztlán. Students played a necessary role in the Chicano fight for justice. Student groups involve the United Mexican American Students and the Mexican American Youth Association. In 1968 students staged walkouts from schools in Denver and in Los Angeles to protest Eurocentric curriculums, a ban on speaking Spanish, high dropout rates among Chicano students, and other related issues. Chicano activism lead to educational reforms in 1968. It also saw the birth of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, which formed protected the civil rights of Hispanics. It was the first organization dedicated to such a cause. Hundreds of Chicano activists gathered for the First National Chicano Conference in Denver. The conference name marks the term “Chicano's” replacement of "Mexican." Activists developed a manifesto called “El Plan Espiritual de...
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...Chapter 24: The Great Depression and the New Deal, 1929-1939 I. Causes of the Depression A. The Stock Market Crash · There was extreme prosperity in the 1920’s. · Prices were steadily rising and the stock market was values at $27 billion. · Some 9 million Americans were playing the stock market, borrowing most of what the stock was worth. · Margin buying - the use of credit, in which stockbrokers lent speculators up to 75% of the stock’s actual cost. · Black Thursday - October 24, 1929 - there was an unexpected volume of selling on Wall Street, and stock prices plunged. · Black Tuesday - October 29, 1929 - the bottom fell out as millions of investors ordered their brokers to sell, when there were no buyers to be found. · From then on the stock market continued to decline. B. Uneven Distribution of Income · Wages were barely rising compared to the rise in production and corporate profits. · The top 5% richest people received a third of the income. C. Excessive Use of Credit · Brought on by the increased desire for material things. D. Overproduction of Consumer Goods E. Weak Farm Economy · Farmers suffered from high debts and low cost for their products. · Severe weather and long drought. F. Government Policies · Government had high faith in businesses and did little to control them. · High tariffs protected U.S. industries, but severely hurt farmers. G. Global Economic Problems · Resulting in high debts from...
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...established by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935, aimed to provide an opportunity for both people and the American economy during a time of great struggle within the United States. What made the Works Progress Administration significant in United States history was the fact that it unintentionally stimulated social reform and progress within American society, even though its main purpose was to create jobs for artists and stimulate economic growth. An analysis of artwork from the Works Progress Administration, reveals that, through the United States’ involvement of creating jobs for artists, social, racial and gender barriers were disseminated, which allowed for progress in American society both economically and socially. After being elected into the presidency in 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered his New Deal to the American people, which addressed the devastating effects of the Great Depression. A number of bills were passed as part of the New Deal that was meant to alleviate the poverty rate, reduce unemployment, and stimulate economic recovery. Historians consider the Works Progress Administration to be one of the New Deal’s major work relief programs, employing over 8.5 million people nationally. The establishment of the New Deal was significant in the history of our country because it was the first time the United States government took responsibility and assisted the American people through such a tough time. Additionally, the New Deal questioned the role Federalism played...
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...to have begun with a catastrophic collapse of stock-market prices on the New York Stock Exchange in October 1929. During the next three years stock prices in the United States continued to fall, until by late 1932 they had dropped to only about 20 percent of their value in 1929. Besides ruining many thousands of individual investors, this precipitous decline in the value of assets greatly strained banks and other financial institutions, particularly those holding stocks in their portfolios. Many banks were consequently forced into insolvency; by 1933, 11,000 of the United States' 25,000 banks had failed. The failure of so many banks, combined with a general and nationwide loss of confidence in the economy, led to much-reduced levels of spending and demand and hence of production, thus aggravating the downward spiral. The result was drastically falling output and drastically rising unemployment; by 1932, U.S. manufacturing output had fallen to 54 percent of its 1929 level, and unemployment had risen to between 12 and 15 million workers, or 25-30 percent of the work force. The Great Depression began in the United States but quickly turned into a worldwide economic slump owing to the special and intimate relationships that had been forged between the United States and European economies after World War I. The United States had emerged from the war as the major creditor and financier of postwar Europe, whose national economies had been greatly weakened by the war itself, by war debts...
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