Causes Of The Great Depression

The Great Depression took the nation by storm. Not only was it a very troubled time for the United States, but for the entire world. From Great Britain all the way back to America, the Great Depression was merciless in taking the livelihood away from the common man. Although it is hard to say what the exact cause for the severity and chaos was, there were many factors that made it the terrifying and distressing time that it was. Not only did banks close and the stock market crash, but fear and panic were just as impacting factors as the sick industries. The Great Depression was a time of fear, panic, and hopelessness, because of the stock market crash, the war debt, and many more factors that would impact the world forever. On October 29,
When Hoover first started his presidency, he was as optimistic as anyone, and prided himself on the fact that America was looking up in terms of economics. Hoover was just as shocked as the rest of America, however, he claimed that recovery was on the way, and that there was no need to worry. There were a few people who had anticipated the Stock Market crash, and had tried their best to warn Hoover to take precautions. Hoover did not listen to them, remaining optimistic in the economy. Once the Stock Market had crashed, these same people tried to tell Hoover to provide support for those who had been badly affected in the crash. Again, Hoover did not listen to these people, and claimed that it was “not the federal government's job, but the job of churches and charities.” It is reasonable to say that Hoover was the most hated president of all time. In fact, his very name became a joke. Those left homeless and unemployed began to refer to the newspapers they slept under as “Hoover Blankets”, and the small communities they formed together as “Hoovervilles”. Even when the Depression got to its worst parts, Hoover did nothing, insisting that this was all just “part of the business cycle”, a cycle that had normal ups and downs in the economy. His theory was that it would all be over soon. Because of Hoover’s hesitation to act against the Great Depression,
People would wait for hours in the freezing cold just for the opportunity to get a bowl of soup, or maybe a loaf of bread. Families hosted rent parties in Harlem, a place that was once overflowing with creativity and happiness, just for the chance to try and pay that month's rent. There was no one to turn to in this time of crisis, however, because everyone was in the same boat. There was no one anyone could turn to to try and get them out of their situation. When finally unable to pay rent, families would be evicted out of there homes, and forced to live in makeshift communities called “Hoovervilles”, which mocked the name of President Herbert Hoover. These communities were filled with houses made of garbage, or anything people could find to sleep in. Many people even resorted to using newspapers as a form of