May Marquebreuck
The Great Depression of the 1930s began with the stock market crash of 1929 in the United States and lasted until the late 1930s. At the time, it was considered to be the deepest and most widespread depression of the 20th century and had devastating effects worldwide on everyone both the rich and the poor.
The economic crisis led to bank closures, mass unemployment, homelessness, and despair of the American people. Unemployment in the US rose to 23% and there were “soup kitchens” everywhere.
Franklin D. Roosevelt became President of the U.S in 1933 when the country was in turmoil and needed strong government leadership, relief and reform. He organized and implemented a series of programs and projects known as the New Deal to expand the role of the Federal Government in the nation’s economy and put the unemployed back to work.