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Great Depression and the Stock Market

explanatory Essay
1945 words
1945 words
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In the 1920's, the economy of the United States dramatically increased. World War I had ended and leftover products, like steel, could now be sold to consumers. Big buisnesses, like General Motors, took over small companies, causing production to double. Inflation was non-existent and the unemployment rate was as low as it had ever been. The economy was booming, and it showed no sign of slowing down in 1929. However, the United States was about to recieve a huge shock when the stock market suddenly took a turn for the worst and crashed, leading to the Great Depression. This crash would become a major event in U.S. history due to the disastrous effects that followed it. In 1923, Calvin Coolidge became president of the United States. He was very buisness-oriented and helped push along the prosperity of the 1920's. In 1928, Herbert Hoover, Coolidge's secretary of commerce, took over as president. Not only was he also pro-buisness, but he was also interested in public service. For example, he helped Europe get back on their feet after World War I. His compassion for the poor and economic knowledge caused him to be declared the best qualified president of the 1920's. Not everyone prospered in the 1920's though. The average pay for workers in 1929 was 60 cents per hour, the same as it had been at the beginning of the decade. World War I had improved radio technology and led to the use of the radio for advertising. Buisness owners also kept iterest rates low so that consumers would use credit to buy expensive products. These factors resulted in any profit from the economic boom towards the working class to be spent right away. Many banks closed because too many people were taking out loans and milli... ... middle of paper ... ...elp Germany still and Germany's economy, still rebuilding from World War I, suffered greatly. Because of resentment towards their economic struggles, German people started joining the Nazis. Followers of the Nazis doubled every six months after the stock market crash. As you can see, the stock market crash of 1929 was a very important event in the United States history. It caused the nation to go from the "Roaring Twenties" to the Great Depression. In a matter of days, millions of investors lost all of their savings and couldn't pay back the loans that they had took out of the banks to pay for stocks. Overproduction by buisnesses caused a decline in the economy and taking back the loans to other countries had angered our foreign neighbors. Black Tuesday caused us to go from a prospering society to a struggling one that would never be the same.

In this essay, the author

  • Explains that in the 1920's, the economy of the united states dramatically increased. world war i had ended and leftover products, like steel, could now be sold to consumers.
  • Explains that the economy was booming and it showed no sign of slowing down in 1929, but the stock market suddenly took a turn for the worst and crashed, leading to the great depression.
  • Explains that herbert hoover, coolidge's secretary of commerce, took over as president in 1928. his compassion for the poor and economic knowledge led him to be declared the best qualified president of the 1920s.
  • Explains that william c. (billy) durant was a buisnessman born in boston in 1861, who took over the carriage making company in flint, michigan. he later added three more motor companies to it, creating general motors.
  • Explains the idea behind the stock market: money is needed to buy items like machines and builings, called capital. corporations pay the capital by selling stocks, or parts of their company, to investors.
  • Explains that 1929 was a good year for the economy, but there were warning signs that the stock market was going to crash. when the demand for products declined, the stocks that investors had bought declined in value.
  • Explains that the united states loaned billions of dollars to europe after world war i to help rebuild their economy, but investors took back their loans to invest in stocks instead.
  • Explains that the federal reserve tried several times to reduce speculation in the stock market, but the public ignored their warnings and criticized them for intervening.
  • Explains that the stock market reached its peak prices on september 3rd, but didn't rise again and a worried wall street raised the interest rates. at the beginning of october, the market dropped again.
  • Describes how investors were forced to sell their stocks to pay off their loans. the new york stock exchange didn't open until ten'o'clock in the morning and the halls were packed with speculators.
  • Narrates how the new york stock exchange went on a chaotic selling spree on monday, despite hoover's attempts to stop the panic.
  • Explains how the stock market never sprang back up after the horrific tuesday crash. millions of investrors went bankrupt, including will durant.
  • Concludes that overproduction before the crash had decreased the value of products and many workers weren't needed anymore for production. the stock market crash left families with no income and poverty spread through america.
  • Narrates how president hoover was blamed for the stock market crash in a day. roosevelt easily won because the republicans were now
  • Explains that the stock market crash of 1929 was a factor leading to world war ii. german investors pulled their loans out of to buy stocks in the market.
  • Explains that the stock market crash of 1929 was a very important event in the united states history. it caused the nation to go from the "roaring twenties" to the great depression.
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