The Foes of the Great Depression Imagine a family that barely has a sufficient amount of food or water to live on. Imagine this family’s parent attempting to get a job to make money, but they cannot. Now, imagine this situation happening to millions of families across America. The very thought is devastating. However, two leaders rose up to try to fix this problem. Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt used different economic and domestic policies during their presidency to reach a common goal: obliterate the Great Depression. Herbert Hoover came in as president with many ideas in mind to change the economic state the country was in. Herbert Hoover was the 31st President of the United States and served from 1929-1933 (Freidel and Sidey).
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Under Hoover’s presidency, the economy and lives of millions of Americans poorly fell in value and caused families in America to suffer greatly. “Banks and businesses failed across the country. Nationwide unemployment rates rose from 3 percent in 1929 to 23 percent in 1932. Millions of Americans lost their jobs, homes, and savings” (“Herbert Hoover”). The policies, acts, and/or laws that Herbert passed or failed to pass did not have any significant difference in the economic crisis. “The Depression worsened throughout Hoover’s term in office, and critics increasingly portrayed him as indifferent to the suffering of the American People” (“Herbert Hoover”). The Great Depression continued for eight years after Herbert left office, so the economy and lives of millions of Americans were affected negatively for years with little to any beneficial help from Herbert. After his presidency, Herbert remained unpopular for years because many citizens blamed him for the Great Depression and his ineffective solutions to the problem (“Herbert Hoover: Impact and Legacy”). Hoover’s actions as president greatly affected his legacy. As destitutes lost their money and house, they made poor quality and unsanitary houses that varied in size and these communal camps became known as “Hoovervilles.” Millions of Americans had to construct and live in the Hoovervilles. Hoovervilles posed a health risk to …show more content…
Roosevelt (FDR) was the 32nd President of the Unites States, following Herbert Hoover, and had many policies and reforms planned to fix the nation from the Great Depression (Coker 87). When Franklin Roosevelt accepted the position as president in 1933, he also accepted to handle the biggest economic problem America has ever seen. “By the time Roosevelt took office in March of 1933, there was 13 million unemployed Americans, and hundreds of banks were closed. Roosevelt faced the greatest crisis in American history since the Civil War” (“Franklin D. Roosevelt Biography”). The country was still experiencing the Great Depression that started when Herbert Hoover was president. FDR’s policies helped America and its citizens achieve a healthier economic state. He formed the New Deal domestic plan to try to bring the U.S. out of the depression and make the economy prosper (Histroy.com Staff “New Deal”). FDR took many economic measures such as forming the Conservation Corps (CCC) to bring jobs to the citizens and lower the unemployment percentage (“Herbert Clark Hoover vs. Franklin D. Roosevelt”). Roosevelt was a defender of the fiscal policy because he had the central government involved helping the economy. FDR also faced the Great Depression and the results prove that his policies and procedures were
Under Hoover’s presidency, the economy and lives of millions of Americans poorly fell in value and caused families in America to suffer greatly. “Banks and businesses failed across the country. Nationwide unemployment rates rose from 3 percent in 1929 to 23 percent in 1932. Millions of Americans lost their jobs, homes, and savings” (“Herbert Hoover”). The policies, acts, and/or laws that Herbert passed or failed to pass did not have any significant difference in the economic crisis. “The Depression worsened throughout Hoover’s term in office, and critics increasingly portrayed him as indifferent to the suffering of the American People” (“Herbert Hoover”). The Great Depression continued for eight years after Herbert left office, so the economy and lives of millions of Americans were affected negatively for years with little to any beneficial help from Herbert. After his presidency, Herbert remained unpopular for years because many citizens blamed him for the Great Depression and his ineffective solutions to the problem (“Herbert Hoover: Impact and Legacy”). Hoover’s actions as president greatly affected his legacy. As destitutes lost their money and house, they made poor quality and unsanitary houses that varied in size and these communal camps became known as “Hoovervilles.” Millions of Americans had to construct and live in the Hoovervilles. Hoovervilles posed a health risk to …show more content…
Roosevelt (FDR) was the 32nd President of the Unites States, following Herbert Hoover, and had many policies and reforms planned to fix the nation from the Great Depression (Coker 87). When Franklin Roosevelt accepted the position as president in 1933, he also accepted to handle the biggest economic problem America has ever seen. “By the time Roosevelt took office in March of 1933, there was 13 million unemployed Americans, and hundreds of banks were closed. Roosevelt faced the greatest crisis in American history since the Civil War” (“Franklin D. Roosevelt Biography”). The country was still experiencing the Great Depression that started when Herbert Hoover was president. FDR’s policies helped America and its citizens achieve a healthier economic state. He formed the New Deal domestic plan to try to bring the U.S. out of the depression and make the economy prosper (Histroy.com Staff “New Deal”). FDR took many economic measures such as forming the Conservation Corps (CCC) to bring jobs to the citizens and lower the unemployment percentage (“Herbert Clark Hoover vs. Franklin D. Roosevelt”). Roosevelt was a defender of the fiscal policy because he had the central government involved helping the economy. FDR also faced the Great Depression and the results prove that his policies and procedures were