Many times throughout world history, economic downturns called recessions or depressions have devastated both individual lives and countries’ economies. On a microscale, many people lose their jobs, businesses, and in extreme cases, their homes. On a macro level, unemployment rises, and gross domestic product (the way economists measure the success of an economy) sinks to new lows. Recessions and depressions are the cause of the ruination of many. Although these economic crises are seen as sudden and unpredictable, there are several signs that an economy exhibits when it is about to fall into such slumps.…