The Great Depression was an economic shortfall and a time of hardship that affected America and the rest of the world. The depression began when the stock market crashed on October of 1929 and ended in 1939 when America started to plan for World War 2. Many people 's lives were ravaged and some were taken during these dark times. This event was the longest and most atrocious fiscal hindrance that America has ever experienced. The Great Depression definitely changed the culture of America, positively and negatively. The two parts of culture that were heavily impacted by this devastating event were the economy and the government.
The element of culture that was impacted most by The Great Depression was the economic part. To begin with, …show more content…
“Federal civilian employment barely exceeded 1 percent of total employment, and the government’s share of the gross national product was a mere 1.6 percent” (Trescott). Before the Great Depression and the stock market crash, the federal government did not really play a big part economically. The stock market during the roaring twenties carried on without much help from the federal government and not many families paid federal income taxes. “During the 1920s the states, rather than the federal government, led social reform efforts by improving schools and highways, establishing minimum labor standards, and regulating corporations” (Atkins). In fact, the federal government was only responsible for one fourth of public spending during this time (Atkins). They often ignored most reforms to focus on bigger problems, such as the prohibition. Due to the federal government not being of much help, the laws passed by the states were not funded well and implemented poorly. With the way things were being run in the states without assistance from the federal government, they were not ready to go into a depression. When the Great Depression finally hit, the federal government decided to step in. “By 1940 its civilian payroll exceeded one million workers, and federal purchases of goods and services accounted for over 6 percent of the GNP” (Trescott). That is a big change from what it was before the depression. When Franklin Roosevelt took over office in March of 1933 much was going to change. Over the next few years, the government implemented the New Deal, a chain of experimental domestic programs that were supposed to stabilize the America and the economy (Trescott). Not only did the New Deal restore the economy, it also brought the people of America hope that they could now rely on the federal government. The New Deal also strengthened the relationship of the federal
The element of culture that was impacted most by The Great Depression was the economic part. To begin with, …show more content…
“Federal civilian employment barely exceeded 1 percent of total employment, and the government’s share of the gross national product was a mere 1.6 percent” (Trescott). Before the Great Depression and the stock market crash, the federal government did not really play a big part economically. The stock market during the roaring twenties carried on without much help from the federal government and not many families paid federal income taxes. “During the 1920s the states, rather than the federal government, led social reform efforts by improving schools and highways, establishing minimum labor standards, and regulating corporations” (Atkins). In fact, the federal government was only responsible for one fourth of public spending during this time (Atkins). They often ignored most reforms to focus on bigger problems, such as the prohibition. Due to the federal government not being of much help, the laws passed by the states were not funded well and implemented poorly. With the way things were being run in the states without assistance from the federal government, they were not ready to go into a depression. When the Great Depression finally hit, the federal government decided to step in. “By 1940 its civilian payroll exceeded one million workers, and federal purchases of goods and services accounted for over 6 percent of the GNP” (Trescott). That is a big change from what it was before the depression. When Franklin Roosevelt took over office in March of 1933 much was going to change. Over the next few years, the government implemented the New Deal, a chain of experimental domestic programs that were supposed to stabilize the America and the economy (Trescott). Not only did the New Deal restore the economy, it also brought the people of America hope that they could now rely on the federal government. The New Deal also strengthened the relationship of the federal