14.3 Hoover and the Depression

1. 14.3 Hoover and the Depression (with a little 14.2)

2. The Dust Bowl • Destructive over-farming in the 1920s left the land weak by the early 1930s • Combined with a draught, created the Dust Bowl • Many farm families had to flee to California to find work there. • They earned the negative nickname “Okies”

3. The Dust Bowl • Country men/boys joined factory workers in the search for work • Called “hoboes,” often traveled by hopping onto trains

4. Hoover’s Response • Hoover was a conservative, believed in American “rugged individualism” • People succeed the most when they have to tough it out for themselves • Rather than get the govt. too involved, he only did things like encourage businesses not to fire workers and workers not to strike

5. Hoover’s Response • Hoover did approve the construction of the Boulder (now Hoover) Dam • This provides water to California for agriculture • Hoover attempted to save big businesses (hoping it would help the rest of us out too) • Most of Hoover’s plans were too little, too late to save the economy.

6. Hoover’s Response • 1932 the “Bonus Army” showed up in Washington, looking for bonus payments to WWI vets • Hoover and Congress turned them down • The Army was brought in to force the vets out using tear gas and bayonets