The Great Depression(So Depressing!)

. . . And not that Great. . . .

And A Family Story

Great Depression Began in . . .

• When? • What Happened?

The Results of a Stock Market Crash:

• 1. Banks lose $-- people rush to banks to get their money back– it’s not there.

2. Banks call in loans on homes and businesses—

People lose jobs & homes.

People have less $, spend less, more people lose jobs and businesses

More People can’t feed themselves.

More People can’t find work.

And So it gets worse and worse, and it’s worst for poor people, people of color, any minority.

The Statistics:

• 25% Employable American Workers Out of work/unemployed by 1932 (almost 13 million people).

• 28% White Women workers unemployed• 43% Black Women workers unemployed• 38% Black Male workers unemployed

The Dust Bowl Didn’t Help

Dust Bowl (1934-1940) is:

• 1. An Environmental disaster caused by bad farming practices

• --over farming• -- not resting fields/rotating crops• 2. Farmers didn’t do it on purpose, but

because they were forced to, to support themselves and keep their farms.

Dustbowlers, Oakies and Exodusters:

Everyone Hurt TWICE– once by Great Depression, an again by Dust Bowl.

The Family Story:

• Clara Duhrenburger– Montana Farm girl with scholarship to University of Montana

• Francis Lamphier– 5th of 7 sons of an Iowa Farmer. He’s a “Day Laberer.”

• They Meet, Summer 1929. • They Get Married September, 1929.• The Great Depresssion Starts right after.• They have a baby, Dick, Spring, 1930.

The New Deal!

• A. 1932 Presidential Election• Herbert Hoover v. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Hoover

• Republican• Social Darwinist: The Great Depression is a

“needed correction” and the strong will survive.

• To help the weak would be bad for America.• So do nothing. • Plus, THE BONUS ARMY

17,000 WWI Veterans, 2 men killed when Hoover ordered General MacArthur, 6 tanks and the Cavalry to clear the

protesters.

FDR and the NEW DEAL

• 1. A series of domestic programs designed to protect Americans and create jobs.

• Social Security: Retirement insurance• FDIC: Bank/deposit insurance• Public Works Programs: these are jobs

programs.• Farm and Rural programs

Works Progress Administration (WPA)

• Built Schools, Libraries, Bridges, Roads, National Parks, hospitals and damns.

• Lots of public art– murals, music, plays.• Put 8.5 million people to work

Big Damn History:

• 1. Hoover Damn the most famous.• Built 1931-35; Employed 5000 men at a time,

21,000 men total.• Once done it created more jobs and hydro-Electric power, whichCreates more jobs.

Fort Peck Damn, In East Montana

The Statistics:

• 1. One of 6 dams on Missouri River in Montana, 1933-36.

• 2. Employed 10,500 workers (including Francis Lampier!)

• 3. Also 10,000 Auxilliary Damn Workers: Teachers, grocers, barbers, cooks (including Clara D. Lamphier)

Back to Clara and Fran:

• 1 Baby born Fall, 1929, before the Stock Market Crash.

• No jobs/no work/lived with Clara’s parents.• No more babies• 1934 they get jobs at the Fort Peck Dam• 1935 They have a baby– My Dad.

And then . . . .

• 1936, Dam Job Done.• RSA: Resettlement Agencey, another New Deal

Works program. Developed small farms from abandoned farm land (land left when banks took farms then banks went out of business)

• 350 acre farms, identical house, barn, chicken coop, outhouse and garage.

FDR’s govt. “Sold” this idea to Americans thru propaganda campaigns.. .

And tried to help both white and black poor farmers, both with “cheap” farms, but with help rehabilitating the fields.

AAA: Agricultural Adjustment ActCrop Planning, Crop Prices (to keep food affordable for Everyone) and Low or NO Interest Loans for Farmers to buy RSA Farms, or other farms.

People Signing up for AAA Help:

Fran and Clara!

• 1936: They get an RSA Farm with an AAA loan. Farm sugar beets on AAA agent’s advice.

• 1937: Uncle Mike born• 1939: Uncle Pat Born• 1941: Aunt Kathy Born• 1945: Uncle Tim born

The Point: 5 of Clara’s 6 babies were New Deal Babies.

• Paul: WPA (Dam)• Mike, Pat, Kathy, Tim: RSA/AAA• 5 people born because their parents could

afford chidlren as a result of New Deal Programs.

• Is that it?

There’s More!

• Paul + Jackie = 4 kids• Mike + Carol = 4 kids• Pat + Diane = 4 kids• Tim + Jody = 2 kids• ______________________• 14 People born of New Deal Babies• Fran and Clara’s Grandchildren

• Is that all?

There’s More!

• 22 Great Grandchildren• 14 Grandchildren• 5 children• __________________• 41 People • Born because of the NEW DEAL.• Nurses, doctors, teachers, professors, police officers,

soldiers, sailors, pilots– citizens who make their country better, pay their taxes and help people. Thanks New Deal.

Government Matters!

• Govt. CAN do good.• Govt. SHOULD exist to help people.• Govt. SHOULD protect citizens.• Govt. makes a difference in all parts of our

lives, whether or not we know it or not.• How do we Know? The NEW DEAL.

• Quit Whining– Get Involved-- Vote

Finis!