USA HISTORY

THE GREAT DEPRESSION 1929 1940

THE GREAT DEPRESSION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
A major cause of the economic depression of 1929 was
A
a return to the gold standard.
B
decline in consumer purchasing power
C
increased number of public works projects
D
government programs designed to reduce agricultural production.
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Stock market crash of 1929. The failure of banks, which was the impact of the stock market crash as more people withdrew their savings from the banks leading to closure. Reduction in purchases due to diminished savings. The passing of Smoot-Hawley Tariff or the Tariff Act of 1930, imposed high taxes on imported goods.

Detailed explanation-2: -Among the suggested causes of the Great Depression are: the stock market crash of 1929; the collapse of world trade due to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff; government policies; bank failures and panics; and the collapse of the money supply.

Detailed explanation-3: -An economic depression is primarily caused by worsening consumer confidence that leads to a decrease in demand, eventually resulting in companies going out of business. When consumers stop buying products and paying for services, companies need to make budget cuts, including employing fewer workers.

Detailed explanation-4: -By then, production had already declined and unemployment had risen, leaving stocks in great excess of their real value. Among the other causes of the stock market crash of 1929 were low wages, the proliferation of debt, a struggling agricultural sector and an excess of large bank loans that could not be liquidated.

Detailed explanation-5: -The U.S. economy shrank by a third from the beginning of the Great Depression to the bottom four years later. Real GDP fell 29% from 1929 to 1933. The unemployment rate reached a peak of 25% in 1933. Consumer prices fell 25%; wholesale prices plummeted 32%.

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