American Dreams: The Great Depression

Samantha Atkinson
History 1501: American Dreams
Professor Daniel Griesemer
12/10/13

The Great Depression
“Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort” (Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933). President Roosevelt stepped into office in the middle of everything hitting the fan. This is not an easy task to handle, he had millions of Americans looking up to him for guidance in what must have been the most darkest moment in history. A lot of things played a big part in the making of The Great Depression. These things included the stock market crash of 1929, the New Deal, and World War II. The United States is still trying to recover from this
The Civilian Conservation Corps was an agency that took young unmarried men from the relief rolls and put them to work in the woods. The accomplishments of the Civilian Conservation Corps were vast in protecting and restoring forests, beaches, rivers, and parks; providing flood control and disaster relief; and helping some 2.5 million young men survive the Depression with some degree of self respect.17 The Civilian Conservation Corps would hire young men from age 18 to 25. They would get $1.00 per day, or $30.00 every month. The downside is that they only could keep $5.00 of the money and send the rest back home to their families. I guess they didn’t really need a lot of money because the Civilian Conservation Corps probably paid for food and gave them a place to live. This was a way to get families some money as well as doing federal road construction and other things to make the United States better. The Civilian Conservation Corps ended in 1942.
Another good program that became from the New Deal was the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Tennessee Valley Authority was created in March of 1933, and was one of the greatest achievements of the New Deal. The Tennessee Valley Authority produced power at it’s numerous hydroelectric facilities. It also provided power for farms that had previously been without it and made possible the development of industry in the region.18 Along with that it also improved navigation.
Many people lost everything that they had. A lot of people even resorted to suicide. Bankruptcy and unemployment was normal and if you were lucky to have a job you were rich. When President Roosevelt took office he enacted the New Deal which created all sorts of new opportunities for the people of the United States. Although people managed to make it through the Great Depression is still in everyone’s minds that lived through it. It traumatized them and taught them to never take anything for granted. The effects brought on from the Great Depression are too many. Elderly people and some of their children in todays world won’t even think about using a bank. Many people don 't trust banks even though they have made things to protect your money if something like the Depression ever happened again. Going through this is probably like coming home from the war and having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Great Depression will forever be one of the most important moments in