The Great Depression: Striving for Prosperity in
America
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 marked an era of
turmoil and instability for America known as the Great
Depression. Millions of people who lost their life savings and
their jobs eventually became homeless, only to find that
their president, Herbert Hoover, felt the government should
not intervene. However, New York governor Franklin Delano
Roosevelt said, "I pledge myself to a New Deal for the
American people." And when he was elected to office in
1932, he made good on that pledge. Through a series of
programs, he stimulated the economy, got people back to
work, and protected the American people through the Great
Depression.
In 1935, for example, Roosevelt created the Works
Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA created much-
meeded jobs for the unemployed, at the same time
improving the country as a whole. WPS workers erected
buildings like schools and post offices. They also worked on
bridges, highways, and other infrastructure projects. In
addition, the WPA found work for people with artistic
capabilities, such as writers, musicians, and theater
directors. In fact, WPA murals still exist. You may have seen
them in places like zoos, courthouses, and hospitals. The
VPA, which existed until 1943, provided work and a
saycheck to almost 9 million Americans.
Later that year, Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act
2
Select the correct answer from the drop-down menu.
How does the second paragraph develop the author's thesis?
The second paragraph
Reset
Next
