The Great Depression and the New Deal

The Great Depression, beginning with the stock market crash of 1929, plunged the United States into a decade-long economic crisis, profoundly affecting the lives of millions. Unemployment soared, banks failed, and many Americans faced dire poverty. In response, President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented the New Deal, a series of programs and reforms aimed at economic recovery and social relief.

The New Deal included initiatives such as Social Security, public works projects, and regulations to stabilize the banking system, marking a significant shift in the role of the federal government in the economy and laying the groundwork for modern social welfare policies.