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Great Depression ‑ Stories

The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, lasting from 1929 to 1939. Explore topics on the era, from the stock market crash of 1929, to the Dust Bowl, to FDR’s response to the economic calamity—the New Deal.

Franklin D. Roosevelt seated behind a microphone

7 of FDR’s Most Inspiring Speeches

Roosevelt, known as ‘the great communicator,’ used his speeches and fireside chats to calm Americans’ fears during depression and war—and to rally them around his policies.

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Government official in suit sitting at a desk signing a document, as a group of men in Indian clothing and headdresses stand behind him.

What Was FDR’s ‘Indian New Deal’?

An economic relief program aimed specifically at helping Native American communities during the Great Depression, the legislation marked a sharp U‑turn in federal policy toward Indigenous peoples.

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act on 14th August 1935. From left to right, Robert Lee Doughton, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Edwin E. Witte, Director of the President's Social Security Committee, with Senator Robert F. Wagner, co-author of the bill behind him, Senator Robert La Follette, Senator Augustine Lonergan, Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, Senator William H. King, Rep. David John Lewis, co-author of the bill and Senator Joseph F. Guffey.

Why Social Security Was the Cornerstone of FDR’s New Deal

Social Security differed from other New Deal programs in that it wasn’t a short‑term solution to the Great Depression. It was a long‑term investment.

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Eleanor Roosevelt and Dr. Mary Bethune Visit George Washington Carver HallEleanor Roosevelt and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune are visiting George Washington Carver Hall, a men's dormitory for blacks. Washington, D.C., May 1943. | Location: George Washington Carver Hall, Washington, D.C., USA. (Photo by © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

What Was the Role of FDR’s ‘Black Cabinet’?

Led by Mary McLeod Bethune, this informal network of advisors was the first group to press for civil rights from within the federal government.

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5 Causes of the Great Depression

5 Causes of the Great Depression

By 1929, a perfect storm of unlucky factors led to the start of the worst economic downturn in U.S. history.

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The airship Hindenburg burning after it crashed on May 6, 1937 in Lakehurst, New Jersey.

The Hindenburg Disaster: Why the Giant Dirigible Burst Into Flames

Theories about why the giant German dirigible burst into flames range from negligence to sabotage to an ‘act of God.’

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Vice presidential candidate John Nance Garner stands at the back of a special campaign train with presidential candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt during a stop in Topeka, Kansas.

Why FDR’s Own VP Ran Against Him

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vice president was an anti‑labor conservative who clashed with the president over federal spending and FDR’s decision to run for a third term.

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Why the Tennessee Valley Authority was the New Deal’s Most Ambitious—and Controversial—Program

Why the Tennessee Valley Authority was the New Deal’s Most Ambitious—and Controversial—Program

The TVA was a model for rural electrification in the South, but it displaced thousands and attracted a slew of lawsuits.

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How Bank Failures Contributed to the Great Depression

How Bank Failures Contributed to the Great Depression

Were financial institutions victims—or culprits?

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6 People Who Made Big Money During the Great Depression

6 People Who Made Big Money During the Great Depression

Even amid America’s worst economic downturn, a select few accumulated vast fortunes.

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9 New Deal Infrastructure Projects That Changed America, Lincoln Tunnel construction

9 New Deal Infrastructure Projects That Changed America

The Hoover Dam, LaGuardia Airport and the Bay Bridge were all part of FDR’s New Deal investment.

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Why the Candy Bar Market Exploded After World War I

Why the Candy Bar Market Exploded After World War I

By the end of the 1920s, more than 40,000 different candy bars were being made in the U.S.

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