Tasks:
- Use notes to answer: "What was the Republican vision of "normalcy?"
- Identify characteristics of Republican presidents in 1920s - Harding, Coolidge & Hoover.
- Major point: There was much prosperity in the 1920s, as the standard of living improved for many Americans. However, beneath the surface of the prosperity, significant structural weaknesses existed in the economy.
- What caused the Great Depression?
- List the causes of the Great Depression.
- How does each cause contribute to a weakening economy?
- Example: Throughout the 1920s, there was an uneven distribution of income. This disparity between the rich and poor weakens the purchasing power of many Americans. A weakening purchasing power means that more Americans are unable to purchase the mass produced consumer goods.
- If the stock market crash of 1929 did not cause the Great Depression, then why do so many people remember it?
- The memory of 1929 is dramatic for many Americans because there is a distinct before and after. People remember the prosperity, and after the stock market crash, there is a distinct difference in American life.
