Ch. 22 sec. 3

Hoover Struggles with the Great Depression

Facts about Herbert Hoover

• 1st president born west of the Mississippi River – from Iowa

• Orphaned at young age

• “rags to riches” story• Stanford University• Mining Engineer

Herbert Hoover

• Elected President in 1928 – promised every American family would have “A chicken in every pot and two cars in every garage”.

Hoover’s reaction to stock market crash

• Hoover tries to reassure American public

• Wanted Americans to remain optimistic and go about business as usual

Hoover’s philosophy of government

• Man of strong principles

• Belief in RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM – idea that people should succeed through their own efforts

Hoover reaction to depression

• Opposed any form of federal welfare or DIRECT relief (would weaken people’s self-respect)

• Individual charities and local organizations should provide relief

• Federal gov’t should limit their role and not take too much power

Hoover Quote about Government

• “Every time we find solutions outside of government, we have not only strengthened character, but we have preserved our sense of real government.”

Hoover’s actions

• Asked business leaders to work together to create solutions, avoid cutting wages or laying off employees

• Asked private charities to help out more

• NONE OF THESE SOLUTIONS WORKED

Public’s reaction to Hoover’s leadership

• Frustrated citizens create new terms:– “Hoovervilles”– “Hoover Blankets”– “Hoover Flags”

– People blamed Hoover for their circumstances

Hoover starts to be more active…

• Creation of Boulder (Hoover Dam) – create jobs

• Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) – provides $$$ to banks & businesses to pump $ into the system to “trickle down”

The Bonus Army

• 1932 – over 10,000 veterans and families arrived in D.C. supporting a bonus bill to WWI veterans

• Senate voted down the bill, Hoover called on the marchers to leave but they stayed

• Hoover finally sends a force of 1,000 soldiers in to remove the veterans: people gassed, shot and injured – most Americans stunned by the incident & Hoover’s image suffers more