Georgia: After WWI and the Great Depression Guided Notes Unit Essential Question: What political, economic, and social issues impacted the lives of Georgians during the Depression and the New Deal? Lesson Essential Question #1: How did the boll weevil and drought impact Georgia? Cotton and the evil Boll Weevil When WWI ended, cotton dropped from 35 cents/lb to cents/lb. Hard times were coming for Georgia farmers. Demand was lower for cotton and production was lowered due to the. This beetle insect immigrated from Mexico and found its way into the cotton belt of the south around 1915. It would lay its eggs in the boll (seed pod) of a cotton plant and the growing boll weevil survived by eating the cotton plant and it. Farmers (especially sharecroppers) could not earn a or pay off debt. Drought in Georgia (1924-1927) To make matters worse, G.A. experiences a severe. This affected all kinds of agriculture, not just cotton. More profits are in the south, and some farmers quit and move to urban areas to work in. Georgian s were suffering and the was just beginning for them. An Even Worse Drought for Georgia drought on record in -. The typical Georgia family farm had: o electricity o No running o were inadequate, consisting mainly of molasses, fatback, and cornbread. The of the state s most rural counties made the support of even minimal education standards. Few rural clinics,, or health care workers. 1 P a g e
So what was the economy like for the rest of the U.S.A.? The Roaring 20 s For the and, the 1920 s in the United States had been a time of excitement and for many. This was called THE. Mass production of consumer goods like the refrigerator, telephones, toasters, baby food, and sliced bread encouraged the economy to grow. Businesses grew when consumers started to use to pay for goods and services. : the ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future. What else was happening during the Roaring Twenties? 1927 was the year of first talking motion picture. Walt Disney creates Mickey Mouse! Gas stoves were introduced. The passes and have the right to! Many (but not all) Americans were enjoying new freedoms. 2 P a g e
What was life like for African-Americans in the south during the 1920 s and 1930 s? While many Americans were enjoying their new freedoms, life was still difficult for African- Americans in the south. laws still denied African- Americans equal opportunities: Economically Politically Socially The Great Migration The drought, along with the impact of the boll weevil, led to the : southern tenant famers leaving the South to migrate north for work. Lesson Essential Question # 2: What factors led to the Great Depression and how did it impact Georgia? The Great Depression- Factors By 1930, Georgia and other parts of the country began to see an economic down turn that leads to the. This was caused by several factors. 3 P a g e Too much credit Over Production Stock Market Crash- AKA-
The Great Depression Continued: Living Through the Depression : Stock market prices fall greatly; millions of people lost all of their wealth. This was October 29, 1929. : 13 million unemployed 9,000 closed Georgia banks failed. : named for President Hoover shacks where homeless people gathered. Soup kitchens set up by and governments to feed hungry. were often forced to close or shorten schedules. Georgians were already from economic problems before Black Tuesday. Ticket out the Door Summary: 1. What two factors led to Georgia s agricultural problems during the Roaring Twenties? 2. Explain how those two factors impacted Georgia. 4 P a g e
Lesson Essential Question # 3: How did the New Deal programs impact Georgia and American society? The New Deal : Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President. New Deal: Roosevelt s plan to end the depression through government and support. o Examined for soundness o Give to unemployed workers Paved the way for, though all programs did not work New Deal Programs and their Impact CCC Civilian Conservation Corps: New Deal government agency that hired men ages as well as war of all ages to work on environmental conservation projects such as national parks, sewer systems, and bridges. o Impact Provided for many unemployed citizens. It worked very well in Georgia due to so much rural land and unemployed farmers due to the boll weevil problem. AAA Agricultural Adjustment Act: Law passed by congress to pay farmers to grow and to grow certain crops. This was an effort by the government to farm prices by paying farmers to change from growing cotton to produce more diverse crops. o Subsidies Payments made to by the government as incentive to produce or not produce certain crops. o Impact Encouraged farmers to produce crops such as peanuts, corn, livestock, and not grow. Today, Georgia is a leading producer of those crops, as well as peaches, poultry, and chicken. New Deal Programs and their Impact (cont d) REA Rural Electrification Administration: New Deal program that provided to people in areas. o Impact Within years most farms and people that lived in rural areas had electricity. 5 P a g e
SSA Social Security Act: Anew deal program that provided pay and other government benefits such as unemployment insurance to workers. The SSA was created to aid the or Americans who otherwise relied on the charity of others. The act passed in despite the opposition from then Georgia Governor Eugene. o Impact People now had a government backed retirement and help if they lost their. o Fact Social Security is the New Deal program still in effect today. African- Americans during the New Deal Did benefit from many New Deal programs WPA: Works Public Administration did employ many Roosevelt s Black Cabinet : African-Americans working with President Roosevelt. o o o Georgia s New Deal Governors Richard B. o Worked to state government like a successful business o Elected to U.S. Senate and served for years Talmadge o Did not like New Deal programs in Georgia Eurith Rivers o Worked with Roosevelt to increase New Deal in Georgia o Began programs for public o Term ended with problems. Georgia s New Deal Governors (cont d) Talmadge re-elected in o Began to use some programs Used his as governor to remove state officials working to Georgia s state colleges. Ellis o Reformed Board of Regents and state o Removed tax o New state 6 P a g e