Lesson 2: The Great Depression and Migration

Key Idea

The 1920s were a time of good fortune for many Americans. Businesses were growing, and people felt hopeful. This period of prosperity ended suddenly in 1929 with the stock market crash. The value of businesses dropped quickly, and many people lost their savings overnight.

This event marked the beginning of the Great Depression, a long period of economic hardship across the country. Banks failed, factories shut down, and millions of people were left without jobs or money. This difficult time would change the lives of people all over the United States.

Key Idea

The Great Depression was a very hard time in the 1930s. In California, many people lost their jobs and could not afford their homes. Families struggled to find food and shelter as businesses closed and work disappeared.

During this period, some people unfairly blamed Mexican and Mexican American workers for the job shortages. This led to the forced deportation of hundreds of thousands of people to Mexico. Many of those forced to leave were American citizens who had never even lived in Mexico.

Key Idea

During the 1930s, huge dust storms turned farms in the middle of the United States into a Dust Bowl. With their land ruined, many farming families packed up everything they owned and drove to California, hoping to find work and a new life.

When they arrived, they discovered that life was still very hard. There were not enough jobs, and many became migrant farmworkers. They had to move from farm to farm to pick crops for low pay. These families often lived in makeshift camps and were not welcomed by everyone.

Key Idea

To help the country recover, President Franklin D. Roosevelt started a plan called the New Deal. The goal was to create jobs for people who were unemployed during the Great Depression.

New Deal programs hired people to build important things. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built roads, parks, and dams across the country. In California, the Central Valley Project was a large project that gave people jobs and provided water for farms.