The Great Depression lasted from 1929 until 1940 and was the longest and worst economic collapse in American history. The downward spiral spread throughout the country like an epidemic or airborne virus. Our nation witnessed a decline in sales and goods along with the plummeting employment rate. Almost thirteen million people were unemployed by 1932. United States citizens lost practically everything they owned. Three causes that led up the Great Depression were self-centered and foolish attitudes of Americans, the economic depression of agriculture and the uneven income and wealth distribution.
During the 1920's, American farmers who represented one fourth of America, were in an economic depression. The decline of agriculture in Europe influenced Americans to step up grow more grain. Almost every commodity fell in price due to over production leading the agriculture into terrible times so awful that "the loss of real income in agriculture was broadly as acute as in industry."(Garraty,
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United StatesJohn 53) The income rate for farmers before and during the Great Depression was just as low as the industries. "The United States was a major agricultural nation, and its farmers were not prospering."(Garraty, John 53) When one fourth of the nation does not prosper, only negatives things can come of it, as did the Great Depression in 1929. The nation was oversupplied with gasoline and other similar products. There was no demand for any other crops for fuel. Farmers could not find a way to thrive. This led to dropping profits for their goods, which later led to no profit for their agriculture. Due to this over-production, the large farming percentage of the nation started to weigh down the rest of the economy making it a cause of the Great Depression. What the farmers did not get to experience was the spending rush and greed...