The Great Depression and the New Deal

1
The Great Depression and the New Deal
Map Posters
Prepared for the 2007 Teaching American History
Project Institute of Portland Metropolitan
Studies Portland State University
(www.upa.pdx.edu/ims)
2
The Crash Bank Failures

• The Crash of 1929 was the culmination of intense
  land speculation in an increasingly depressed
  economy. This map series shows the cascading
  effects of bank failures from 1929 through 1933.
  The maps represent the percentage of existing
  banks (not cumulative) that failed during that
  decade.
• Questions to consider
• Where did the bank failure cascade start and why?
• When was the height of the bank failure crisis?
• Is there a geographic pattern discernable through
  the decades? Why might this be?
• In 1933 there are few bank failures. What might
  be the reasons for this?

3
1928 Bank Failures
4
1929 Bank Failures
5
1930 Bank Failures
6
1931 Bank Failures
7
1932 Bank Failures
8
1933 Bank Failures
9
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1928 1933 Bank Failures (as a of total
existing banks) by County
Date June 2007 Data Source ICPSR (FDIC Bank
Data 1928-1933) Compiled for the Teaching
American History Project Institute of Portland
Metropolitan Studies Portland State University
(www.upa.pdx.edu/ims)
10
The Depression and Unemployment

• Unemployment was the most significant challenge
  facing government and industry during the
  Depression years. This map series shows the
  percent of gainful workers that were unemployed
  as reported in the 1930 and 1940 U.S. Census as
  well as a special census taken in 1937. The
  figures are likely to be underreported as farm
  workers (who worked for room and food) and the
  self-employed are not counted.
• Questions to consider
• What areas of the country experienced the most
  unemployment? Why might that be?
• Did areas of low unemployment in 1930 experience
  a higher change in employment 1937 and 1940 as
  compared to other areas?
• What is the significance of looking at the
  percent unemployed as opposed to the actual
  number of unemployed?

11
1930 Unemployment
12
1937 Unemployment
13
1940 Unemployment
14
1930
1937
1930-1940 Unemployment (as a of potential
gainful workers) by County
Date June 2007 Data Source ICPSR (US Census
1930-1940) Compiled for the Teaching American
History Project Institute of Portland
Metropolitan Studies Portland State University
(www.upa.pdx.edu/ims)
1940
15
Rural to Urban Migration

• Movement of people was one of the effects
  of the Depression. Many rural unemployed and
  farmers affected by the Dust Bowl migrated to
  urban areas looking for work. Consequently, many
  of FDRs relief programs specifically targeted
  the urban population (public works, housing,
  etc.). This map series shows the percent of
  urban population for 1920, 1930 and 1940. The
  last map shows the percent change from 1930 to
  1940 (dark red indicates an area that experienced
  a significant increase in its urban population).
• Questions to consider
• What areas experienced the most change in its
  urban population? Why might that be?
• Was there a general trend in rural-urban
  migration or are there particular areas that were
  affected more or less?
• In looking at where the major cities are located,
  did they and/or the surrounding counties
  experience a disproportionate rural-urban change?

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1920 Urban Population
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1930 Urban Population
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1940 Urban Population
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1930
1920
1920-1940 Urban Population (by County)
Date June 2007 Data Source ICPSR (US Census
1920-1940) Compiled for the Teaching American
History Project Institute of Portland
Metropolitan Studies Portland State University
(www.upa.pdx.edu/ims)
1940
20
1930-1940 Change in Urban Population (by County)
Date June 2007 Data Source ICPSR (US Census
1930-1940) Compiled for the Teaching American
History Project Institute of Portland
Metropolitan Studies Portland State University
(www.upa.pdx.edu/ims)
21
Home Ownership

• The Depression years saw a
  political-economic-judicial debate with regards
  to the governments role in ensuring housing for
  the needy. The Housing Authority Act provided
  the means to build housing for the poor. FDR
  also implemented programs to stabilize the
  mortgage industry and quell the rising tide of
  foreclosures due to economic hardships. This map
  shows the change in home ownership for the period
  between 1930 and 1940. Dark blue indicates a
  loss of home ownership dark red indicates a gain
  in home ownership.
• Questions to consider
• Home ownership has always been an indicator of
  economic health (or illness). What does this
  map tell you about the health of the economy
  between 1930 and 1940?
• Do you think that the relief policies of the time
  with regards to housing disproportionately
  affected one area over others?

22
1930-1940 Change in Home Ownership
Date June 2007 Data Source ICPSR (US Census
1930-1940) Compiled for the Teaching American
History Project Institute of Portland
Metropolitan Studies Portland State University
(www.upa.pdx.edu/ims)
23
The Dust Bowl

• As if the economic hardships of the Great
  Depression werent enough, intensive farm
  practices in the early 20th century and a lengthy
  drought finally took its environmental toll. A
  great dust bowl blanketed the midsection of the
  country. In this map, crop failures (in 1930)
  are a proxy for locating the areas most affected
  by the Dust Bowl.
• Questions to consider
• Where are the crop failures most prevalent? How
  might that compare to a map that shows the extent
  of the Dust Bowl?
• What might be the options for farmers with crop
  failures?
• Compare the areas of crop failures to the other
  maps (e.g. rural-urban migration). Do you see
  any correlation or pattern?

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1930 of Farm Acres with Crop Failure (by County)
Date June 2007 Data Source ICPSR (US Census
1930) Compiled for the Teaching American History
Project Institute of Portland Metropolitan
Studies Portland State University
(www.upa.pdx.edu/ims)
25
Electrification of the Country

• One of the most enduring legacies of the
  Great Depression was the electrification of the
  country. The massive public works projects
  included the building of huge hydroelectric dams
  and the stringing of electric lines throughout
  the rural heartland and the Pacific Northwest.
  The U.S. Census used possession of a radio (which
  of course requires electricity to function) as a
  proxy for determining the number of households
  that regularly used electricity. This map series
  shows the change in the availability and use of
  electricity from a period spanning 1920 through
  1940 (a mere 20 years).
• Questions to consider
• What do these two maps show about the role that
  the public works projects played in electrifying
  the country?
• How might access to electricity affect a
  households daily activities and quality of life?
• Do you see a pattern in the possession of a radio
  in 1920? Does that pattern still exist in 1940?

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1920 of Families with Radio
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1940 of Families with Radio
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1920
1940
1920 1940 of Families/Dwellings with
Radio (by County)
Date June 2007 Data Source ICPSR (US Census
1920-1940) Compiled for the Teaching American
History Project Institute of Portland
Metropolitan Studies Portland State University
(www.upa.pdx.edu/ims)