The Great Depression of 1929-1941 is one of the most infamous events in modern world history. It was the longest and most severe economic downturn in the world and saw countries around the globe suffer through mass unemployment and economic hardship.

The Great Depression began in 1929 with the stock market crash, when the U.S. stock market fell drastically and investors lost millions of dollars in just a few days. It was the beginning of a widespread economic recession that lasted well into the 1930s. The recession was fed by a combination of factors including a drop in consumer demand for goods and services, a reduction in international trade, and a decrease in investments and capital.

The stock market crash was only one part of the problem as the economy had been weakened by a number of factors prior to the crash. Chief among these was the uneven distribution of wealth in the U.S., with most of it concentrated in large corporations and the hands of a few wealthy individuals. This caused a lack of demand for goods and services, as the majority of people didn’t have the necessary funds to purchase products.

As the economy suffered and unemployment rose, the federal government implemented a number of policies in an attempt to mitigate the impact of the depression. Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt both tried to stimulate the economy by introducing various measures such as the creation of public work projects and the formation of the New Deal. Despite these efforts, the depression went on for more than a decade before the economy finally began to recover.

The Great Depression had a lasting effect on all aspects of life, from politics and economics, to society and culture. It was more than just an economic event, but a true turning point in history and a reminder of how fragile the economy can be. To this day, the Great Depression serves as a powerful lesson, so that those in power can keep in check the same forces which led to the crash of 1929.