Describe postwar Europe, the Weimar Republic, and the causes and effects of the Great Depression.
After the Great War, Europe was left in shambles. The Weimar Republic in Germany was suffering, though it was weak from the start. It had lacked a strong democratic tradition. Postwar Germany had several majority and minority parties, which noticeably weakened its government. What was worse, The Weimar Republic was held responsible for the humiliation that Germany faced when defeated and forced to go through with the Treaty of Versailles.
Unlike Europe, The United States was basking in its great prosperity. However, with all it glory, the U.S suffered from its many flaws. The majority of the population was poor and only a small minority held a great deal of the personal wealth of the nation. Overproduction was becoming hazardous. On account of the mild mass poverty, most people were unable to afford most goods. Since only the rich could afford them, stores weren’t selling enough. Eventually stores cut back on the things that weren’t selling. Factories that produced these things laid-off workers they could no longer sustain, increasing the poverty in the country. Furthermore, the stock market had crashed on Tuesday, October 29 on account of the selling of an enormous amount of stocks with no one willing to but them. This set in motion a long interconnected series of unfortunate events. The United States had become the sole provider for Europe and the epitome of a life preserver. Europe greatly relied on America. So when the American economy crashed, it brought the other excruciatingly dependent European economies down with it.
-Genesis A. Landestoy
after WWI Europe was nearly bankrupt and their domination in world affairs declined after the war. from 1914 to 1918 Europe's last absolute rulers had been overthrown. provisional governments were hoped to establish order but they later fell to Communist dictatorship. but some for the first time became of democratic government. when it was almost impossible for one party to win enough support, a coalition government was needed to form a parliamentary majority.the weaknesses of the coalition government became a major problem in times of crisis. the Weimar Republic was the new democratic government set up in 1919 in Germany. Germany lacked a strong democratic tradition, postwar Germany had several major political parties and many minor ones, and million of Germans blamed Weimar government for the country's defeat and postwar humiliation caused by the Versailles Treaty.
the great depression
stocks that people had bought at high prices were now worthless. within months of the crash, unemployment rates began to rise as industrial production, prices, and wages declined. the stock market crash just quickened the collapse of the ecenomy and made the depression more difficult. thousands of businesses failed, and banks closed. around 9 million people lost the money in their savings accounts when banks had no money to pay them. many farmers lost their lands when they could not make mortage payments. by 1933, one fourth of all American workers had no jobs. because of the war debts and dependence on American loans and investments, Germany and Austria were hard hit. the crash was felt heavily in Latin America as well. as European and U.S. demand for such Latin American products such as sugar, beef, and copper dropped, prices collapsed.
-gabrielaj
The Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s. It was the longest, most widespread, and deepest depression of the 20th century, and is used in the 21st century as an example of how far the world's economy can decline. The depression originated in the United States, starting with the stock market crash of October 29, 1929 (known as Black Tuesday), but quickly spread to almost every country in the world.
The Great Depression had devastating effects in virtually every country, rich and poor. Personal income, tax revenue, profits and prices dropped, and international trade plunged by a half to two-thirds. Unemployment in the United States rose to 25%, and in some countries rose as high as 33%. Cities all around the world were hit hard, especially those dependent on heavy industry.
-Kenny R. Gomez
Weimar Republic
Germany's new democratic government that was set up in 1919 was known as the Weimar Republic. It was named after Weimar, the city where the constitutional assembly took place. In its 14 years, the Weimar Republic was faced with numerous problems, including hyperinflation, political extremists and their paramilitaries, and hostility from the victors of the First World War. However, it overcame many discriminatory regulations of the Treaty of Versailles, reformed the currency, unified tax politics and the railway system.
- Lily Sanchez
The World Undergoes a Crisis
After the war, the United States and Japan were left with in "great financial shape" and were able to help the less prosperous European countries by giving them loans. Many European nations had "war-torn economies" that left them hanging by a thin thread. One of them, Germany, under the what was the Weimar Republicnamed after the city were the national assembly met was left with serious problems. Germany lacked a strong democratic tradition. It faced gigantic economic crisis— they paid for the war with printed money that little by little began to lose its value. This led to a huge inflation. The people also blamed the Weimar government for its loss of the war and all the problems after.
The United States, on the other hand, had everything under control. As a matter of fact, it was so that if the U.S. economy weakened, the world's economic system would collapse, for the U.S. was the great power. In 1929, this actually happened. Uneven distribution of wealth, overproduction by business and agriculture, the fact that Americans were buying less, as well as the crash of the stock market, were all the product of what became known as the Great Depression. Other nations, such as Germany and Austria were severely hit by the depression for they depended on the American's loans and investments. Loans and investments they would not be getting. The Depression was later recovered, though, the Franklin D. Roosevelt, the current elected president of the U.S., whom created the New Deal, which provided jobs for the unemployed, gave financial help to business and farms, and reformed the American economic system.
-Betsy R.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade before World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929. It was the longest, most widespread, and deepest depression of the 20th century. The depression originated in the United States, starting with the stock market crash of October 29, 1929, but quickly spread to almost every country in the world.
During the depression, people could not pay the money they owed on margin purchases. Stocks they had bought at high prices were now worthless. Within months of the crash, unemployment rates began to rise as industrial production, prices and wages beclined. The stock market crash alone did not cause the Great Depression, but it quickended the collapse of the economy and made the Depression more difficult. Thousands of businesses failed and banks closed. Around 9 million people lost the money I their savings account when banks had no money to pay them. Many farmers lost their lands when they could not make mortgage payments.
Erialbania Lopez
Europe after WWI
Postwar Europe was a Europe nearly in bankrupt. Europe had unstable goverments, oneof the first goverments established after war was the Russian government in 1917, it was called the provisional government, it was meant to establish a constitutional and democratic rule, but it soon fell into a communist dictatorship. People weren’t used to a representative goverment, because befroe the war europe was mainly ruled by kings and queens. This lead to a creation of many political parties sometimes the election wouldnt have a majority to win, so the creation of a coalition government, which was a temporary alliance of the party to create a parliamentary government. The weimar republic was Germany’s new republic after WWI. The republic had serious weaknesses from the beginning, because Germany didn’t have a strong democratic tradition. Postwar Germany had many major political parties and many minor political parties and Germany’s population blamed the Republic for the defeat of WWI, instead of their wartime leaders. A cause for the Great depression was the fall of the American economy in 1929, why was this a cause fr the Great depression, because America produced most of the worlds economy and industrial products. Effects of the Great depression throught the war include the loss of many jobs, for example in Asia both farmers and urban workers suffered major losses. American loans and investments, to Europe were hard hit.
-Luis Restituyo
The Great Depression
The end of World War I brought as a consequence many countries to go sharply down. Between these we find how many countries went bankrupt, governments were too weak, and inflation skyrocketed. In Russia, for example, we notice the rise of a provisional government, which didn’t go very well since some months afterward they went into Communism. In Germany we find the Weimar Republic, which was blamed for the outcome of the war by civilians. Inflation raised in Germany, its paper money losing a lot of value.
In the United States things would go down even worse. The whole world was in need of the United States help, but this did not last long. The United States was going through a period of great prosperity after the war. Their economy had boosted because of the aid they had given other countries. The stock market was booming. Well, let’s just say it their moment of shine had a real drastic end. In 1929 some investors on the stock market decided that the prices were increasingly high, so they began selling stocks.People saw this and thinking there was something wrong began selling their stocks as well. Some people saw stocks prices were lowering and began buying them. This continued until people realized that a stock they had bought for 1000 dollars now was worth merely 10 cents. Most of them took loans from stockbrokers and know owed them all this money. Many people lost their jobs, in fact, everything they had. This was what caused the period known as the Great Depression. They began to improve economically with the help of their president Franklin D. Roosevelt. He began a program of government reform called the New Deal in which he used large public work projects to provide jobs for those who didn’t have any. The government helped farms and businesses financially. The New Deal eventually reformed the American reform system.
-Gaby H.(:
The Great Depression occurred on 1929 because American factories were turning out nearly half of the worlds industrial goods. The rising productivity led to enormous profits. Since the United States was the global economy once it would crash the whole world would suffer from economic depression. The New York City Wall Street was the financial capital of the world. Banks and investments companies lined its sidewalks. After it crashed people could not pay the money they owed on margin purchases and most of them killed themselves, because of debts. The US had faced its economic end. The collapse of the American economy sent shock waves around the world. Which affect countries that depended on it.
-Jonathan Vargas
by ely
Postwar Europe- In both human suffering and economic terms, the cost of the World War I was inmense. The Great War left every major European Country nearly bankrupt. In addition Europe's domination in world affairs declined after the war.
The Weiimar Republic- Germany's new democratic government was set up in 1919. Known as the Weimar Republic, named after the city where the national assembly was met. It had serious weakness from the start. First , Germany lacked a strong democratic tradition. Furthermore, postwar Germany had several major political parties and minor ones. Worst of all, millions of Germans blamed this republic for the country's defeat and postwar humiliation by the Versailles Treaty. Although , it had a very bad start , in 1923 Germany recovered from it's inflation thanks largely to the work of an international committee.
The Great Depression - The richest 5 percent of the population recieved 33 percent of all personal income in 1920. Yet 60 perent of all American families earned less than $ 2,000 a year. During, 1920, veerproduction affected American families as well. Unable to sell their crops at profit, many farmers could not pay off the bank loans that kept them in business. Their unpaid debts weakened banks and forced some to close.
In September 1929, some investors thought that the stock prices were unnaturally high. They started selling stocks, believing that the prices would soon go down. The lowering of stock prices becomed an all-out slide down, as a result people panic resulted. Everyone, wanted to sell stocks, and no one wanted to buy. It kept going down and it eventually colapsed.
