Teaching Black Tuesday, the Stock Market Crash of 1929, and Herbert Hoover's Response:

By

Daniel Tobias Flint

Logo By CECILIA MARIE TATTOOS

Teaching the history of Black Tuesday and President Herbert Hoover's response to the Great Depression offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage students with pivotal moments in U.S. history. The stock market crash of October 29, 1929, sent shockwaves across the nation, signaling the onset of the Great Depression. This era is filled with lessons about economic policy, societal resilience, and the evolution of government intervention in crises.

In my classroom, I align my lessons with Florida U.S. History benchmarks, specifically SS.912.A.5.11, which examines the causes, course, and consequences of the Great Depression, as well as President Hoover's response. My approach integrates hands-on assignments, historical analysis, and critical thinking exercises to ensure students grasp the historical context and its modern implications.

Setting the Stage: Black Tuesday and Its Aftermath

The late 1920s were marked by remarkable economic growth and unbridled optimism in the United States. The Roaring Twenties introduced innovations in technology, a booming stock market, and increasing consumer confidence. New inventions like automobiles, radios, and household appliances transformed daily life, and credit made these luxuries accessible to millions. Many Americans believed the prosperity would last indefinitely.

However, significant vulnerabilities lurked beneath this economic euphoria. A speculative frenzy in the stock market encouraged ordinary Americans to invest heavily, often with borrowed money. This practice, known as buying on margin, created a financial bubble. Stocks became wildly overvalued, widening the gap between the actual value of companies and their stock prices.

On October 29, 1929—forever known as Black Tuesday—the bubble burst. Stock prices plummeted, wiping out billions of dollars in wealth in a single day. The crash didn’t just affect investors; its ripple effects spread throughout the economy, leading to widespread bank failures, business closures, and skyrocketing unemployment. As Americans saw their savings vanish and their jobs disappear, the country spiraled into the Great Depression.

To immerse my students in this period, I begin lessons with primary sources that capture the immediate aftermath of Black Tuesday. Newspaper headlines, such as The New York Times proclaiming "Market Crash Stuns Nation," and photographs of crowded Wall Street filled with frantic traders, bring the crisis to life. Personal testimonies from individuals who lost everything overnight offer poignant insights into the human cost of the collapse. These resources provide a vivid, emotional context that helps students understand the panic and despair that gripped the nation.

Herbert Hoover: Policies and Public Perception

Herbert Hoover took office in March 1929, just months before the stock market crash. Initially hailed as a capable leader, Hoover’s reputation quickly deteriorated as the Depression deepened. His philosophy of "rugged individualism" shaped his response to the crisis. Hoover believed that direct government intervention in the economy would undermine American self-reliance and weaken individual character. Instead, he advocated for voluntary cooperation between businesses, charities, and local governments to address the growing economic challenges.

Hoover’s Policies

To combat the crisis, Hoover implemented several measures, but they often fell short of public expectations:

• Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC): Established in 1932, the RFC provided loans to banks, railroads, and businesses in the hope of stabilizing key sectors of the economy. While it injected much-needed capital into struggling industries, critics argued that its benefits trickled down too slowly to ordinary Americans.
• Volunteerism: Hoover called on business leaders to maintain wages and employment levels voluntarily. However, as the Depression worsened, many companies found it impossible to honor these commitments, leading to mass layoffs and pay cuts.
• Public Works Programs: Hoover initiated large-scale infrastructure projects, including the construction of the Hoover Dam, to create jobs and stimulate economic activity. These projects showcased the potential of government intervention but were insufficient to counteract the massive unemployment of the time.
• Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act: Passed in 1930, this act raised tariffs on imported goods to protect American industries. However, it backfired by triggering retaliatory tariffs from other countries, further shrinking global trade and exacerbating the economic downturn.

Frank "Hurry-Up" Crow and the Building of the Hoover Dam

One of the few bright spots of Hoover’s administration was the construction of the Hoover Dam, an ambitious public works project that provided jobs and demonstrated the potential of federal infrastructure programs. Built between 1931 and 1936, the dam was overseen by Frank "Hurry-Up" Crow, a meticulous and efficient project manager who earned his nickname by demanding rapid progress and holding workers to high standards.

Teaching about the Hoover Dam allows students to see the tangible impact of public works during the Depression. I use photographs, engineering blueprints, and firsthand accounts from workers to bring this story to life. Students analyze the dam’s construction process, the challenges workers faced, and its lasting significance as a symbol of American ingenuity and resilience.

Public Perception of Hoover

As the Depression deepened, public frustration with Hoover grew. Homeless encampments known as "Hoovervilles" sprang up across the country, symbolizing the failures of his administration. Political cartoons lampooned him as indifferent to the suffering of ordinary Americans, and songs like "Big Rock Candy Mountain" captured the era’s mix of despair and escapism.

• Hoover Flags: Empty pockets turned inside out, symbolizing poverty.
• Hoover Hogs: Rabbits caught for food by desperate families.
• Hoover Heaters: Campfires used by the homeless to stay warm.
• Hoover Blankets: Newspapers used as bedding by those sleeping on the streets.
• Hoover Hotels: Makeshift shelters constructed out of cardboard and scrap materials.

The Assignment: Exploring Hoover Through "Big Rock Candy Mountain"

One of my favorite assignments involves analyzing the lyrics of the Depression-era song "Big Rock Candy Mountain." This folk song, with its whimsical descriptions of a utopian land, is ripe for historical analysis. I ask students to decode the metaphors in its verses and connect them to the lived realities of the time. For example:

• Verses 3-4: Students discuss how "handouts growing on bushes" and "sleeping out every night" reflect the struggles of the homeless and jobless during the Depression.
• Verses 9-14: They examine how "jails made of tin" and "the jerk who invented work" illustrate public frustration and disenchantment with societal norms.

By interpreting this song, students gain insight into how Americans coped with hardship, often through humor and hope.

Classroom Activities: Stepping into Hoover’s Shoes

To help students engage with Hoover’s complex legacy, I challenge them to step into his shoes through interactive activities:

• Policy Simulation: Students are assigned roles as Hoover-era policymakers tasked with crafting solutions to the economic crisis. They debate the merits of various strategies, such as direct relief, public works, and tax cuts, and evaluate their potential effectiveness.
• Primary Source Analysis: Using Hoover’s speeches and public addresses, students analyze his arguments against direct relief and his vision for volunteerism. They then compare his rhetoric to the realities faced by Americans during the Depression.
• Cause-and-Effect Mapping: Students create diagrams that link Hoover’s policies to their outcomes. For instance, they trace the Smoot-Hawley Tariff’s impact on international trade and the RFC’s limited ability to alleviate widespread poverty.
• Debate on Public Perception: Students analyze political cartoons, photographs of Hoovervilles, and public opinion polls from the era. They debate whether Hoover’s policies deserved the harsh criticism they received or if his hands were tied by the scale of the crisis.

By examining Hoover’s policies and their consequences, students grapple with the challenges of leadership during times of crisis. They leave the lesson with a nuanced understanding of how Hoover’s ideals and actions shaped his presidency and the nation’s response to the Great Depression.

The Bonus Army and Hoover’s Downfall

In 1932, a group of World War I veterans known as the Bonus Army marched on Washington, D.C., to demand early payment of a promised bonus for their wartime service. The Great Depression had left many veterans destitute, and they hoped the bonus would alleviate their financial struggles.

The Bonus Army set up a massive encampment near the Capitol, but their peaceful protest ended in tragedy. Hoover ordered their removal, and the ensuing confrontation, led by General Douglas MacArthur, turned violent. The use of tear gas and force against unarmed veterans shocked the nation and further damaged Hoover’s reputation.

I teach this episode using primary sources, including photographs of the Bonus Army’s encampment and newsreels of their eviction. Students discuss the ethical and political implications of Hoover’s response, debating whether he acted out of necessity or insensitivity.

The Historian’s Apprentice: Evaluating Hoover's Legacy

To deepen their understanding, students analyze a variety of sources, including images of "Hoovervilles" and political cartoons critiquing Hoover’s policies. Using the "People, Objects, Activities" format, they explore the symbolic significance of these makeshift communities and how they reflected public anger.

The culminating activity asks students to write a reflective essay addressing this question: Was the public justified in their criticism of Hoover’s policies? This exercise encourages them to weigh the evidence and develop their own informed opinions.

Analyzing Political Cartoons

Political cartoons provide a rich avenue for understanding public sentiment during Hoover’s presidency. Cartoons often depicted Hoover as disconnected from the struggles of ordinary Americans or overwhelmed by the severity of the Depression. In one notable example, Hoover is portrayed as a driver steering a car labeled "U.S. Economy" off a cliff, symbolizing his perceived inability to avert disaster.

In the classroom, I have students analyze such cartoons using guiding questions: What symbols are used to convey the message? What is the artist’s perspective on Hoover’s policies? This exercise not only enhances students’ visual literacy but also deepens their understanding of contemporary critiques of Hoover’s leadership.

Teaching Beyond the Standards

Teaching Black Tuesday and Hoover’s response isn’t just about memorizing dates or policies—it’s about helping students connect with the human stories behind the history. My aim is to spark curiosity and empathy while building critical thinking skills. By analyzing music, primary sources, and historical interpretations, students gain a multifaceted understanding of this pivotal era.

Through these lessons, I hope to equip my students not only with historical knowledge but also with the tools to analyze how government decisions can shape the lives of millions, both in the past and the present.