A bank account emptied, a farm abandoned, a family starting over: the Great Depression changed millions of lives and left its mark on generations. Beyond the familiar stories of breadlines lies a story of political ambition, everyday ingenuity, and a country struggling to recover. How much do you remember about the people, policies, and events of this extraordinary era? Put your historical knowledge to the test!
In which year did the Wall Street crash before the Great Depression occur?
1929
1927
1930
1925
Who was president of the United States when the Great Depression began?
Herbert Hoover
Calvin Coolidge
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson
Which president took office in 1933 and led the federal government’s response through much of the Depression?
Harry S. Truman
Theodore Roosevelt
Warren G. Harding
Franklin D. Roosevelt
What was the name of Roosevelt’s collection of programs aimed at relief, recovery, and reform?
The Fair Deal
The New Deal
The Great Society
The Square Deal
What were “Hoovervilles”?
Government settlements built for retired workers
Factory towns offering guaranteed employment
Makeshift communities built by people who had lost their homes
Farming communities established on federal land
Which statement best describes the Great Depression’s geographical reach?
It affected mainly the United States and Canada
It affected industrial countries but spared agricultural economies
It affected countries throughout much of the world
It remained largely confined to North and South America
October 29, 1929, a day of enormous stock market losses, became known by what name?
Black Tuesday
Black Friday
Black Monday
Black Thursday
According to the commonly cited historical estimate, approximately what percentage of the American workforce was unemployed in 1933?
10 percent
25 percent
40 percent
55 percent
Which state became a major destination for families leaving drought-stricken farms in Oklahoma and nearby states?
California
Florida
Maine
Wisconsin
Which curly-haired child star became famous for her singing and dancing in movies during the Great Depression?
Shirley Temple
Elizabeth Taylor
Debbie Reynolds
Natalie Wood
Why did Roosevelt declare a nationwide “bank holiday” in March 1933?
To replace every privately owned bank with a government bank
To cancel all outstanding personal and business debts
To suspend banking operations while the government worked to stabilize the system
To give banks time to convert every deposit into gold coins
Before the 1929 crash, many investors bought stocks “on margin.” What did this mean?
They borrowed money to pay part of the purchase price
hey bought shares at a government-guaranteed discount
They purchased only shares that paid regular dividends
They agreed to receive profits instead of owning the shares
What happened to the American economy in 1937–1938, after several years of recovery?
It achieved "full" employment for the first time since 1929
It experienced a stock market boom without any change in production
It suffered another severe recession, and unemployment rose again
It experienced a brief agricultural decline while industrial output kept growing
Why did falling prices, or deflation, make life harder for many indebted farmers and businesses during the Depression?
Debts became more burdensome because borrowers had to repay them with money that was harder to earn and had greater purchasing power
Their loan balances automatically increased whenever prices fell
Falling prices required them to repay every loan immediately
Their income fell while the dollar amounts they owed generally remained unchanged
Deflation automatically converted their debts into more expensive foreign currencies
Around what years did the Great Depression end?
With the beginning of WWII and investment in factories and manufacturing. Massive government spending for the war effort finally erased high unemployment
1939 - 1941
1945 - 1950
1933 - 1935
1950 - 1955
Amateur Historian
Some of the details of the Great Depression proved difficult to recall, but this is a subject with plenty of ground to cover. Knowing the famous names is one thing; remembering banking reforms, relief programs, and life on the drought-stricken plains is another. Take a look through the answers to discover which facts caught you out. You may find that the stories behind them are easier to remember than the dates. A second attempt could bring a much stronger result!
You remember quite a bit about one of the most difficult chapters in American history. Your answers show familiarity with the era, even if some of its policies, personalities, or economic details proved less familiar. That gives you a solid foundation for understanding how the Depression changed both everyday life and the government’s role in it. Review the questions you missed; a few connections may fall into place. You have good reason to feel pleased with this thoughtful, respectable performance.
You have an impressive command of Great Depression history, with knowledge that reaches beyond its most familiar names and images. Your strong performance suggests you understand several sides of the period, from the hardships ordinary families faced to the efforts made to restore confidence and rebuild the economy. This was an era of complicated problems, and you handled its questions with confidence. Whether your knowledge comes from books, classrooms, or a longstanding interest in history, it has served you well.
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9/14/2026
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