The Great Depression and the New Deal

The Great Depression was the worst economic crisis in U.S. history. Starting in 1929 there was widespread unemployment, poverty, and closing of businesses. The economy continued to spiral downward until 1933 when Franklin Roosevelt became president. His recovery program, known as the New Deal, put millions of people to work, saved millions from homelessness and starvation, rebuilt America's infrastructure, saved capitalism, and maybe even saved democracy in the U.S.