Week Two - The Great Depression
The Great Depression (1929–32) was a time of extreme hardship for people in Australia. Even before the devastating stock market crash on Wall Street (the centre of stock market trading in New York, United States of America), unemployment in Australia was already at ten per cent. The Wall Street crash in October 1929 signalled the beginning of a severe depression for the whole industrialised world.
After the crash unemployment in Australia more than doubled to become twenty-one per cent in mid-1930. It reached its peak in mid-1932, when almost thirty-two per cent of Australians were out of work.
What caused the Great Depression?
The ultimate cause of the Great Depression is still the subject of debate by economists . Although the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange determined its timing there were several factors involved:
At the time, privately owned banks controlled Australia’s monetary policy and the country relied heavily on borrowing money from other countries to bring in new investment. When the banks refused to extend overdrafts to Australia the government began selling off gold reserves.
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RESOURCES
A collection of Video clips on the Depression
TASK ONE 2/1- group -Assignment sheet
Find minimum of 6 photos of life during the depression in Australia in 1920's and create a presentation
TASK THREE 2/2 - group
Chose one of the following topics and create a group presentation to show to the class. Click here for assignment sheet.
Sport
Unemployment
Women
Indigenous
Politics
Transport
New technology
TASK FOUR - 2/3 individual
Create a page on your website called "Depression in Australia" which contains all this weeks tasks and links - This page will be marked at the end of this week ( typically Sunday afternoons :) You may also include any other information and resources you think are relevant, e.g. video, links, photos. Send a link to your page using the form below
After the crash unemployment in Australia more than doubled to become twenty-one per cent in mid-1930. It reached its peak in mid-1932, when almost thirty-two per cent of Australians were out of work.
What caused the Great Depression?
The ultimate cause of the Great Depression is still the subject of debate by economists . Although the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange determined its timing there were several factors involved:
- A fall in export prices and sales
- A fall in overseas loans leading to a reduction in government capital spending
- A fall in residential construction
At the time, privately owned banks controlled Australia’s monetary policy and the country relied heavily on borrowing money from other countries to bring in new investment. When the banks refused to extend overdrafts to Australia the government began selling off gold reserves.
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RESOURCES
A collection of Video clips on the Depression
TASK ONE 2/1- group -Assignment sheet
Find minimum of 6 photos of life during the depression in Australia in 1920's and create a presentation
TASK THREE 2/2 - group
Chose one of the following topics and create a group presentation to show to the class. Click here for assignment sheet.
Sport
Unemployment
Women
Indigenous
Politics
Transport
New technology
TASK FOUR - 2/3 individual
Create a page on your website called "Depression in Australia" which contains all this weeks tasks and links - This page will be marked at the end of this week ( typically Sunday afternoons :) You may also include any other information and resources you think are relevant, e.g. video, links, photos. Send a link to your page using the form below