Beginning of Essay
By: Paul Alexander Gusmorino 3rd The Great Depression was the worst economic slump ever in U.S. history, and one, which spread to virtually all of the industrialized world. The depression began in late 1929 and lasted for about a decade. Many factors played a rol ....

Middle of Essay
.... economy to capsize. The "roaring twenties" was an era when our country prospered tremendously. The nation's total realized income rose from $74.3 billion in 1923 to $89 billion in 19291. However, the rewards of the "Coolidge Prosperity" of the 1920's were not shared evenly among all Americans. According to a study done by the Brookings Institute, in 1929 the top 0.1% of Americans had a combined income equal to the bottom 42%2. That same top 0.1% of Americans in 1929 controlled 34% of all savings, while 80% of Americans had no savings at all3. Automotive industry mogul Henry Ford provides a striking example of the unequal distribution of wealth ....