The year 1929 marked the start of the Great Depression in the United States, following the catastrophic stock market crash on October 29, known as Black Tuesday. This financial collapse triggered a nationwide economic downturn that lasted throughout the 1930s. Unemployment soared, banks failed, and businesses collapsed, leading to widespread poverty and hardship. The Great Depression profoundly affected American society, prompting significant changes in government policies and economic practices, including the New Deal programs under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This era reshaped the role of government in economic matters and initiated long-lasting changes in social safety nets.