blog 3/5/2010

1. What were the main causes of the Great Depression? How are these causes similar to or different from the causes of our most recent economic downturn?

The Great Depression was a huge effect to the world economically. It was the WORST economic downfall in history. he Great Depression wasn't the country's first depression but it was the longest. There were many different combinations that caused the Great Depression.

It started when the Stock Market Crashed rapidly in 1929. 2 months after the crash stockholders had lost more than 40 billion dollars, even though the stock market began to regain some their losses back, it wasn't enough. Thousands of investors losts alot of money and most lost everything. The Stock Market Crash led us into the Great Depression.

Another cause of the Great Depression was Bank Failures. As the depression was getting worser and worser in the early 1930's, banks were beginning to fail drastically. After the crash 744 banks failed, but in total throughout the 1930's 9,000 banks failed. Most bank deposits were uninsured and so as banks were failing people just lost all their savings. The banks that were doing okay, were unsure about the economic situations and they were very concerned for their own survival so they stopped creating new loans.

The next cause was that no one was purchasing anything. After the stock market crash, people were scared that there was going to be more economic problems so people stopped spending their money. Then this led to reduction in items produced and then a reduction in peoples jobs. When people were losing their jobs they couldn't keep up with paying for items they bought through installement plans and so banks weren't extending their credit. This was a major cause because the unemployment rate rose above 25% which made the situation even worse.

Another cause was the Smoot-Hawley Tariff. As buisnesses were falling, the government decided to create the Smoot-Hawley Tariff to help protect American companies. This act was passed in the 1930's & it increased tariffs of a tax of 50% on all goods that were imported in the United States, which led to less trade between America and foreign countries. It just basically created trade wars and hurt companies.

This period was ranked as the longest and worst period of high unemployment and low business activity in the 1920's and throughtout the 1930's. I think that the causes that was going on in the 1920's don't really happen now. The only thin thats similiar to what had went on is going on now, i believe that most people are having trouble with their money. Most people are getting laid off from their jobs & people are buying new houses but are having a hard time paying off their mortages and houses are being on foreclousure and it's because of money. Overall the main causes was the Stock Market Crash, Bank Failures, Decline in purchasing goods, The Smoot-Hawley Tariff.

What are some costs and benefits of living in a city?

Living in the city has alot of benefits and costs. Some of the costs can be very expenisve and bad. There can also good benefits and bad benefits living in a city.

There would be some good costs and bad ones too. For example moving into a city can be ezpenisve and looking for a place to live can be expensive. These were some bad costs like prices would be raised and taxes would be higher too.

Some good costs are is that you don't have pay alot for transportation like you don't really need a car to drive around the city looking for a place. Most stores would be close by so you could walk which can be good excerise and there are buses around and cabs too. Plus if you did have a car you be stuck in traffic alot.

There are some good benefits living in a city, you would get a better and paying job and a better life. Thats probaly why some people moved to the city to have a better life. There are some bad benefits like bad santation. The city tends to less santion for example dieases can spread easliy, bad pluming, throwing trashes in places where they belong and just realy bad pollution.

Overall there are some good and costs and benefits living in a city and when trying to move always rmemeber like what would be the positive and neagtive effetcs of living in a city.

MY BLOGGG ! (=

Who was the most important or impressive inventor of the turn of the century? Why has this inventor had the greatest impact over time?

1. Okay so I believe that there are 2 impressive important inventors. Thomas Edison and Joseph Swan were great inventors because they made an invention that changed the whole nation. Thomas Edison was an American inventor and businessman who developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the the very first, electric light bulb.

2. Back in the day, people used candels and gased lamps as their way of light. Edison wanted to a invent a workable electric light system that would replace candles and gaslight forever, in the home and in public, and he did just that. One day Edison bought this place after his stock ticker made him richer. He decieded to hire more scientists so that they would make a big invention that would surprise everyone and make him famous.

3. In 1879 Edison introduced to America the light bulb, with the help of scientist Joseph Swan. In 1850 Swan started working with carbonized paper filaments in an clear glass bulb. He was working on this for 10 years, so in 1860 he figured out how to demonstrate a working device but the lack of supply of electricity came out to last in a short lifetime and they didn't have inefficent source of light. Around the 1870's more and better pumps became availabe and Swan worked on his experiment again. In 1878 another scientist, Charles Stearns who was an expert on pumps helped Swan developed a method that would stop the early bulb to go out. Around 1878 & 1892 the electric light industry was rising in terms of installed lights, but shrinking in terms of company competition. Edison was determind to take control over the industry and it'd advancements.

4. Most people were having doubts at that time. There was one person who was paranoid about her house blowing up if she had a light bulb in there, and that was Mr.Roosevelts wife. But i don't doubt her because people didn't know what the dangers were of the gas lamps.

5. These inventors had a great impact over time because they created the light bulb which basically transformed everything we do. To me they didn't just invent the light bulb, they experimented and took the time to find a new way of electric lighting. Electricity is something I can't stand living without. Especially in this society today, everything is ran on power. Without Thomas Edison and Joseph Swan today nothing would be able to operate, everything would basically be shut down.