122 Great Depression Research Topics & Essay Titles

🏆 Best Essay Topics on Great Depression

1. The Impact of the Great Depression on Education
2. Great Depression: Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt
3. “Public Enemies” During the Great Depression
4. Great Depression as Great Shame of Canada: Causes and Effects
5. Coronavirus vs. the Great Depression for Economy
6. Great Depression and Romanticism in America
7. John A Garraty on Great Depression Review

🔥 Hottest Great Depression Research Topics

The New Deal and the Great Depression

The “New Deal” was President Roosevelt’s initiative meant to help the US economy recover from the Great Depression. Its main objectives targeted agriculture, fees, and unemployment. The Congress put plenty of budget and effort into making it work, and it did. You can examine all the facets of the New Deal and its effect on the economy.

Great Depression in Germany

Americans weren’t the only ones who felt the effects of the Great Depression. The Wall Street crash hit Germany’s economy hard. Millions of people found themselves unemployed and facing poverty. But why did Germany suffer more than other countries? What did it have to do with US loans?

Government Response to the Great Depression

The US government’s response to the Great Depression was the approval of the “New Deal.” It helped people struggling with unemployment. The initiative grew into the modern Social Security system that allows retired citizens and everyone in need. In your paper, look into the main positive changes that Americans saw thanks to the government’s response to the Great Depression.

The Great Depression and John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck finally had a breakthrough as the author of the “Dustbowl Trilogy.” His novels were dedicated to the suffering of the Midwestern farmers during the Great Depression. Steinbeck’s works motivated the government, pushing them to provide more support to the underprivileged rural population. Your essay can explain how a single man could make such a change in the US economy?

The Great Depression in Canada

Canadians have endured hardships during the Great Depression as well. Just like in other countries, people in Canada faced extreme levels of unemployment and hunger. Why was that period called the Dirty Thirties? What did people depend the most on back then?

✍️ Great Depression Essay Topics for College

1. The Great Depression: Limitations and Effects

   Despite common assumptions, the Great Depression did not touch every socio-economic group. In fact, the very rich felt almost no impact, continuing to live a lavish lifestyle.
2. The Impact of the Great Depression on Women, Families, and Children

   The consequences of the Great Depression had a great impact on different social groups in the United States, including women, families, and children.
3. Riding the Rails: Hobo Kids During Great Depression

   The decline in stock production in the market in October 1929, which was accompanied by calamity, resulted in numerous Americans suffering from economic declines.
4. Causes and Consequences of The Great Depression

   The proponents of imperialistic military actions used to ease economic woes argue that World War Two pulled the country out of Great Depression.
5. The Impact of the Great Depression on US Economy and the New Deal’s Legacy

   The Great Depression, a global economic crisis, led to transformative changes in US policies. Roosevelt’s New Deal improved African American conditions.
6. The Aftermaths of the Great Depression

   Before the Great Depression that emanated from the collapse of the stock market in 1929, Latin America enjoyed a period of consumer boom as the leading international exporter.
7. The Great Depression: Details, Reasons, and Effects

   The Great Depression was a global economic recession that emerged in 1929 and remained until approximately 1939 and was exceptionally long and severe in the USA and Europe.
8. The Great Depression and New Deal Solutions

   The paper discusses the causes of the Great Depression. They included the situation of the nation’s agricultural sector coupled with the uneven distribution of wealth.
9. How the US Was Able to Handle the Great Depression

   This paper aims to examine some of the factors that enabled the U.S. to remain relatively stable and recover from the outcomes of the Great Depression.
10. The Great Depression vs. The Civil Rights Movement

    The Great Depression had an impact compared to the Civil Rights Movement because it affected many people, and transformed the American culture more profoundly.
11. The Great Depression in America’s Narrative History

    The conditions caused by the Great Depression were primarily associated with a significant economic crisis. In the wake of panic, depositors began to withdraw money en masse.
12. The Great Depression and the New Deal

    It is important to note that the New Deal was effective at catalyzing the overall recovery of the nation from the Great Depression due to its aggressiveness and promptness
13. Great Depression and Its True Causes

    The causes of the Great Depression are the subject of ongoing discussions about the role of government policies and private business activity.
14. The Great Depression and the American South

    The Greatest Generation is the term used for describing Americans born in the period between 1901 and 1925. The population survived the Great Depression of the 30s.
15. American Economy: 1920s and the Great Depression

    The 1920s laid the foundation for evolving from an industrial economy to a post-industrial economy based on the service and sale sectors.
16. The Major Causes of the Great Depression

    Some of the major causes of the Great Depression include the stock market collapse, the failure of the banking system, the economic downturn in many countries.
17. Great Depression and New Deal Impact on Minorities

    The period of the Great Depression had a significant impact on the United States and largely changed not only the economy but also the social situation in the country.
18. The Great Depression in the United States

    The Great Depression that occurred in the 1930s was a severe economic depression capturing countries worldwide, beginning in the United States.
19. The Great Depression and the New Deal Farm Policies

    The years of the great depression were characterized by poverty, high unemployment, deflation, low profits and plunging farm incomes.
20. History: Great Depression and New Deal for Society

    The Great Depression and the New Deal were challenging for the United States, especially for women, racial and ethnic minorities.
21. Great Depression and World War II Impact on the United States Economy

    Both the Great Depression and World War II heavily impacted the US economy in the first half of the previous century.
22. Great Depression and World War II for Americans

    The Americans encountered numerous problems during the period of the Great Depression. The Second World War also led to many problems in the United States.
23. The Great Depression and Military Spending

    The Great Depression had a devastating impact on the US economy. But military spending could be consider the main tool of it ended and promoting the growth of the industrial sector.
24. The Great Depression and Its Effects on Minorities

    This paper discusses the effects of the Great Depression on the American minorities. It describes the groups and individuals involved and the efforts made to resolve the calamity.
25. The New Deal’s Legacy: Roosevelt’s Response to the Great Depression

    The new deal plan by Franklin Roosevelt was not a viable recovery tool of the Great Depression since it delayed the recovery of the natural economic systems in the United States.
26. Socioeconomic Consequences of the Great Depression on American Society

    In the decade between 1920 and 1930, the United States of America experienced success in their overall national economy performance.

💸 Great Depression Topics: Stock Market Crash

The stock market crash in 1929 was the chief cause of the severe economic downturn. Businesses lost their invested money and were forced to shut down. Millions of people lost their jobs and were hopeless. It was a truly devastating time period.

If you need a good topic about the stock market crash, look at the list of ideas below:

1. What caused the stock market crash and the Great Depression? The causes of the Great Crash in 1929 were low wages, unemployment, and the increase of debt. But what about the more obscure causes of stock market crashes?
2. Are there any signs we’ll hit the Great Depression again? The accumulation of factors in the US economy led to the Great Depression. In recent years, people have noticed extreme inflation rates with non-increasing wages. Is the Great Depression having a comeback? Share your thoughts on this issue.
3. What happened on Black Tuesday? October 29, 1929, also known as Black Tuesday, was when the stock prices started dropping rapidly after a steady decrease the month before. The stock market collapsed, and the Great Depression began. Your essay may discuss Black Tuesday events from the perspective of investors and bankers.
4. The stock market crash 1929: the effects on the average American family. Unemployment and droughts made the lives of lower and middle-class American families much harder. How were they coping with difficulties? Explore the economy of the Great Depression using the example of the average family in the US.
5. Stock market crash as a blessing: end of Prohibition. The stock market crash was one of the leading causes of the Great Depression. In an attempt to balance out the economy, the US politicians canceled the Prohibition. How exactly did it work?

🎓 Most Interesting Great Depression Research Titles

1. Canadian Government’s Support Toward Its People During the Great Depression
2. Pressure-Group Influence and Institutional Change: Branch-Banking Legislation During the Great Depression
3. American Culture and Lifestyle During the Great Depression
4. Economic Recovery From the Argentine Great Depression: The Change of Macroeconomic Regime
5. Banking Crises and the International Monetary System in the Great Depression and Now
6. Labor Market Policies: Lessons From Hoover Policies During the U.S Great Depression
7. How “Cinderella Man” Depicts Life During the Great Depression
8. Organized Labor’s Growth and Consolidation: The Great Depression and World War II
9. Flight-To-Safety and the Credit Crunch: A New History of the Banking Crisis in France During the Great Depression
10. Shattered Rails, Ruined Credit: Financial Fragility and Railroad Operations in the Great Depression
11. The Stock Market Crash, Bank Failures, and the Dust Bowl as the Causes of the Great Depression in America
12. Employment, Relief and the Breadwinner Ideal: A Historiography of the Great Depression in Canada
13. The Banking Sector and the Great Depression in Bulgaria, 1924 – 1938
14. Decomposing the U.S. Great Depression: How Important Were Loan Supply Shocks
15. Intensified Regulatory Scrutiny and Bank Distress in New York City During the Great Depression
16. The Demand for Money in the U.S. During the Great Depression
17. The History and Effects of the Great Depression in the United States and the Government’s Solution to the Economic Problem
18. Changing the Rules: State Mortgage Foreclosure Moratoria During the Great Depression
19. Bank Leverage and Regulatory Regimes: Evidence From the Great Depression and Great Recession
20. How the Great Depression Ended by United States Entry Into the Second World War
21. The Shoe That Didn’t Drop: Explaining Banking Stability During the Great Depression
22. Corporate Governance and the Plight of Minority Shareholders in the United States Before the Great Depression
23. Work‐Sharing During the Great Depression: Did the ‘President’s Reemployment Agreement’ Promote Reemployment?

📝 Government and Politics Topics on the Great Depression

The unstable economy snowballed and led to global political disturbances in the 1930s. If you want to write an essay about them, check out these government and politics topic ideas:

• Changes the Roosevelt administration brought to the economy. After the elections, Franklin Roosevelt actively began transforming the American economy by launching aid programs and opening new institutions. What were the perks of his political strategy? Research this topic and write down your thoughts.
• The tension between the parties during the Great Depression. The parties always fought for power, but the competition was especially tense during the Great Depression. What were the moderate Democrats and left-wing clashing about? Analyze the facts about this period in politics.
• Tax reform in the Great Depression. The crash of the economy forced the tax reform. It was impossible to keep funding the relief programs with taxpayers’ money. What changes were introduced to help the situation? Express your opinion on the effectiveness of the tax reform in the 1930s.
• Political initiatives during the Great Depression vs. Black communities. The African American community of activists was small but mighty, thanks to the newly found supporters in political circles. Look into the agendas and most significant actions of these communities to see what changes they made.
• Washington Commonwealth Federation and the Great Depression. The Washington Commonwealth Federation wasn’t a powerhouse, but it was still influential. The organization supported social programs, unions, and other means of helping people. Discuss its political agenda in the Great Depression economy.

✒️ FDR and the Great Depression Topics for Research

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was the true leader of the American nation through the tough years of the Great Depression. Check out the list of topics for a research paper on his presidency:

1. Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s support team through the Great Depression. FDR was a very confident and devoted president. In his speeches, he promised to fix all of the country’s financial issues. But who was standing behind his actions? Research this question to find out about FDR’s trusted advisors.
2. FDR as the perfect president of his era: “fireside chats” example. “Keep calm” is the most common tip people hear when rough times hit. However, President Roosevelt took it to a new level with his radio “fireside chats.” Doesn’t it feel like a thought-through strategy? Discuss this question in your paper.
3. The reasons why Roosevelt’s New Deal failed. The New Deal might have looked like it would be a miraculous savior during the Great Depression, but it didn’t work. Look into this case and describe why it was World War II and not the New Deal that relieved the Great Depression.
4. FDR’s politics before and after polio. Franklin Roosevelt became a victim of polio when he was 39. He survived but had motor issues since then. Can you notice any changes in his political views or personality? Conduct your research and use available records to support your idea.
5. “Packing the court” as Roosevelt’s failed trick. In 1937, FDR tried to win more support by adding justices to the US Supreme Court who favored the New Deal. Why did his plan fail? Find strong arguments to support your thoughts.

💡 Simple Great Depression Essay Ideas

1. The 1930s and 1940s: The Great Depression and Its Aftermath
2. African American Life During the Great Depression
3. The Canadian Government’s Economic Policies in Response to the Great Depression
4. How Great Britain, France, and the United States Responded to the Great Depression
5. Reparations, Deficits, and Debt Default: The Great Depression in Germany
6. The Great Depression: America’s Biggest Financial Collapse in Economic History
7. Economic Events That Lead up to the Great Depression
8. The Development of the Mining Industry in Cyprus During the Great Depression
9. Progressive Era Through the Great Depression
10. Nazi Persecution During the Great Depression and World War I
11. Financial Collapse and Active Monetary Policy: A Lesson From the Great Depression
12. Births, Deaths, and New Deal Relief During the Great Depression
13. How the Two World Wars and the Great Depression Affected the Lives of Americans
14. Poor Living Conditions and Poor Health Greeted Americans in the Great Depression
15. Employment, Politics, and Economic Recovery During the Great Depression
16. Credit Relationships and Business Bankruptcy During the Great Depression
17. Money and Interest Rates in the United States During the Great Depression
18. Hopeless and Homeless: The Despair of the Great Depression
19. Agricultural Crises and the International Transmission of the Great Depression
20. Europe’s Great Depression: Coordination Failure After the First World War
21. How President Roosevelt Combated the Great Depression

📚 Lessons Learned from the Great Depression: Topics

The Great Depression was a terrible time for Americans, no doubt. Still, we have learned valuable lessons from it. If you want to look into them, check out the following topics:

• Preparing for another Great Depression: financial adviser’s point of view. In 2024, the economy is slowly crumbling, and Americans can see the signs of the Great Depression repeating itself. If you were a financial adviser, what would you recommend to do to get ready?
• Avoiding debt as the ultimate lesson from the Great Depression. One of the main reasons people suffered so much during the Great Depression was because debt became a new norm. Can Americans avoid financial issues if they pay off existing debts and avoid acquiring new ones? Discuss this idea in your paper.
• Budgeting not only for people with low income. Many Americans lost their jobs in the Great Depression without thinking about how much they spent every month. Is it wise to track every dollar spent, even when you have a good job? Express your opinion and add solid arguments.
• The best time to invest is now. Allegedly, J.F. Kennedy was one of those who reinvested in the market after the crash in 1929. It made him many times richer. Using the Great Depression as an example, research all the financial aspects and benefits of investing in the markets.
• Giving up going out to survive a financial crisis. Nowadays, people can only feel comfortable with being entertained 24/7, and they pay a lot to keep it this way. What if picking a low-cost option could be one of the most brilliant financial moves? Discuss cutting the entertainment budget to be financially responsible in tough times.

🗽 American Culture During the 1930s Research Topics

Everything changed for Americans during the Great Depression, even culture and leisure. Average citizens couldn’t afford extravagant things, so free or low-cost entertainment was the way to go.

Find the best topics on American culture of that era below:

1. Fashion of the Great Depression. Synthetic fabric was invented during the 1930s. It was extremely convenient because it was cheap, easy to maintain, and practical. How much did fashion change with the invention of synthetic fabric?
2. Monopoly as the most influential cultural change since the 1930s. Board games and puzzles replaced expensive entertainment for people struggling with an economic crisis. Monopoly’s way to the international market and its influence on modern culture can be an excellent essay topic.
3. The effects of the Great Depression on baseball. Like most Americans, baseball players went through paycheck cuts in the 1930s. What happened to the game’s fanbase? Express your opinion on how baseball changed in the 1930s and how it influenced Americans.
4. Culture after the end of the Prohibition. Since Prohibition ended in the 1930s, bars became the new favorite place for Americans to unwind. Nightclubs were a place of culture with music, dancing, and fashion. In your paper, analyze what role Prohibition’s end played in the American entertainment system.
5. Culture over politics: how radio and Hollywood prioritized entertainment in the 1930s. Many people believed that movies and radio should be used to influence the political views of Americans. Instead, Hollywood became the powerhouse of the entertainment industry. Can you explain why, back then, entertainment was prioritized over indoctrinating?

❓ Research Questions about the Great Depression

1. Can Great Depression Theories Explain the Great Recession?
2. Did American Welfare Capitalists Breach Their Implicit Contracts During the Great Depression?
3. Could the FED Have Prevented the Great Depression?
4. Did Bank Distress Stifle Innovation During the Great Depression?
5. Was Debt Deflation Operative During the Great Depression?
6. Could the Great Depression Be Described as a Time of Desperation?
7. Did France Cause the Great Depression?
8. How Did America Recover From the Great Depression?
9. Was the Great Depression a Watershed for American Monetary Policy?
10. Did Hayek and Robbins Deepen the Great Depression?
11. How Did Demographics Cause the Great Depression?
12. Was the Great Depression to Blame for the Success of the Nazi Party?
13. Did International Economic Forces Cause the Great Depression?
14. How Did Governments Deal With Problems Caused by the Great Depression?
15. What Are the Differences Between the Causes of the Great Depression and the 2008 Financial Crisis?
16. Did Korekiyo Takahashi Rescue Japan From the Great Depression?
17. How Did the Great Depression Completely Destroy America?
18. What Are the Real Reasons Behind the Great Depression in America?
19. Did the Canadian Government Do Enough During the Great Depression?
20. How Did the Great Depression Weaken Western Democracies?
21. Did the Great Depression Affect Educational Attainment in the US?
22. What Was America Like During the Great Depression?
23. How Does the Current Global Economic Recession Compare to the Great Depression?
24. Did the New Deal Prolong or Worsen the Great Depression?
25. How Did the Great Depression Affect African Americans?

🤑 Topics about the Great Depression Banking Failures

Multiple things went wrong after the stock market crash that led to the Great Depression. Banking failures were among them. Explore this essential aspect of the financial crisis with the help of our topics:

1. Contagion-induced bank runs as the cause of bank failures in the 1930s.
   Contagion refers to the spread of economic issues from one bank to another. Eventually, it can ruin the entire economy of a country and beyond. Can contagion be the main reason for a mass bank failure?
2. Federal deposit insurance and the Great Depression banking failures.
   Federal deposit insurance was introduced in the 1930s as a preventative measure, but banking failures were still widespread. Research this issue and add good arguments to support your thoughts.
3. Industrial shakeouts and Great Depression Banking Failures.
   As a typical event in other industries, industrial shakeouts are also blamed for banking failures in the 1930s. Look into this issue and find reliable sources to prove the idea.
4. Where did Americans’ life savings go after bank failures in the Great Depression?
   Most citizens were left with nothing after the bank failures in the 1930s. In your paper, you can try to explain why their deposits disappeared from the perspective of a financial advisor.
5. Banking failures in the Great Depression vs. the 21st century.
   In the 21st century, there have been over 500 bank failures. Are the reasons for bank failures in the 1930s the same as today? Compare them and remember to include reliable sources.