The Great Depression In The 1920's

143 Words1 Pages
The Great Depression was a worldwide economic slump that began as an American crisis. The 1920s was a boom decade for American companies, which tallied up record production figures, ever-increasing sales and millions of dollars profit. These profits meant high dividends and increasing share prices, which encouraged investment in shares. In 1927 and 1928, the Wall Street Stock Exchange was home to the new gold rush, as thousands of Americans rushed to take advantage of the booming share market. Some sold what they had or borrowed heavily to purchase shares. Few seemed to believe the boom would end – but it inevitably did. The trigger was industrial and agricultural over-production: American companies had grown so rapidly that by the late 1920s