The Great Depression was a major economic slump in North America that started in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. During the Great Depression, there was a 25% unemployment rate, plus 25% that took wage cuts or reduced hours. That is about 50% of America with the loss of a job, or drastically less hours and pay. With parents not able to afford the food they used to, the Depression left about 50% of children without adequate food, shelter, or medical care. Fifty percent of Americans lived in poverty at this time. Imagine walking down the street and about half of the people you see are living on the side of the road without enough to pay for food or drink. During Herbert Hoover's presidency, forty percent of banks failed. This means that when people tried to get their money, it was no longer there because the bank couldn't keep up. When people heard that the banks were failing, they would run to the banks to get all of their money, hence the term, "Bank Runs." This would only make the make fail faster and faster because they did not have the money that they were giving out to the people.