My Name is Jane Addams: Social Reformer and Settlement House Founder I was born in 1860 in Cedarville, Illinois, into a prosperous family. My father was a successful businessman and public servant who taught me the importance of honesty and service. Although I enjoyed advantages many people did not, I often wondered why so many families lived in poverty while others lived comfortably. Those questions followed me into adulthood and shaped the course of my life. Finding My Pu

The American Family Under Pressure Between 1929 and 1933, millions of families faced lost jobs, disappearing savings, and an uncertain future. While newspapers reported bank failures and stock market crashes, the real story of the Depression was often found around kitchen tables, where parents worried about feeding their children and families searched for ways to survive another day. When Income Disappeared For many families, the Depression began when a wage earner lost a job

My Name is Harry Hopkins: Social Worker and Relief Administrator I was born in Iowa in 1890 and grew up believing that people should help one another when times became difficult. As a young man, I studied social work and quickly became interested in helping poor families living in crowded cities. While many people focused on business or politics, I focused on human suffering. I spent years working with charities and relief organizations, learning how poverty affected ordinary

From Prosperity to Hardship During the 1920s, many Americans believed they were living in an age of endless prosperity. Factories produced automobiles, radios, refrigerators, and other new inventions at record speeds. Businesses expanded, wages generally increased, and millions of people found steady employment. Cities grew rapidly as workers moved to industrial centers seeking opportunity. Newspapers celebrated rising stock prices, and many families felt confident that the f

My Name is Eugene Meyer: Banker, Publisher, and Chairman of the Reserve I spent my life in finance, public service, and journalism. I was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1875, the son of a successful businessman. From an early age, I was fascinated by business, markets, and the opportunities created by a growing American economy. After studying at Yale University, I entered the world of finance, where I built a reputation as an investor and businessman willing to take cal

How Banks Worked Before the Crisis Before Americans could understand why thousands of banks failed during the Great Depression, they first needed to understand how banks worked. During the 1920s, banks were at the center of everyday life. Families deposited their paychecks, businesses borrowed money to grow, farmers took out loans to buy equipment, and communities depended on banks to keep money moving through the economy. For millions of Americans, banks seemed as reliable a

My Name is Irving Fisher: Economist and Professor I am Irving Fisher, an economist, professor, inventor, and writer. During my lifetime, many people considered me one of the leading economic thinkers in America. I spent decades studying money, prices, interest rates, and how economies grow. I believed that careful research and mathematics could help people understand the complicated world of finance. Though many remember me for one famous mistake, my life was much larger than

The Stock Market Before the Crash The Stock Market Before the Crash was one of the most exciting and talked-about parts of American life during the Roaring Twenties. As the nation enjoyed economic growth, new inventions, and rising consumer spending, millions of Americans became fascinated by the possibility of making money through investing. For many people, the stock market seemed like a pathway to wealth, success, and a brighter future. Few realized that beneath the excite

My Name is Henry Ford: Automobile Manufacturer and Industrial Pioneer Many people know me as the man who helped put America on wheels. During the Roaring Twenties, millions of families drove automobiles built in my factories. I believed that ordinary working people should be able to afford products that were once available only to the wealthy. My ideas changed transportation, industry, and daily life across the world. Growing Up on a Michigan Farm I was born in 1863 on a fa

America After World War I While much of Europe struggled to rebuild cities, industries, and governments damaged by years of war, Americans looked toward a future filled with possibility. The end of the war marked the beginning of a new era that would become known as the Roaring Twenties, a decade remembered for economic growth, innovation, and optimism. A Nation Ready for Normalcy After years of wartime sacrifices, Americans longed for what many called a “return to normalcy