The Great Depression affected millions of people. No one could escape its gravity. He clung to America and refused to loosen his grip. Some of America's most influential men attempted to renounce some of its rough edges, but to no avail. America was plunged into an economic crisis that would cost billions of dollars and many lives. The Great Depression was a time of great economic struggle for America, and although other attempts were made, the real cause of its end was America's entry into World War II. The Great Depression was a time of little hope in the United States. It affected all types of people, from farmers to the average businessman. It all started on what is called "Black Tuesday". October 29, 1929 was one of the most influential days in the history of the American economy. Buying on margin was a trend that developed in the late 1920s, when American citizens couldn't afford to invest in stocks but still saw a reward in buying them. Thanks to margin purchases, the American people were lent $8.5 billion, which is more than the amount of money in circulation. On Black Tuesday, 16 million shares were traded and the stock market completely collapsed. Corporate owners and wealthy investors tried to solve the dilemma by purchasing large amounts of stock, but the market had officially crashed and the American people had lost $14 billion in that single day, and that value would only increase until November 13, when the market would have reached its highest level. historic low (Nishi, 2001). As the Great Depression grew increasingly severe, America needed a new leader. They needed someone to guide them towards a path of renewal and relief. That leader was elected in 1932 and his name was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Born in January... middle of paper... d as community. The Great Depression was an unpleasant time for American citizens, but upon entry into World War II, the United States fully recovered and became the proud nation it was founded to be. Works Cited Grahame-Smith, D. (Ed.). (2011). World War II: global chaos. New York: Marshall CavendishCorp.History.com staff. (2010). Baby boomers. http://www.history.com/topics/baby-boomers.Hosch, W. (ed.). (2010). America At War: World War II: People, Politics and Power. New York: Britannica Educational Publishing. Isserman, M. (1991). America at War: World War II. New York: Facts on File, Inc. Kallen, S. (2000). Second World War: the war at home. San Diego: Lucent Books, Inc. Nishi, D. (ed.). (2001). The Great Depression. San Diego: Dover Publications.PBS. (2007). War production. http://www.pbs.org/thewar/at_home_war_production.htm.