Herbert Hoover Biography and Presidency

Herbert Hoover Biography and Presidency Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) served as Americas thirty-first president. Before turning to politics, he served as a mining engineer in China. He and his wife Lou were able to escape the country when the Boxer Rebellion broke out. During World War I, he was quite effective organizing Americas war relief efforts. He was then named as the Secretary of the Commerce for two presidents: Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. When he ran for the presidency in 1928, he handily won with 444 electoral votes.   Here is a quick list of fast facts for Herbert Hoover. For more in depth information, you can also read the Herbert Hoover Biography Birth August 10, 1874 Death October 20, 1964 Term of Office March 4, 1929-March 3, 1933 Number of Terms Elected 1 Term First Lady Lou Henry Chart of the First Ladies Herbert Hoover Quote Every time the government is forced to act, we lose something in self-reliance, character, and initiative.Additional Herbert Hoover Quotes Major Events While in Office Stock Market Crash (1929) Start of the Great Depression (1929) Hawley-Smoot Tariff (1930)Bonus Army March (1932)Lame Duck Amendment Ratified (1933) The stock market crashed on Black Thursday, October 24, 1929, only seven months after Hoover had taken office. Five days later, on October 29th, Black Tuesday happened devastating stock prices even further. This was the beginning of the Great Depression that would effect countries around the world. Unemployment levels in the United States hit twenty-five percent.   When the Hawley-Smoot Tariff was passed in 1930, Hoovers goal was to protect the American farming industry. However, the real effect of this tariff was that foreign countries countered with high tariffs of their own.   In 1932, a Bonus March happened in Washington. Veterans had previously been awarded insurance under President Calvin Coolidge that was to be paid out after twenty years. However, because of the economic devastation of the Great Depression, over 15,000 veterans went to Washington D.C. to demand immediate payouts of their bonus insurance. They were virtually ignored by Congress. The Marchers ended up living in shantytowns around the US Capitol. To deal with this situation, Hoover sent in the military under  General Douglas MacArthur to get the veterans to move. The military used tanks and tear gas to get the veterans to leave.   Hoover lost reelection by a wide margin as he was blamed for much of the fallout and dire situations for many Americans during the Great Depression.   States Entering Union While in Office None Related Herbert Hoover Resources: These additional resources on Herbert Hoover can provide you with further information about the president and his times. Causes of the Great DepressionWhat actually caused the Great Depression? Here is a list of the top five most commonly agreed upon causes of the Great Depression. Chart of Presidents and Vice PresidentsThis informative chart gives quick reference information on the presidents, vice-presidents, their terms of office, and their political parties. Other Presidential Fast Facts Calvin CoolidgeFranklin D. RooseveltList of American Presidents