The 31st President of the United States, served from 1929 to 1933, coinciding with the onset of the Great Depression. His policies, particularly his belief in rugged individualism and limited government intervention, are a crucial area of study for students preparing for the AP U.S. History exam. Understanding his background as a successful mining engineer and his approach to the economic crisis is essential. For instance, the Hawley-Smoot Tariff, enacted during his administration, significantly raised import duties and is often cited as a contributing factor to the global economic downturn.
The significance of studying this presidency for APUSH lies in grasping the complexities of the era and analyzing the effectiveness of different approaches to economic crisis. Examining his attempts at stimulating the economy through voluntary cooperation and public works projects, such as the Hoover Dam, provides valuable insight into the prevailing political and economic ideologies of the time. The contrast between his policies and the later New Deal programs under Franklin D. Roosevelt is a central theme in understanding the evolution of government’s role in addressing economic hardship.
