HERBERT HOOVER AND AMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM

Herbert Hoover and American Individualism



Herbert Hoover and American Individualism

Herbert Clark Hoover was the thirty-first leader of the United States. He was in office from March 4, 1929 to March 3, 1933 which was the time of the Great Depression. President Hoover was internationally famous for his relief efforts during World War I and his great success in reorganizing the Department of Commerce in America. He was greatly criticized because he was unable to reverse the effects of the Great Depression, but truly, he was at his best in administration. Hoover was unable to bring hopefulness too a country in despair and therefore he lost trust from his own people. (“Herbert Clark Hoover” Badertscher)

Herbert Hoover was born on August 10, 1874 in West agency, Iowa. He was the son of Jesse Clark Hoover and Hulda Randall Minthorn Hoover. Hoover had a brother, Theodore, and a sister, Mary. His parents both died by the time he was nine so he grew up as an orphan with his uncle. He married Lou Henry on February 10, 1899 and they had two boys, Herbert Clark Hoover Jr. and Allan Henry Hoover. (“Herbert Hoover” Holford, pg 15-24; 38) The nation was prosperous and optimistic; leading to a landslide for Hoover over the Democrat Al Smith, a Catholic whose religion was distrusted by many. Hoover deeply believed in the Efficiency action (a major component of the Progressive Era), contending that there were mechanical solutions to all communal and financial problems. Thead covering position was challenged by the Great despondency, which began in 1929, the first year of his presidency. He energetically endeavoured to combat the despondency with volunteer efforts and government activity, no one of which made economic recovery during his term.

In 1890, Hoover spoke to an engineer and later aspired ...