TB2+Herbert+Hoover

Herbert Hoover was America's 31st president and the first president to be born west of the Mississippi River (Biography.com). He was born on August 10, 1874 in West Branch Iowa. Both of his parents died when he was young. Hoover's father died when he was six and later his mother, when he was nine (Biography.com). After his parents' deaths, Hoover moved to Oregon to live with his aunt and uncle.

The beginning of Hoover's political career was when he was chosen by Warren G Harding to be the Secretary of Commerce. When Harding died, Hoover was again selected to be the Secretary of Commerce; this time by Calvin Coolidge (Biography.com). Hoover ran for president as a candidate for the Republican Party. He ran against New York Governor Alfred E. Smith. During Hoover's first year as president he gave a speech where he stated "We in America today are weaker to the final, triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of any land." (Biography.com) The following year the stock market crashed which signified the beginning of the Great Depression. Hoover's primary tactics at combating the Depression were tax cuts and the creation of public work projects. The most famous of these projects is the Hoover Dam. He established the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in an attempt to assist banks and industry. He also signed the Smooth-Hanley Act which raised prices on American goods. This act was not helpful though because other countries did not want to pay more for American goods and the Depression in America became even worse (Biography.com). At the end of his presidency one controversial incident that happened was the Bonus Army. Hoover ordered the the U.S Army to fire on the WWI veterans asking for their promised bonuses. media type="custom" key="25783036" However, for what he lacked in plans for the economy he made up for in his humanitarian efforts. During the Boxer Rebellion, he played a primary role in helping trapped foreigners in China. Also, he rescued stranded Americans in Europe during the outbreak of WWI. Hoover was the head of the Commission for Relief in Belgium for 3 years and also served as the head of American Relief Administration after WWI.

After Hoover left office he continued to have an influence politics by writing books on topics such as the New Deal which he opposed (Hoover.archives.gov). He also opposed entry into WWII and U.S. involvement in Korea and Vietnam. Hoover died at the age of 90 in NYC while working on one of his books.



__Work Cited__ [|http://www.biography.com/people/herbert-hoover-9343371#awesm=~oD1hWlfiC6SgEt]

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