2025 civics test · Question 104 · Recent American History

When did the Great Depression start?

Any one of these answers is accepted

  • The Great Crash (1929)
  • Stock market crash of 1929

What this means

The Great Depression started with the stock market crash of 1929, sometimes called the Great Crash.

In October 1929, stock prices collapsed, wiping out savings and shaking the whole economy. Banks failed, businesses closed, and unemployment climbed for years afterward. That crash is remembered as the event that set off the Great Depression.

Either answer is accepted: “the Great Crash” or “the stock market crash of 1929.”

Why this is on the test

This 2025 question asks for the moment the Great Depression began, which is tied to a famous stock market crash.

How this question is asked

On the 2025 civics test, the officer asks up to 20 of the 128 questions out loud and you pass by answering 12 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.

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