Which of the following events is often associated with the start of the Great Depression?

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 is widely recognized as a pivotal event that marked the onset of the Great Depression due to its significant economic repercussions. On October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday, the stock market experienced an unprecedented crash, erasing vast amounts of wealth and leading to widespread panic. This crash did not occur in isolation; it exposed underlying vulnerabilities in the economy, including over-speculation and fragile banking institutions, which were exacerbated by a lack of regulatory oversight.

The immediate aftermath of the crash resulted in a severe loss of consumer confidence, leading many to cut back on spending and investment. This reduction contributed to a downward economic spiral that included rising unemployment, business failures, and ultimately a deep and prolonged economic downturn known as the Great Depression, which lasted throughout the 1930s.

The other events listed, such as the end of World War I and the formation of the New Deal, are important in the context of the economic landscape of the time but are not directly associated with the beginning of the Great Depression. The 1929 Federal Reserve Act, while significant in terms of creating a framework for monetary policy, did not directly cause the economic collapse as much as the events surrounding the stock market crash did. Thus